Subaru Rex / Fiori

In 1982 the Rex was redesigned to a front wheel drive design sporting a 660cc engine now that the Kei class tax rules in Japan allowed a 660 cc size engine instead of a 360cc engine. This model was exported to several countries including Australia where it was known as the Subaru Sherpa light commercial vehicle.

In 1989 the Rex received a major facelift, in Australia the Rex was renamed Fiori and was fitted with an 800cc engine, a 4 seat passenger version was available in 1991 and 1992 as well as the light commercial version, most likely the 660cc engine was still available in Japan.

In 1992 the Rex was replaced by the Subaru Vivio, the Fiori line was dropped form the Australian marketplace.

Suzuki Alto

Fitted with a 3 cyl 550 cc engine in Japan to come under the Japanese Kei Class laws, the Alto also had the option of a 800cc engine that made the car more popular in export markets. Many other car makers at the time that offered these micro sized cars could only offer a 660cc engine, as the largest size available as this was the limit set by Japan’ s Kei Class laws that offer cheaper tax rates to small cars.

The Alto has evolved over the years and today is available with a 1.1 litre 4 cyl as well as turbo sports option.

The Alto is also built in India by Maruti Udyog, a company who was set up as a partnership by Suzuki and the Indian Government. The Maruti 800, the Maruti Zen, and the Maruti Alto are based on the ’86, ’94, and ’02 Alto, respectively. All Indian models are only available with five doors. The 2nd generation Alto based Mauruti 800 is still sold today and has only recently been knocked off the top sellers list by the Alto itself. In Korea Daewoo produced a car for quite some time know as a Tico that was based on the 1982 Alto. The Tico was later replaced by Daewoo’s Matiz.  The Alto was also manufactured by Suzuki for Mazda as the Carol at first in 1989 with a unique exterior and interior design with later models being a straight badge swap design.  

In Australia the Alto was sold as a light commercial vehicle from 1980 to 1985 known as the Suzuki Hatch and as an Alto from 1985 to 1989, it was a 2 door hatch with no rear seats. Its main rival was the Daihatsu Handivan. it was first released with a 550cc engine, later the option of the 800 cc engine was introduced as well. This model shared many of its components with the Suzuki Mighty Boy ute. The name Alto was reintroduced between 1995 and 1998 as a passenger car where the engine size had evolved to 1 litre.

Daihatsu Handi

In Australia the Mira was sold only as a 3 door commercial version called the Handivan and was released in 1981. The L55 handivan was soon upgraded to the L60 model in 1982 which had a new grill and increased engine size of 660cc.

This first generation body continued untill 1986, the only other changes were the introduction of a conventional 3 speed auto that replaced the unloved “easy drive” and an optional 5 speed manual. 

The 1986 L80 saw an all new body and the introduction of a 3 cyl 850cc engine, this motor was probably only used on export cars as Japan favors 660cc or lower engines to comply with a tax rule that allows cheaper registration of these cars known as Kei class cars.

In 1990 the Handivan name disapeared from the Australian market when the L201 Mira passenger car was released, by 1992 a comercial version was also released (same car, just no rear seats). The L201 still featured a 850cc engine but in a new body.

In 1995 the Mira name was dropped in Australia and the Handivan returned, now with a 660cc engine again possibly due to production of the 850cc engine finishing. The Handivan continued untill 1999 when the new L701 was released with a 1 litre engine. The name was shortened to just Handi and a new passenger version called the Cuore was released.

The Cuore continued until 2003 when it was replaced by the L251 model and renamed Charade, the Charade was formally a seperate model altogeather that had not been sold since 2000, the Handi commercial version was dropped in 2001. 

Suzuki Mighty Boy

Based on the Suzuki Hatch also known as a Fronte or Alto, it has one of the smallest payload areas of any ute that has ever been built. In fact if you need to carry 1 bail of hay you need to drive with the tailgate down.

While many people offten considered the car as a joke, it is now becoming a cult classic as clubs are being formed with plenty of members who are buying up the tiny cars and hotting them up.