The Subaru R2 has had a Cinderella start in Hong Kong. Only three months ago, the 658cc four-seater seemed just another cheap and cheerful kei jidosha car, an underpowered Subaru anomaly with a low carbon footprint. But on April Fools' Day, the Environmental Protection Department changed the R2's fortunes when it introduced a tax incentive scheme to encourage 'low emissions and high fuel efficiency', and designated the runabout an environmentally friendly private car.
Now the little Subaru has moved from a HK$85,000 sticker at the back of the showroom, to Hong Kong's Friendliest Car status at the front, at HK$79,219, thanks to an EPD-approved 30 per cent reduction in first registration tax. The R2 also promises 'about 60 cents per kilometre in fuel' and a spew of just 108 grams of CO2 over the same distance. So no wonder dealer Motor Image has sold more than 40, mainly as a family second car and mainly to women.
On paper, the 658cc, 54 brake-horsepowered R2 makes sense for school runs in Hong Kong and shopping in Macau. The kei car is a green boast - trendy, almost, as a revival of the Fiat 500-esque R2 that Subaru made from 1969 to 1972.
The Kanro Gold test car is small and smiley, yet seems more angular after the bright-eyed hip of the Smart ForTwo or the Euro five-star safety chic of the Peugeot 1007. Even so, Greek designer Andreas Zapatinas brings retro simplicity to the R2's dashboard and the muted beige of an airy cabin.
Road visibility is fine, but the eye shape of the wing mirrors seems more Via Veneto poser than Wan Chai practical, as the rear C-pillars can obscure bikes and pyjama men. Even so, thoughtful touches include the coating of seat covers with water-repellent film, a loud, single-CD stereo and even a shoe rack under the passenger seat.
The back seats can be adjusted by pulling a plastic ring with one hand, and they lie flat for luggage. The front seats can fold flat forward and about 150 degrees backwards, but the recline of the Suzuki Swift's seats might prove less lumpy for layby couples.