Japanese mini trucks are becoming more viable as practical and extremely cost-effective and efficient alternative off-road motor vehicles, and even as regular road vehicles in some locations. Gas-conservative work animals, realistically, Japanese mini trucks (called “Kei”, “Keitora” or “micro” trucks) are imported straight from Japan. Most include 660cc engines and 4-wheel drive and are actually undersized, but extremely useful pickup trucks. Built to meet requirements for light vehicles in Japan, each mini truck is approximately 11 ft. (3.4m) long with a box generally measuring 6 ft.-4 in. (1.95m) in length. The hauling capacity of these Japanese mini trucks approximates half a ton. Most designs of these mini trucks offer fold-down box sides with hydraulic dumps and scissor lifts. Also being sold are models designed with van bodies. Also, total enclosure of cabs, seat belts, windshield wipers, AM radios, heaters, lights and signals are all standard features of these Japanese mini vehicles. While sustaining their characteristic levels of easy maneuverability and speed, Japanese mini trucks are amazingly strong, enduring the weight of heavy loads despite their light-weight structures in comparison to those of regular road trucks and vans. Usually, Japanese mini trucks can accelerate up to speeds of 75 miles per hour, and their mean weight is 1500 pounds. With used models presently employed off-road in the US, often on farms, mini trucks are in use throughout Asia. Following their road certification inspections in Canada, Japanese mini trucks are considered regular road vehicles. They are reasonably priced, cost-effective and practical road trucks. As economical transportation, some Japanese mini trucks have been documented by their owners with gas mileage capacity equal to upwards of 60 miles per gallon. Depending on your choice of a new or used vehicle, US prices for Japanese mini trucks run between about $4,000 and $8,500. In line with the current used mini truck market, a 1990 Suzuki Every Van is priced at approximately USD $6,086, while a 1992 Daihatsu Hi-Jet mini truck sells for close to USD $5,848.
Continuing to gain in popularity on the motor vehicle market, Japanese mini trucks have demonstrated their lasting ability, even though it was questioned by vehicular manufacturers. Various makes and models of Japanese mini trucks being shown on the market today are the result of many generations of style revisions and new designs. In 1959 the new Kurogane KB pickup truck sporting a highly positioned rear engine was introduced and well-received by consumers. The Honda T360, a semi-front truck or pickup, reached the market in 1963 as the first Honda 4-wheel vehicle. The style-defining Daihatsu Hi-Jet Cab was first available on the 1964 market. The Cony 360 Wide with a 168 cm wheelbase, a rear rigid axle with leaf springs, and a 354 cc engine placed beneath the center floor came on the market in 1965. Afterward, a van was introduced to the public in 1966. Minus distinctive or unique character, the style was ultra-modern, and this vehicle was obtainable until the mid-seventies. The Mazda Porter Cab with engine placement underneath the front seats, was first publicly introduced in 1969. This mini truck’s round headlights and cadres which resembled wire-rimmed eyeglasses, contributed to its partly comic style. Following that time, many more makes and models of Japanese mini trucks have been brought out on the modern road vehicle market, with recognizable, now popularized manufacturers’ names such as Mitsubishi, Diahatsu, Honda, Mazda, Suzuki and Subaru. According to current consumer reports, Japanese mini trucks definitely have a lasting place in the modern motor vehicles marketplace.