Kei Trucks For Sale

Kei Trucks Overview

You've definitely heard of the weird and wonderful world of the Kei Car over in Japan. Thanks to the 25-year rule, you can even see some of these machines coming over Stateside. But did you know that there are kei trucks as well? Yes, proper commercial load carriers that conform to the kei regulations of not exceeding 134 inches long, 58 inches wide and 78 inches tall. Yup, you can get yourself a little open-bed truck within this tiny footprint, powered by a tiny 40.3 cubic inch – that's 660cc in metric – three-cylinder engine. These little machines are highly demanded in Japan, where narrow streets, tight corners and limited parking make them an essential tool for tradespersons, delivery drivers and small business holders.

Some of the most popular kei trucks include the Subaru Sambar, Daihatsu Hijet, Suzuki Carry, Mitsubishi Minicab and Mazda Scrum. These are cab-over designs, in order to maximize load space and capacity. This allows many kei trucks to offer a 6-foot truck bed, which compares well in length to a regular midsize, or even full-size pickup truck in the United States. Of course, the width is much narrower, and the payload capacities rarely exceed 800 pounds. But you can get your kei truck with fold-down sides as well as the traditional rear tailgate, and even with dedicated work hardware such as scissor lifts mounted within the cargo bed. Kei trucks have also been adapted into work vehicles, ice cream trucks, and even modified for Road-Rail use! Thanks to their tiny engines, they can achieve up to 40 miles per gallon – incredible for a cargo vehicle.

Of course, many kei trucks don't offer much creature comforts for the driver and passenger, with standard amenities typically being a heater, an AM radio and basic instrumentation. Newer models may offer air conditioning, power windows and even all-wheel drive. Automatic transmissions are also becoming an option, as are some active safety features, back-up cameras and even head units with smartphone connectivity. Oh, and another popular use for kei trucks is as campervans!