The Mazda Carol was a “Kei car,” which meant it was uber-small because the roads in Japan are so crowded. It was produced in several forms through the balance of the 20th Century but was never exported to the U.S. Somehow this right-hand-drive 1996 example managed to make it stateside and looks to be in great overall condition. Located in Tiffin, Ohio, this something of a novelty is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $7,000.
Mazda was in the Kei car market from 1962 to 1970 and then exited the space for 18 years. When they got back into the game in 1989, they brought back the Carol nameplate from yesteryear. But it was marketed under the Autozam brand instead until 1998. The seller’s example is from the third generation (1995-98) and uses a 657cc, 3-cylinder engine to move the tiny vehicle down the road.
Carols came with either front or all-wheel drive, and we’re told the seller’s edition has an automatic transmission (CVT?). It’s only traveled 33,000 miles and surprisingly has air conditioning, which likely draws from what little power the car produces on its own. But it’s said to be a good driver with no issues with the body. The tiny interior seems to be ship-shape and comes with Bluetooth navigation. If you don’t have $7k to spare, the seller might take your classic car off your hands instead. Kudos to JDC for the cool tip!
Ha,ha,ha, you showed up in that? You’re braver than I thought( Millennium Falcon) Go ahead and laugh, funny boy, things keep escalating like they are, and every indication they will, be a lot more of these. I happened to have rented a small Kia a while back, and never again. It was the worst ride, even the Jeep was better. I suppose if we all drove in downtown Hong Kong, be a different story. In those typhoons, you always see these cars bobbing up and down in the water. I all but guarantee you, not ONE RAM pickup will be traded for one of these, not one! Cowboys ( and Cowgirls) would rather die than be seen in this. I hope I’m in the big truck stop in the sky when that happens.