Reunited with a Sunny, guided by childhood memories
Hori-san’s reason for choosing the Sunny he drives today was incredibly simple.
It’s because the memories of the previous-generation Sunny his family used to drive when he was a child stayed with him all these years.
The cars our parents or families drove when we were kids leave surprisingly strong impressions—the way they felt when moving, the texture of the seats, even the scent inside the cabin.
Choosing to return to those "favorite sensations" is a wonderful thing, don't you think?
Now that he’s an adult, Hori-san returned to the Sunny as the first car he chose for himself.
Rather than trying to be someone he’s not, there’s something deeply satisfying about his choice to genuinely embrace what he "loved" in his own memories.
"THE Basic" feels fresh. The allure of the Sunny, a long-running bestseller
Although this generation of the Sunny was only sold in Japan for a short period, it was actually a long-running bestseller that remained in production in Mexico until recently.
Because it has been loved as a "daily driver" all over the world, it is rare for a domestic car to still have readily available parts and be so easy to maintain, which is a major appeal.
Despite being a "car loved around the world," its look is thoroughly basic.
The white-and-black two-tone scheme—a white body with black resin bumpers—actually feels fresh today, possessing a clarity that makes you want to say, "This is exactly what a car looks like when you draw one."
Even with its simple construction, there’s something oddly cute about it. That feeling is one of the things that makes a Sunny a Sunny.
A picture-perfect sight on the Shuto Expressway. The irresistible view of the Sunny at Yoyogi PA
I met up with Hori-san at the Yoyogi PA rest area. Looking down at the white Sunny from a slightly elevated spot, its figure standing bathed in sunlight is truly endearing.
This generation of Sunny is a basic sedan in every sense. When placed within the complex, elevated landscape of the Shuto Expressway, its unadorned simplicity shines in a way that makes you stop and think, "Oh, that’s nice." It has a real presence.
And once we started driving on the expressway, it strangely stood out even among the sports cars and SUVs weaving through traffic. The stark clarity of the black-and-white two-tone paint stands out beautifully in the flow.
It’s a car that isn’t flashy, yet has a presence in the city and makes you want to admire it from afar.
Doesn't a car like that make you want to take a Sunny out for a spin?
CCG'S Good Point
