The Honda Life is an automobile nameplate that was used on various kei car/city cars produced by Honda: passenger cars, microvans, and kei trucks. The first series of the nameplate was built between 1971 and 1974, with the nameplate revived in 1997 and used until 2014. The Japanese-market Life has rarely been marketed outside Japan.
In 2020, Dongfeng Honda revived the "Life" nameplate in China as a rebadged variant of the Fit produced by Guangqi Honda until 2025.
First generation (1971)
The original Life range was offered as a two-door or four-door sedan and in a three-door wagon model (also sold as a commercial van), replacing the Honda NIII360. Compared with the previous Honda minicar series, passenger comfort was improved to make this a better family car - indeed, Honda's target was to make a kei which was as habitable as a period 1-litre car. The wheelbase, at , was eight cm longer than that of the predecessor. The entire Life range had a water-cooled Honda EA 356 cc engine, usually producing at 8,000 rpm. which began as the air-cooled engine borrowed from the Honda CB450 motorcycle. The top speed of the sedan is . The sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) came up in 34.9 seconds in a period test. In the test, the Life narrowly beat out the Daihatsu Max 360, Honda N600, and Mini Clubman (in that order). In September 1972, the tall and curiously shaped "Life Step Van" was introduced, with either three or five doors. A pickup version of this was later added to the lineup, but had minimal impact on the market.
The engine was also installed with a balance shaft to reduce vibration. The engine was called "refined" in period tests, and was considered to be as quiet and smooth as some four-cylinder engines. The change to a water-cooled engine also eliminated the smell in the heating system commonly associated with air-cooled engines that drew the heated air into the passenger compartment. Another improvement was that the gearbox was separate from the engine, unlike in the N-series where the gearbox was in the sump (as for the original Mini).Wheels, January 1973, p. 38 Production of the Life coincided with the larger Honda Civic with both vehicles having introduced a timing belt (rather than chain) for the operation of the overhead cam.
This version of the Life was exported to a few markets, such as Australia, where the four-door version (same specs as in the Japanese version) entered the market in the middle of 1972. The two-door N360/600 continued on sale alongside. The Life was only produced for four years, as the Civic proved to be much more popular both in Japan and internationally, and when the decision was made to cancel the Life, it ended Honda's production of a passenger kei car until 1985, with the introduction of the Honda Today. At the time, the Life was ¥350,000, and the Civic was ¥400,000. The Civic also had an advantage of size, making the car safer in a collision.
Development 1 June 1971 The Life emerged as the successor to the Honda NIII360. It was fitted with a series of newly designed two-cylinder 356 cc SOHC, liquid-cooled four-stroke engines equipped with a balancer shaft. For strictly urban use, a lower-revving engine with a lower compression (8.0:1, as opposed to 8.8:1 for the higher powered version) was installed in the "Life Town". For this version, which was a no-cost option across the range, the engine output was dropped to at 6,500 rpm - as opposed to 8,000 rpm for the high-compression unit. It also received a three-speed transmission, meaning that top speed was limited to 90 km/h. 20 July 1971 An all-new, three-speed, fully automatic transmission was made available. Unlike the manual, the automatic's shifter was column-mounted.
6 September 1971 A three-door commercial-use "Van" was added, with unique bodywork from the B-pillars back. Slightly taller than its sedan counterparts, like them the Life Van was also available with the full automatic transmission. 25 Ocotber 1971 A private-use version of the Life Van (called "Wagon", chassis code WA) was added, priced midway between the two- and four-door sedans. This could also be equipped with the three-speed automatic.Nippon Kei Car Memorial, p. 82 The Van can be told from a wagon by its tattletale luggage rails visible through the rear windows. 1 May 1972 A sporty engine with twin constant velocity carburettors was added, for the new "Touring" range. The all two-door lineup consisted of the SS, SL, and the GS on top. Power was up to at 9,000 rpm, and the top-of-the-line GS received a dogleg five-speed gearbox to take full advantage of the peakier engine. The Touring GS could reach a top speed of . On June 15 of the same year, the Life received a minor facelift with redesigned grilles,Nippon Kei Car Memorial, pp. 85-86 and in September four-door versions of the Touring range appeared. Production of the lower-powered "Town" engine also came to an end during 1972. 20 September 1972 The Life Step Van was launched, the packaging of which embodies the tall wagon style so popular for current keis. 21 August 1973 The Life Pickup was released.360cc: Light Commercial Truck 1950-1975, p. 98 At the same time, the sedan lineup underwent a minor facelift (another new grille) and the lineup was reshuffled. The automatic option was now only available on one two-door and one four-door model.Nippon Kei Car Memorial, p. 89 October 1974 In the face of an ever-contracting Kei class combined with ever more stringent emissions standards, manufacture of the Life series, along with the Z360/600, came to an end. This ended Honda kei passenger car participation, until the 1985 arrival of the Today.
