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My question concerns the increasing number of smallish four-wheel-drive minivans with right-hand steering wheels that I’ve been seeing driving around Portland. What’s up? Is it just a coincidence? A full-on trend? An annoying hipster affectation? Or what? —Mark W.
What you’re seeing, Mark, are any of several Japanese microvans including the Toyota Hiace, Mitsubishi Delicta and Honda Acty. All have three things in common: They’re tiny, they were never intended for sale in the U.S., and—let’s be honest—they’re fucking adorable. Importing JDM (Japanese domestic market) vehicles into the U.S. isn’t easy, but these eccentric yet practical microvans have gradually built a devoted following of aficionados willing to brave any obstacle to get their hands on one.
In other words, yeah, a hipster affectation. But look how cute they are! Even I want one. The Hiace (for example) is basically the same length and width as a Camry, but 50% taller. Perched atop its ridiculous knobby tires, it looks comically narrow from the front. (It also looks like it would blow over in a high wind, but apparently they don’t.) You can see why people get obsessed with them.
Unfortunately for folks who’ve always dreamed of cross-breeding a Ford Expedition with Hello Kitty, microvans usually don’t meet U.S. emissions or safety standards. So how are they on the road? Given Portland’s current laissez-faire approach to car registration enforcement, you might wonder if maybe all these folks are just driving them illegally, because the hell with it. However, it turns out there’s a loophole.
Under the Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act of 1988, it’s legal to import and drive noncompliant vehicles provided they’re over 25 years old. The law was intended to create an exception for classic and collectible cars, but car manufacturing has improved a lot since 1988, and today plenty of 25-year-old, definitely non-collectible cars are perfectly serviceable as daily drivers. (Ask me how I know.)
Importing even a legal JDM car entails a lot of paperwork, though, which is why most of the ones you’ve seen probably came through a Portland outfit called Vanlife Northwest. Vanlife specializes in importing JDM microvans and fixing them up. The vans are sold to eager fans all over the country, but owner Danny Hellewig estimates that around 100 stayed right here in the Rose City. Is driving one a little self-consciously Portland quirky? Maybe—but I still say it beats riding around on a fixed-gear bike with your beard in cornrows.
Questions? Send them to dr.know@wweek.com.