Mazda Flairwagon Bows

The Mazda Flairwagon is one of the so-called Japanese kei cars, a microcompact with a small engine that qualifies for tax breaks in Japan. Mazda buys the car from Suzuki and rebadges it for the home market.

The Flairwagon is equipped with a 660cc three-cylinder engine. A continuously variable transmission is standard, and it drives either the front wheels or all four wheels (through an all-wheel-drive system), depending on the trim level.

Design cues on the Flairwagon include a snub-nosed front end and a boxy silhouette accented by cat's-eye headlights. Typical of the class, the four-passenger vehicle also features minivan-like touches, including sliding doors and a low step-in height. Amenities include a glovebox that can be used for cold storage.

It also comes in retro colors that hark back to the 1950s, including Aqua Veil Blue Pearl Metallic and Bloom Pink Metallic.

An uplevel IS Limited Flairwagon gets a start-stop system to save even more at the gas pump.