Same length down to the millimeter — 3395 mm — and two completely different ideas of a good night's sleep. The Daihatsu Atrai and the Honda N-VAN approach the microvan bed as if competing not for buyers, but for the title of best home on wheels.
Fold down the Atrai's rear row and you get a clean rectangular platform: 1820 by 1265 mm. Great for two, though taller passengers will need to get creative — sleeping diagonally or using a mattress extension.
The N-VAN plays a different game. Its trump card is seats that fold flat into the floor entirely, including the front passenger seat. The result: nearly the whole area to the right of the driver becomes one long, flat surface. For a solo traveler, that's the better setup — room to sleep, room for gear, and a wide side opening with no center pillar to squeeze past. Fit two identical mattresses side by side, though, and the N-VAN folds — literally: the driver's seat won't go flat.
Price tells its own story. The rear-wheel-drive Atrai RS starts at ¥1,859,000 in Japan. The Honda N-VAN FUN Turbo asks ¥165,000 more, starting at ¥2,024,000 — about $13,000.
Under the hood, it looks like a tie at first glance: both run 658cc turbocharged engines making 64 hp. Dig a little deeper, though, and the gap shows. Honda produces 104 Nm of torque against Daihatsu's 91 Nm, and it's noticeably more efficient too — the N-VAN FUN Turbo's official rating comes in at 18.2 km/l, or about 5.5 L/100km. The Atrai burns roughly 6.8 L/100km on the WLTC cycle.
Following its 2026 update, the N-VAN picked up a seven-inch digital instrument panel, front parking sensors, and post-collision automatic braking. The Atrai isn't falling behind, either: its current version brings a digital info display, adaptive cruise control, and the expanded Smart Assist suite.
So who should buy which? The Atrai suits a couple who need a wide platform and a water-resistant cargo liner. The N-VAN is the pick for a solo traveler hauling long gear: it stands 55mm taller, sips less fuel, and opens up space all the way to the dashboard.
