Mitsubishi Kei Car Production By Model : 1997-2014

While regular sized cars have slipped for Mitsubishi, the tiny Kei variety have done well recently. It has been a roller coaster ride however. Most are sold in Japan with domestic regulations favouring them. They are well suited to a crowded nation with narrow streets too. What of the models listed in the chart below?

The Minica started in 1962 and lasted in production until 2011. It was initially a 2-door sedan, the second generation added hatchback and coupé variants. The third effort was just the 2-door again. The chart here picks up with the end of the 7th and beginning of the 8th in the series. It had a Toppo model, with an unusual high roof.

The Toppo is derived from the Minica and from 2008 was sufficiently different to separate form the Minica. It became a Kei MPV.

The eK Wagon is a 5-door hatchback that came out in 2001. The second generation came through in 2006 and third in 2013. It is also supplied to Nissan and I am unsure if the data provided by Mitsubishi excludes such cars. One source I found says they are included from 2005.

The i/iMiev is a 5-door hatchback electric vehicle, made also for PSA, unsure if those sales are included in production figures below.

Finally, the eK Space is related to the eK Wagon but more like a Kei MPV than hatchback the latter is. It was produced in large numbers, again probably including Nissan cars which I am unable to take out.

The chart below show production numbers for Mitsubishi cars, with some made for other companies unavoidably included.. The extreme right column is the percentage of total production for cars and light commercial vehicles.

		eK Space	eK Wagon	i-MiEV	Toppo	Minica	Total	%
	97	-	-	-	-	115,483	115,483	8
	98	-	-	-	-	142,257	142,257	10
	99	-	-	-	-	150,624	150,624	11
	00	-	-	-	-	157,058	157,058	11
	01	-	97,390	-	-	82,585	179,975	15
	02	-	115,918	-	-	36,340	152,258	11
	03	-	119,652	-	-	33,553	153,205	12
	04	-	70,826	-	-	25,065	95,891	9
	05	-	118,480	19,705	-	23,527	161,712	14
	06	-	122,294	31,725	-	21,064	175,083	14
	07	-	77,875	12,163	-	12,928	102,966	8
	08	-	63,943	8,501	14,116	9,256	95,816	9
	09	-	50,914	8,054	12,969	11,111	83,048	10
	10	-	43,073	13,151	10,825	12,057	79,106	7
	11	-	38,439	18,446	7,410	1,138	65,433	6
	12	-	33,920	6,404	5,155	-	45,479	4
	13	29,558	178,977	2,635	56	-	211,226	17
	14	124,748	110,300	3,461	-	-	238,509	19

Summary: The Kei car area of Mitsubishi's business has been reasonably successful. The recent scandal regarding falsified fuel consumption for such cars will hurt production from 2016 to some time into the future.

Data source: Mitsubishi Motors.