Life Step Van
This Step Van type variant, which shares the VA chassis code with the low-bodied Life Van, also uses the same 356 cc, two-cylinder water-cooled engine as does the rest of the range.Nippon Kei Car Memorial 1950-1975, p. 99 At the time of introduction, its front-wheel drive layout and bonneted design was considered a novel approach, but it had some benefits in that the entire drivetrain was installed up front: The Step Van, while its loading space was shorter, could offer certain interior space advantages such as a very low and flat floor that competing, rear-wheel drive vehicles couldn't provide at the time. It drew many influences from the DKW Schnellaster produced in Europe. Its appearance, while unique and not appreciated when new, is now the standard approach for current kei products from Japanese manufacturers. The rear gate was of a clamshell style, divided horizontally. The Step Van, like the regular Life Van, could carry with two occupants, down to with the full complement of two more passengers.
The van was first sold on 20 September 1972 with production ending in 1974, at an introductory price of ¥376,000 for the standard Step Van and ¥403,000 for the Super DX version. The Step Van series was only ever available with a four-speed manual transmission. The price of the Standard model had crept up to ¥388,000 by the time of the introduction of the pickup version. A total of 17,165 vehicles were produced, for a total of less than half the projected 2,000 units per month. It also can be found in the Gran Turismo 4, Gran Turismo (PSP), Gran Turismo 5 and Gran Turismo 6 videogames, as the Honda Life StepVan.
Life pick-up
Introduced on 21 August 1973, this version of the Life was designed as a pickup truck. The pick-up received the PA chassis code. In spite of weighing only , the Life Pickup could carry a payload. Production ended in 1974, with no more than 1,132 vehicles produced, as the Honda TN7 cab over truck with its considerably longer bed proved to be more popular.
Second generation (1997)
In 1997, the Life name was resurrected for a new line of small, front-wheel-drive 5-door MPV style cars, which required a redesign for 1998 because of new Japanese tax regulations. It was a rebodied version of the JA4 Honda Today – which it also replaced – and was available exclusively in Japan at Honda Primo dealerships. This bodystyle appearance was introduced in response to the popularity of the Suzuki Wagon R, which found many buyers, and competes with the Daihatsu Cuore, Subaru Pleo, and the Mitsubishi Toppo in the "tall wagon" segment of kei cars.
It was introduced as a revision of the 1970s "StepVan" appearance, sharing the second generation Honda Today's basic componentry. Powertrain and chassis, interior and dimensions are almost identical with the Honda Today. The JA4 Honda Life is an interim model as subsequent changes in the laws regulating kei cars made it outdated very soon. This version was only built for about one and a half years. Because of this, it has become a rare car.
It used the Honda E07A engine, carried over from the Today. This 656 cc, SOHC three-cylinder with four valves per cylinder, with Honda's PGM-FI as standard equipment, puts out at 6,300 rpm and at 5,500 rpm. It was offered with a 5-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic transmission.
It was also included with a driver side "SRS" airbag, heat absorption ultraviolet radiation glass, antibacterial steering wheel, and an antilock brake system available options. The use of one windshield wiper for the front windshield was carried over from the Honda Today. The Life was available in three grades, "B", "G", and "T". The basic B has black bumpers, doorhandles, and rear view mirrors, and 12-inch steel wheels. The G added body-coloured bumpers, power windows and locks, roof rails, rear-seat headrests, and armrests front and rear. The top T model also has body-coloured doorhandles and external mirrors, as well as 13-inch alloy wheels and climate control.
Chronology April 18, 1997 Introduction of new JA4 model, "Life" name revived. December 15, 1997 "Super Select" special edition introduced, based on the low-cost "B" model. This added an AM/FM tuner with cassette deck, keyless entry, driver's seat armrest, body-coloured door mirrors, bumper, door handles, hubcaps, and special seat upholstery. It went on sale on January 4, 1998. September 1998 Production ends; sales end the following month when stock ran out
Third generation (1998)
Responding to new legislation, the 1998 model (JB1) was bigger than its short-lived second generation counterpart, in length as well as width. The car kept the same side panels, but the sheetmetal in between and the windshields were new, to take full advantage of the added available width. The added length came in the form of larger bumpers, including projections at the front. It was introduced on 8 October 1998, with sales beginning the following day.
As the legal standard for kei cars was revised, the body was lengthened to and the width increased to , which allowed for improvements in collision safety performance. Safety was increased further by the SRS airbags which are also standard equipment, also in the passenger seat. The initial range consisted of the basic B, the more comfortable G, and the well-equipped T model at the top of the line. The B has air conditioning, 12-inch steel wheels, door handles and rear view mirrors in black plastic, and no headrests in the rear seats. The G has 13-inch steel wheels with hubcaps and rear headrests as standard, as well as keyless entry and power windows. The T model adds alloy wheels, roof rails, body-coloured doorhandles and mirrors, a CD player, and climate control. The T was renamed L in May 2000, adding tinted glass at the rear.