Honda Previews A New Small Van To Join Its N Family Of Kei Cars

We may not seem them in America, but back in Japan, Honda’s N range of mini cars means big business for the automaker. And now it’s planning on further expanding it with a new commercial van.

Called (appropriately enough) the N-Van, the new model is set for release this summer. But before it’s revealed, Honda’s giving us an idea of what to expect.

Previewed in these teaser images, the little work van promises to make the most of its little footprint with a flat loading floor. Not only in the back, but extending all the way up to the dashboard, thanks to a fold-flat front passenger seat. Combine that with a (relatively) wide-opening tailgate, a sliding side door, and the absence of a B-pillar to get in the way, and the N-Van ought to be especially easy to load and unload.

A Small But Growing Family
Honda’s N range already includes the N-One retro hatchback, the N-Box van, the slanted-roof N-Box Slash and the more dynamically styling N-WGN. The arrival of the N-Van, then, would boost the lineup to five models.

Each is designed to qualify under Japan’s Kei car regulations to make them easy to park and maneuver around city streets, especially in the densely packed Tokyo. As such, we’d expect the N-Van to pack a three-cylinder engine displacing no more than 660 cc and putting out a maximum of 63 horsepower (47 kW), which is what the regs specify for this class.

It also promises to incorporate Honda’s full Sensing suite of safety equipment. Based on the teaser profile, the new model could be based closely on the N-Box but stripped out for work duty, though we’ll have to wait to see the concept in full to find out more.