Kei cars from Japan: prices in Japan and Vladivostok in September 2026
For a used kei car, the price in Japan and the total quoted to Vladivostok can differ by almost a factor of two. In September 2026, both figures were recorded for three cars in this class, and in each case the difference was almost as much as the car itself cost. These examples, together with several other September prices, show the budget ranges involved and why two figures cannot be compared without knowing the year, mileage and what the calculation includes.
Three cars with two price figures
All three examples are dated 22 September 2026. They are front-wheel-drive kei cars with a CVT and an auction grade of 4, and the figures in both columns are in rubles.
| Car and version | Year and mileage | Output | In Japan | To Vladivostok | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda N-BOX G Turbo Package | 2016, 104 000 km | 64 hp | 349 000 | 670 000 | 321 000 |
| Honda N-WGN Custom G Turbo Package | 2017, 108 000 km | 64 hp | 340 000 | 670 000 | 330 000 |
| Subaru Chiffon Custom R Smart Assist | 2017, 67 000 km | 52 hp | 366 000 | 690 000 | 324 000 |
The difference falls within a narrow range of 321 000 to 330 000 rubles, despite the differences in model, power and mileage. These examples do not itemise how that difference is made up: transport within Japan, the sea crossing, import charges, paperwork and intermediary services are not listed separately. The range therefore cannot be treated as a fixed addition to any price in Japan. It shows something else: for an inexpensive car, the costs between Japan and Vladivostok account for almost half of the final total.
The two Honda models illustrate this clearly. The N-WGN cost 9 000 rubles less in Japan than the N-BOX, yet the total quoted to Vladivostok was the same for both: 670 000 rubles. When choosing between cars like these, it is more useful to compare the totals to the same city and treat a small difference in the price of the car itself as secondary.
A newer generation and notes on the auction sheet
On 18 September 2026, a total of 880 000 rubles to Vladivostok was recorded for a 2021 Honda N-BOX Custom L Turbo. This is a second-generation car with a 64 hp turbo engine, a CVT and front-wheel drive, with 61 000 km on the clock and an auction grade of 4. Compared with the 2016 N-BOX in the table, it is five years newer, has covered 43 000 km less and belongs to the next generation, while the total quoted to Vladivostok is 210 000 rubles higher. The differences between the first, second and third N-BOX generations are explained in the article on Honda N-BOX generations and versions.
The auction sheet for this car notes an odour in the cabin and worn tyres. The tyres needed replacing, and the proposed remedy for the odour was a thorough interior clean. The cost of this work, and whether it was included in the 880 000 rubles, were not stated. The figure is therefore better understood as the price of a car with known issues, rather than one ready to drive. The overall auction grade does not reveal these details: the grade is 4, while the issues appear in the inspector's notes. Where to find those notes and how they relate to the grade is explained in the guide to reading an auction sheet.
What a “from” price tells you
On 16 September 2026, starting prices in Vladivostok were recorded for kei cars with up to 50 000 km and auction grades of at least 4: 2014 Honda N-BOX, Honda N-WGN and Daihatsu Tanto from 500 000 rubles, and a 2022 Nissan Dayz from 700 000 rubles. Two power figures are given for each model—58 and 64 hp for the Honda models, and 52 and 64 hp for the Tanto and Dayz—and the cars may have front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The examples do not say which price applies to which version.
A starting price tells you where the budget begins, but it does not describe a particular car. The Nissan Dayz shows this well. On 3 September 2026, a price of 780 000 rubles in Vladivostok was recorded for a 2022 Dayz 660 Highway Star X ProPilot Edition: a 52 hp mild hybrid with front-wheel drive, 52 000 km and an auction grade of 4.5. That is 80 000 rubles above the “from 700 000” figure for the same year, but the version, mileage and grade of this particular car are known in advance. Neither total is itemised: the car's own price, the recycling fee, SBKTS and EPTS paperwork and storage are not listed separately.
Copen GR Sport: a kei car without the small budget
The kei-car class is defined by dimensions and engine capacity, not by price, and it includes very different cars. The 2020 Toyota Copen GR Sport is a two-seater with the electrically operated Active Top folding roof, a 64 hp turbo engine, a CVT with a seven-step sports mode and front-wheel drive. With 74 000 km and an auction grade of 4, a “turnkey” total of 1 091 876 rubles to Vladivostok was recorded for it on 13 September 2026. What “turnkey” included was not itemised, but the total itself makes the point: a kei car does not necessarily mean a modest budget. The differences within this class, from tall kei vans to the Suzuki Jimny, are explained in the article on choosing a kei car.
What to take from these examples
It is easier to set a kei-car budget as a total to your own city from the outset, rather than as a price in Japan. The September examples give the following reference points in Vladivostok: from 500 000 rubles for 2014 cars with up to 50 000 km; 670 000–690 000 rubles for 2016–2017 cars with 67 000 to 108 000 km; 780 000 rubles for a 2022 Nissan Dayz; and 880 000 rubles for a 2021 N-BOX with issues noted on its auction sheet. These are prices of particular cars and offers from September 2026, not a price list: the next car will have its own year, mileage, condition and breakdown of costs.
Compare like with like: a price in Japan with another price in Japan, and a total to Vladivostok with another total to Vladivostok. An unexplained “turnkey” total and a “from” price are not equivalent figures. Transport from Vladivostok to the collection point adds to the budget and is calculated for the particular destination. Indicative rates are listed on the page on delivery within Russia, while the price of a specific shipment is confirmed before the order.
