The kei sports car that grew up
The Copen arrived in 2002, a full decade after the "ABC trio" — the Mazda AZ-1, Honda Beat, and Suzuki Cappuccino — had briefly revived the idea of a kei-sized sports car in the early '90s. The ABCs were brilliant but raw. They were light, loud, analog, and built to the minimum spec necessary to be fun. They were driver's cars in the purest, most uncompromising sense. And then they disappeared by 1995, victims of Japan's economic slowdown and shifting tastes.
When Daihatsu revived the concept with the Copen (L880K), they took a very different approach. Instead of chasing weight reduction and analog purity, they built a grown-up kei sports car — one with refinement, comfort, real weather sealing, and a feature so unlikely for a car this small that it became the headline story: a fully power-folding aluminum hardtop.
That roof
Press a button on the dashboard. The trunk lid opens backwards. The aluminum hardtop splits into two pieces, folds over itself, and disappears into the trunk. The trunk lid closes. Total time: about 20 seconds. It's the same kind of mechanism you'd find on a Mercedes SLK or a BMW Z4 of the same era — cars that cost eight to ten times as much as a Copen did new. And it works reliably, which is the most surprising part.
The benefits are enormous. With the roof up, the Copen has real weather sealing — no wind noise at highway speeds, no leaks, no fabric to deteriorate. It's as quiet as a hardtop coupe. With the roof down, you get a proper open-air convertible. You get the best of both worlds in a car the length of a bathtub.
The JB-DET engine — a 4-cylinder rarity
Here's something that surprises people: the Copen's engine is a four-cylinder. Almost every modern kei car uses a 3-cylinder because they're cheaper and lighter. But Daihatsu built the JB-DET, a 659cc 4-cylinder DOHC turbocharged engine, specifically for cars that needed smoother power delivery — the Copen and the earlier Mira Gino X4. It produces the kei class-maximum 64 horsepower but feels more refined and revs more eagerly than any 3-cylinder alternative. It's also a genuinely high-tech engine: aluminum block, aluminum head, timing chain (not belt), and a small twin-scroll turbocharger with intercooler.
In real-world driving, the JB-DET pulls hard from about 2,800 RPM, loves to rev to redline, and makes the Copen feel properly quick — 0-60 in around 8.5 seconds, which is legitimately fun in a car that weighs just 1,830 lbs. Combined with the 5-speed manual (strongly preferred over the automatic), the Copen rewards smooth inputs with a level of polish the old ABC cars couldn't touch.
Driving character
Because it's front-engine, front-wheel-drive, the Copen doesn't handle like a Beat or a Cappuccino. Those were mid-engine and rear-drive respectively — tail-happy, rotational, go-kart-like. The Copen instead feels more like a miniature MX-5 Miata or a tiny VW Golf GTI — stable, neutral, grippy, and forgiving. The steering is direct without being darty. The suspension is compliant enough for daily use but taut enough for mountain roads. The brakes are confidence-inspiring. It's a car you can drive fast without ever feeling like you're about to embarrass yourself.
Some enthusiasts complain that it's "too civilized" for a kei sports car. Those people should buy a Cappuccino. The Copen's whole point was to be civilized.
What it does well
The Copen is the rare kei car you could use as an actual daily driver in the US. The ride quality is tolerable on bad pavement. The hardtop makes winter driving possible. The heater works. The air conditioning is effective. It's reliable (Daihatsu was part of the Toyota group during this generation, and build quality reflects it). And it's a convertible — something essentially no other kei vehicle in the importable window offers with a proper hardtop.
It's also shockingly good on fuel, returning 40+ mpg in mixed driving. And because it's a proper Daihatsu product, parts for the engine and chassis are shared with the Mira and Move kei cars, which makes maintenance manageable.
Known weaknesses
The roof mechanism is the obvious concern. When it works, it's magical. When it doesn't, it's a nightmare — dozens of micro-switches, hydraulic lines, and sensors have to cooperate perfectly. Common failures include stuck microswitches, leaking hydraulic pump seals, and worn trunk hinges. Budget for potential roof service and find a Copen that's had the system exercised regularly, not a garage queen that hasn't opened its roof in five years.
Other watch items: turbo oil feed lines can coke up if oil changes are neglected, rear shocks wear out early due to the car's weight distribution, and the aluminum body panels (the Copen uses aluminum fenders and hood) dent easily and are expensive to repair properly.
Import timing and pricing
Here's the important part: the Copen isn't legally importable yet. The L880K entered production in mid-2002, which means the earliest examples become eligible under the US 25-year rule in mid-2027. A handful of 2002 units may trickle in then, with broader availability through 2028-2030. See the importing step-by-step guide for how the 25-year rule works, and the import cost calculator to estimate landed pricing.
When it does arrive, expect strong demand. Clean manual-transmission Copens in Japan currently sell for ¥800,000 to ¥1,400,000 (roughly $5,500 to $9,500). After shipping, compliance, and the inevitable US enthusiast premium, landed prices will likely sit in the $12,000 to $20,000 range.
How it compares
Against the other importable kei sports cars: the Honda Beat is lighter, rawer, and mid-engine — the driver's purist choice. The Suzuki Cappuccino is RWD, front-engine, and the most balanced. The Mazda AZ-1 is the collector's crown jewel with gullwing doors and mid-engine layout. The Copen is the only one with a real hardtop convertible mechanism, the only one that's comfortable enough to daily, and the newest by a decade. It's the mature choice for someone who wants open-top kei motoring without suffering for it.
Should you buy one?
Yes — if you can wait until 2027 and you want a kei sports car that functions as real transportation. The Copen is the grown-up kei convertible. It's refined where the ABC trio was raw, comfortable where they were punishing, and practical where they were temperamental. It won't give you the pure mid-engine thrills of a Beat, but it will give you a car you can actually use in the rain, on the highway, and in winter. When they start landing in the US, they're going to be popular — mark your calendar.