Honda Today

Honda Today series JW1-4 & JA1-5
1990-1993 Honda Today JA2
Overview
Production	1985-1998
Body and chassis
Class	Kei car
Body style	3-door hatchback 5-door hatchback (2nd gen only)
Layout	Front engine, Front-wheel drive / Four-wheel drive
Powertrain
Engine	545 cc EH I2 547 cc E05A I3 656 cc E07A I3
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,330 mm (91.7 in) (1st and 2nd gen)
Length	3,195 mm (125.8 in) with 550cc engine (1st gen) 3,295 mm (129.7 in) with 660cc engine (1st gen) 3,295 mm (129.7 in) (2nd gen)
Width	1,395 mm (54.9 in) (1st and 2nd gen)
Height	1,315 mm (51.8 in) with 550cc engine (1st gen) 1,350 mm (53.1 in) with 660cc engine (1st gen) 1,370 mm (53.9 in) (2nd gen)
Curb weight	640 kg (1,411.0 lb) with 550cc engine (1st gen) 760 kg (1,675.5 lb) with 660cc engine (1st gen) 760 kg (1,675.5 lb) (2nd gen)
Chronology
Predecessor	Honda Life (1974)
Successor	Honda Life (1997)

This Honda Today was a kei car (minivehicle) produced by the Japanese automaker Honda beginning in 1985. It was replaced by the Honda Life in 1998. Honda's smallest car being produced at the time was the Honda City, which was a supermini and it had an engine larger than kei car legislation allowed. The Today represented a re-entry into kei car production. Honda had abandoned kei passenger cars in 1975, choosing to manufacture the Honda Acty kei truck, and the Honda Street microvan for that segment. Previously, Honda's smallest car was the Honda Civic, followed by the smaller Honda City in 1981.

The first generation Today was introduced in September 1985 as a three-door hatchback, on a wheelbase of 2,330 mm (91.7 in). The Today was initially launched with three different model specifications, with the entry model being model 'F', followed by a model 'M' and the top of the range 'G'. The Today was only intended for the Japanese domestic market. It was introduced at newly established Japanese dealerships called Honda Primo locations alongside the Primo "headliner" sedan, the Honda Civic. The flat roof hatchback design appearance was shared with the incrementally larger supermini Honda City, the subcompact Honda Civic, and the compact Honda Accord AeroDeck. Originally available with either a four-speed manual or a three-speed automatic, it was powered by a water-cooled two-cylinder Honda EH series OHC 545 cc engine - the same as used in the Acty kei truck. In a market where three-cylinder engines were the norm, this unit was outdated and was replaced by a three-cylinder four-valve E05A 547 cc engine by February 1988. The rear axle was a torsion beam with coil springs. Together with the new regulations in March, 1990 the bumpers were enlarged to give the car a length of 3,295 mm (129.7 in), and the engine was enlarged to 656 cc. By April 1990, came a permanent four-wheel drive version with an independent rear axle.