Models of choice

Seven of the eight Japanese passenger car/light truck manufacturers offer various configurations of compacts, which are taking off in Asia.

By American vehicle size definitions, the Japanese compact segment must belong to the small car group. However, the interior volumes of a recent crop of these minis are close to those of compacts. By the European classification, the Japanese compact is “B-segment.”

The compact segment has always been present in Japan and Asia. The movement has been accelerating since Toyota's 1999 launch of the Vitz/Yaris hatchback and its sedan variant, the Platz/Echo. Styled at Toyota's European design center by a young Greek designer, the Vitz/Yaris became an overnight success, winning the coveted Japanese and European Car of the Year awards. Toyota built a new factory in France to produce the hatchback.