Kei cars are big in Japan and the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show proves it with several new launches in this segment. One of them is the Mitsubishi Super Height K-Wagon Concept, which previews an upcoming kei car scheduled to launch before the end of the current fiscal year in its home market. This pre-production study is quite tall, stretching kei car regulations to the limit.

According to the official press release, the Super Height K-Wagon targets drivers “who want to go more places and longer distances.” For that reason, the wide-open passenger compartment offers plenty of space for a kei car, particularly in the back. Mitsubishi claims it offers the largest rear door opening and back seat legroom in its class.


Using brown as a dominant color and orange as a secondary, the interior appears surprisingly posh, featuring synthetic leather covered with diamond quilting on the seats, as well as contrast stitching on the leather-wrapped steering wheel, dashboard, and seats.

There’s not much to comment when it comes to the exterior styling, as the Super Height K-Wagon Concept looks pretty much like a tall box on wheels that happens to feature Mitsubishi’s signature Dynamic Shield front fascia. To some extent, it resembles the eK X kei car launched earlier this year, although it has a more utilitarian appearance. It also offers a two-tone paint scheme with matching wheels and subtle SUV styling cues including black plastic cladding around the wheel arches and on the sills, and silver roof rails.


Mitsubishi hasn’t announced any details about the powertrain, but says the concept packs “a high-performance engine and CVT.” That sounds overly optimistic, since kei cars are restricted to 0.66-liter turbocharged three-cylinder gasoline units. Still, the automaker promises “brisk, stress-free road performance in low-speed and high-speed zones.”

When it comes to safety, the Super Height K-Wagon incorporates the e-Assist preventive safety technology package. This includes the MI-Pilot single-lane highway driver assistance, a braking system that mitigates damage from collisions, and collision prevention assistance from pedal misapplication.