New Nissan Sakura 2026 review: a kei car for Europe?

Last year, the European Union and some car manufacturers began talks about a new low-cost E-Regulation class of electric vehicles – and we’ve been to Japan to drive the Nissan Sakura, which the EU is using as a template for the new class of car that we could see on the road in the next few years. 

The Sakura is a ‘Kei’ car, which has to conform to similar low-cost regulations to what the EU is considering. Such rules have existed in many places for decades, but arguably the most successful are the Japanese rules that have created these Kei cars. Very few of them are currently electric, but the Sakura is among the first EV options. 

Behind the EU plans is a desire to to help cut the cost of building and buying electric cars in Europe, insulating the industry from low-cost EVs coming in from overseas and filling the £10-15k void in European new-car showrooms. 

In order to do this, regulators have been looking into removing some of the more needlessly expensive details that are essential under the current rules. They could also potentially limit factors such as the cars’ dimensions and power outputs, and insist they’re built locally, from parts sourced from largely local suppliers. 

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But first, a quick history. 

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What is a Kei car?

Kei cars take their name from the term kei-jidōsha (light vehicle) and this class of car is an industry in its own right in Japan, where manufacturers build cars to a strict set of guidelines. These include engine size, external dimensions and a non-official, but generally adhered to, power limit. 

Electric Kei cars are few and far between in Japan at the moment, with only this Nissan Sakura and the Honda N-One e offering a battery-electric option. But this is bound to change as Japanese manufacturers adopt BEV powertrains, which suit the usage pattern of a traditional Kei car very well. 

What’s the Nissan Sakura like in the flesh?

Kei cars have to obey strict regulations governing their dimensions, and as a result many of them have a rather humorous, upright appearance. Their length and width are tightly controlled, with a maximum length of 3,400mm and a maximum width of 1,480mm. For context, the smallest Toyota for sale in Europe is the Aygo X, but even this is 376mm longer and 260mm wider. 

However, the one dimension that’s not quite so stringent is the maximum height of 2,000mm, so many manufacturers, including Nissan with the Sakura, make their Kei cars tall, giving them a telephone box-like set of proportions. This might look cute, but it’s also incredibly space efficient, because the room inside cars like the Sakura isn’t just large for city cars, but for cars in general. 

This shape also suits the fitment of under-floor batteries, because there’s plenty of headroom, so the seating position can be pushed up. Electric motors are also much smaller and require fewer ancillary components than petrol engines, so generally fit under the usually tiny bonnets easily. Modern by-wire controls for the pedals and steering also further improve the flexibility of a packaging layout. 

Kei cars might look like toys, but there’s no doubting the fact that Japanese manufacturers have picked up the idea and run with it. Over the decades, Kei cars have taken the form of everything from fairly mainstream hatchbacks to pick-up trucks, sports cars, off-roaders and even family-friendly people carriers with sliding doors. All the features of a normal car are generally included too, but downsized and simplified. 

Naturally, there are some compromises, though. Limited shoulder room means there’s usually only space inside for four people, and the tall body doesn’t do much for high-speed aerodynamics, so range won’t be a strong point. But with plenty of time to develop the concept, there’s no reason why a Kei car-like model shouldn’t be able to serve customers in European cities and more rural villages alike. 

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What’s the Nissan Sakura like to drive?

The most startling regulation in a Japanese Kei car is the tiny 1,480mm maximum width, and this is the overwhelming sensation when you take to the driver’s seat. You can’t help but notice how close the passenger-side door is to your left, although you sit high up, and the belt line is low for a brilliant view out. 

There’s also something of a novelty to how Nissan has laid out the dashboard, because it doesn’t follow any of the current European design trends. There’s no centre console, for instance, and the dash-mounted gear selector and compact collection of controls are grouped right up by your knee. 

The other overwhelming aspect inside is a colossal sense of open-ness. Despite the car’s narrow width, there’s loads of leg and headroom in the second row. The boot doesn’t offer much floor space, but because it’s a tall shape, it’s still pretty spacious. 

In part due to the electric powertrain and tiny 14-inch wheels, if you measure interior space versus external size, there can’t be many more efficient options here in Europe. 

Driving in ultra-tight residential streets in Yokohama, it’s a cinch to zip down alleyways with plenty of room to spare for pedestrians and cyclists. This might sound like an overly specific experience, but anyone who’s driven down a medieval British village lane or a London back-street will appreciate the advantage of having such a narrow car. 

Otherwise, the driving experience is similar to just about any other small EV, with quick-witted responses and an agile feeling. The Sakura doesn’t produce much power – just 63bhp, in fact – but its comparatively huge 195Nm makes it feel considerably more pokey than petrol-powered European city cars. The surprise is how well it’s all calibrated, and how much the set-up suits the incredibly upright stance. There’s no lurching or jerky stops, and its regenerative braking feels just as powerful as in any modern EV.

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Under the floor, Nissan’s 20kWh battery pack is small, while less-than-ideal aerodynamics resulting from the car’s shape limit its range to 112 miles, but in town or between villages, this could be plenty for anyone with easy access to charging. The Sakura will also top up relatively quickly, taking around 40 minutes to get from 0 to 80 per cent capacity.

Overall, though, it feels perfectly suited to its environment, which isn’t something that could always be said for many modern European cars as they lumber through tight, crowded city streets, brushing kerbs and taking up multiple parking spaces. 

The Sakura feels like a sensible choice, when inappropriate ones are so often being made by consumers for the sake of image, or sometimes just because of mis-information. There’s a level of clear-thinking to the Kei car that just makes sense, and it seems to do so with a classlessness. 

This has been proven with a few inexpensive urban cars before. The original MINI is one, perhaps, but look at some more recent Japanese models and you’ll see that cars such as the Suzuki Jimny or Honda e appeal to all manner of buyers, often sitting alongside much more expensive models on their owner’s driveway. 

The Aston Martin Cygnet is the ultimate example of this; the Toyota iQ-based city car was wrapped in a Vantage’s worth of leather and sold through dealers almost as an option alongside the purchase of a full-sized car. And why wouldn’t a Nissan Sakura hold similar appeal for those in towns and villages across the country?

We came away wondering why and how the Japanese just seem to get it when it comes to something as simple as personal mobility. And in the case of Europe, a small, inexpensive EV like the Nissan Sakura would absolutely fit the bill for many buyers.

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