Honda Today: История и эволюция кей-кара

The Honda Today ([[Japanese language) is a kei car produced by Japanese automaker Honda beginning in 1985. It was replaced by the Honda Life in 1998. The Today represented Honda's reentry into kei car production. Honda had abandoned kei passenger cars in 1975, choosing only to keep manufacturing the Honda Acty kei truck and the related Honda Street microvan in that segment. After 1975, Honda's smallest car was the Civic, until the introduction of the smaller City in 1981, which was a supermini with an engine larger than what kei car legislation allowed. The Today name has since been used by Honda for a 50 cc scooter manufactured in China, available from 2002 until 2016. TOC

The first generation Today (JW1) was introduced in September 1985 as a three door hatchback—it was originally only sold as a light commercial van, as the tax structure favored such vehicles. The rear axle was a coil sprung torsion beam, while the front axle used struts with forward reaching control arms. Only intended for the Japanese domestic market, the Today was initially launched with three different model specifications, with the entry model being the 'F', followed by the 'M' and the top of the range 'G'. It was introduced at newly established Japanese Honda Primo dealerships alongside the "Primo" sedan, the Civic. The flat roof hatchback design was shared with the incrementally larger supermini Honda City, the compact Honda Civic, and the mid size Honda Accord AeroDeck. A five speed manual became available on the special edition Today G in September 1987. Another special edition appeared in February 1987; the Today M based "Pochette" received special colors and was aimed at female buyers. The Pochette became a regular model by 1990 and remained available into the second generation. In a market where three cylinder engines were the norm, the ultra compact EH was already outdated and was replaced by the 547 cc three cylinder, four valve, single overhead camshaft E05A engine in February 1988. At the same time, the Today underwent a minor facelift in which the car's round headlights were replaced by aerodynamic lenses matching the rest of the Honda family. The suspension was also upgraded, as was the dashboard. Chassis codes were JW2 for the commercial model and JA1 for the passenger model. Available trims were F, M, G, Ri, Ri Z (JW2), XG (JA1), and XTi (JA1). The XG and all fuel injected models were better equipped to handle highway driving, featuring front stabilizing bars and front disc brakes. The fuel injected versions were equipped with progressive coil springs at the rear axle.

In accordance with new kei car regulations in March 1990, the Today's bumpers were enlarged to give the car a length of , and the engine was enlarged to 656 cc. Power output was for carbureted models and for fuel injected models. The new chassis codes were JW3/JW4 (commercial 2WD, 4WD) and JA2/JA3 (passenger version 2WD, 4WD). April 1990 saw the addition of a permanent four wheel drive version with an independent rear axle and struts.

The second generation Today was introduced in 1993 and was designed around passenger comfort, unlike the more utilitarian original model. As such, the passenger models of the original Today (JA2/JA3) were discontinued immediately. The lineup was further reduced in September 1994 to the basic Pro F, the Humming X, and the four wheel drive Pro QP and Humming QX models. The fuel injected version had already been discontinued and the five speed manual was only available coupled with four wheel drive. The other models received a four speed manual or an optional three speed automatic. As with the original Today, the interior was not symmetrical. With the second generation, Honda took full advantage of the extra space on the right and made the driver's seat slightly wider than the front passenger seat, at respectively. These features were decided on after research indicated that the car's target audience were mostly single young women who often drove alone, with little need for cargo space or room for additional passengers. Initially only available as a two door, the four door Today Associe was added in May 1993. On four door models with power windows, the rear windows were still manually operated. Aside from on the lowest equipment level (Mi), a driver's side airbag was offered as an option. On the better equipped front wheel drive models, an ABS system was also available, although this encroached considerably on the space in the luggage compartment. Ordering the airbag or ABS system was also the only way to get three point ELR (emergency locking retractor) belts on the rear seats instead of the usual waist belts. The 1993 Today was available with two engines, a standard fuel injected 656 cc three cylinder E07A engine, and a high output version of the same engine with MTREC technology for the Xi model (called Rs in the facelift model). MTREC stands for "Multi Throttle Responsive Engine Control" and features individual throttle bodies for each cylinder. This engine was borrowed from the Honda Beat, although the Today's engine was tuned for more low end torque than the high end Beat. MTREC engined models received a three spoke steering wheel and a tachometer. Power outputs were at 6300 rpm for the regular model and at 7300 rpm for the MTREC equipped versions; torque figures were at 5500 or 6200 rpm respectively. These engines were largely unchanged throughout the second generation Today's production run. Both engines were available with either a five speed manual or a three speed automatic transmission. All wheel drive (using Honda's Realtime 4WD technology) was available only in the Qi trim level; unlike in the first generation Today, four wheel drive was also available with an automatic transmission. Similarly to the first generation Today, front wheel drive models had a coil sprung rear beam axle located by two trailing arms and a Panhard rod (though the first generation used a torsion beam rear axle), while four wheel drive versions had independently sprung rear wheels using struts. The base model was originally called the Mi, with a better equipped Pochette available with two doors only. The corresponding Gi trim was only offered on the Associe. Qi was the four wheel drive version, and the Xi was the sportiest model, using the MTREC engine. In March 1994, the base model was renamed Ji and three point rear seat belts were made standard fitment. Until 1996, Today buyers could specify traditional Japanese fender mounted mirrors on the base Mi and Ji models, a feature that was still popular with professional drivers at the time. For the February 1996 facelift, Honda replaced the unconventional tailgate with a traditional hatchback door. This necessitated a thorough redesign of the rear end (resulting in a look very similar to that of the Honda Logo, which appeared a few months later), because the rear window had originally wrapped around to the sides. The option of a driver's side airbag was now available across the range, whereas before it had only been offered on select models. The five door arrived one month after the three door and was now simply called "Today", forgoing the "Associe" name. The front was also reworked with a thin grille and different bumpers. The chassis numbers remained JA4 and JA5 (FF/4WD). Reflecting changing market conditions, the five door Today was no longer available with the more powerful MTREC engine, as buyers tended to appreciate more economic models. One part shared between both generations and all models of the Today was the single windshield wiper. While never successful in a changing market, where "tallboy" designs were prevalent, the low slung JA4/JA5 Today with its comparably rigid construction has since developed a strong following with racers and tuners nowadays. There is a thriving aftermarket for the Today, helped further by sharing an engine with the Beat.

In light of the Suzuki Wagon R's success, Honda decided to introduce a modern version of its 1970s Honda Life "StepVan" microvan, and reintroduced the Life model name in 1997. When kei car regulations changed in October 1998, necessitating a redesign, the "tallboy" Life was updated, while the Today, a modern interpretation of the first Honda Life three door hatchback, was discontinued.

The Honda Today featured frequently in Kōsuke Fujishima's You're Under Arrest as the lead characters' main car. The vehicle featured was a highly personalized minipato (mini patrol car) with modifications such as nitrous oxide and a turbocharger, and with a Motocompo folding bike stowed in the back compartment.