rice - the starchy seeds or grain of an annual marsh grass, Oryza sativa, cultivated in warm climates and used for food.
But, when referring to vehicles, here's my take:
An asian-made car that is bone stock = import.
An asian-made car that has rediculous appearance mods = rice (riced-out also works)
Person who drives said rediculous exterior modded asian-made car = ricer
An import that has massive gobs of power does not "negate" the riced-out label if it is also has rediculous exterior mods. You would be wise to respect the vehicle if you know it has massive gobs of power, but that doesn't mean you can't poke fun of the driver's sense of style
That being said, the overwhelming majority of ricers (according to my definition above) have not modded their vehicle's performance significantly. Just throwing on a cold-air intake and a fart can does not constitute "significant."
And conversely, drivers who have significantly improved their import's performance through heavy modification typically do not partake in the "ricer" culture. At least, not anymore. The exterior mods done on their performance modded vehicles usually serve an actual purpose and are not just for show.
The blue Subbie posted earlier is not rice. And the Red EVO was a movie car from Tokyo Drift created to represent a Japanese car racing culture, so I don't think it qualifies for a "rice" label.
The definition of the term "rice" has changed over time. Just because it was created and used in a slightly bigotted way in the 60's and 70's does not mean it continues to carry that connotation today. The definition has changed over time, and people would be wise to recognize and accept this.
Just because a person calls your car rice does not mean they are belittling your asian heritage (if you are, indeed, asian).
