Suzuki Spacia Gear bows in Japan with Jeep charms, up to 82 PS

Suzuki has begun slowly unveiling a new Kei car called the Spacia Gear. It draws upon the charisma of its predecessor while looking more up-to-date.

The body design comes closest to that of a crossover, but the round headlights and the radiator grille with bulky upright bars evoke associations with Jeep SUVs. The company seems happy with these parallels, releasing promo images of the Spacia Gear standing next to camping tents and other travel gear.

In its most basic trim, the Kei car has roof rails, 15-inch wheels finished in grey and LED headlights. The trunk area is lined with a practical rubberized material, and the seats benefit from water-repellant upholstery. A heated steering wheel and USB charging ports are nice bonuses.

The rest is listed under paid options. There is an animal carrier, a slide-out awning, mosquito nets for the doors, and a pillow set that can be used to transform the rear seats into an improvised bed for two. Assorted decals round off the list.

While not official just yet, pretty much every Kei car in Japan ships with a 660c engine rated from 49 PS (48 hp / 32 kW) to 82 PS (81 hp / 60 kW) due to legislative restrictions. Buyers can often choose between FWD and AWD, and Suzuki typically uses the CVT transmission type. Whether the above specs are true for the Spacia Gear remains unconfirmed, though.