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Rural Americans are importing tiny Japanese pickup trucks

523 points by dduugg 3y ago

yellowapple 3y ago
If these were easier to register here in NV I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
Simulacra 3y ago
https://archive.is/xD4yE https://archive.is/xD4yE
pharmakom 3y ago
[flagged]
- theandrewbailey 3y ago
  Dead on arrival. Not enough room for the kids and dogs.
  - ChuckNorris89 3y ago
    [flagged]
    - dang 3y ago
      Could you please stop posting unsubstantive comments and flamebait? You've unfortunately been doing it repeatedly. It's not what this site is for, and destroys what it is for. We've had to warn you about this kind of thing repeatedly. If you keep doing it we're going to have to ban you. If you'd please review https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and stick to the rules when posting here, we'd appreciate it. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35496424 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35496424 (April 2023) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34557545 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34557545 (Jan 2023) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34119523 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34119523 (Dec 2022) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32756292 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32756292 (Sept 2022) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32718712 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32718712 (Sept 2022) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32280825 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32280825 (July 2022) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21875253 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21875253 (Dec 2019) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21143693 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21143693 (Oct 2019)
      - dredmorbius 3y ago
        Four years of second chances isn't enough?
  - lapetitejort 3y ago
    People haul kids and dogs in the beds of their trucks?
    - simonsarris 3y ago
      Many new trucks can fit three car seats. What was once the truck bed is now a smaller truck bed and a second row of seats. Aka a "full size cab".
      - anfilt 3y ago
        More like open air hatch back, I don't understand why people want such short truck beds. You can't even sleep in the truck bed anymore on a lot these trucks.
  - nicbou 3y ago
    Europeans do just fine with multipurpose vehicles and regular small cars. You dont need a Straßenpanzer to bring two wee kids and a few grocery bags around.
  - wpm 3y ago
    My parents did just fine with a 94 Saturn and an 88 Toyota Corolla for two kids and a dog.
- adamrezich 3y ago
  why do you want suburban moms to drive their kids around in a small flatbed?
  - throwyawayyyy 3y ago
    Pretty sure the commenter is referring to what, in London, are called Chelsea Tractors.
    - adamrezich 3y ago
      sure, when I was growing up my mom drove myself and my four siblings around in a Suburban. I understand the baseline desire to signal virtue with regards to large motor vehicles, but even a brief glance at the photo in the article should be enough for any sane person to see that driving more than a single child around in such a vehicle is blatantly untenable. downvoters might also be surprised at how safe large motor vehicles are for transporting children, especially in areas with spontaneous, often-unavoidable wildlife crossing. try hitting a mule deer crossing the road in the dark in one of those little trucks and see how many kids riding (on the flatbed??) survive.
- joewhale 3y ago
  it's easy to throw rocks when you personally don't have 3-4 kids.
  - pharmakom 3y ago
    Please buy a minivan if this is your situation.
    - yellowapple 3y ago
      While I largely agree with you, AWD/4WD minivans seem to be harder to find than AWD/4WD SUVs - so if you live in a place with both snow and hills, you're probably going to be gravitating toward an SUV.
      - SkyPuncher 3y ago
        AWS/4WD drive can't be pulled off with a minivan while maintaining the flat floor that people expect. There's not enough clearance for a rear drive shaft.
        yellowapple 3y ago
        I mean, it clearly can be, since AWD (and RWD, for that matter) minivans do exist. It's just less common for minivans than it is for SUVs, likely for the reason you mention.
        SkyPuncher 3y ago
        Sorry, yes. It's technically feasible. However, practically, it's not. Within the modern minivan sector, it'd be a non-starter to have a transmission tunnel when all of your competitors don't have that.
        yellowapple 3y ago
        > when all of your competitors don't have that Aside from the Chrysler Pacifica, which does offer a traditional AWD (to this day AFAIK), presumably with the requisite transmission tunnel. There's also the Toyota Sienna, which gets away with AWD by using an electric motor for the rear wheels. Hopefully this continues to catch on.
- crooked-v 3y ago
  If we could finally ditch the light-duty trucks loophole [1], that would probably help when it comes to the incentives to build certain kinds of vehicle. [1]: https://www.wired.com/story/the-us-wants-to-close-the-suv-loophole-that-supersized-cars/ https://www.wired.com/story/the-us-wants-to-close-the-suv-lo...
LinuxBender 3y ago
I've seriously contemplated getting one of these. Street legal, fuel efficient, simple, but when I started researching them I started to see a pattern. It's hard to find anyone in rural areas willing to work on them and not all mini trucks are equal. Some are not shipped correctly and have frame rust issues. There are YouTuber's that cover some of the models and the gotchas and things to inspect. I would never buy one without inspecting it locally. I've seen a couple of them in town and the owners somehow manage to keep them running. I am leaning more towards a street legal side-by-side as there are a few dealers here and they have people to perform more advanced repairs. Downside is they cost more especially if I want a fully enclosed cab with windshield and heater, something that is a must during the winter here. Upside is I can take it into the mountains and also use it to run into town for groceries. An upside to either of these options is that these are the remaining vehicles that do not as of yet have any of the telemetry, dashboard infotainment systems, pay-as-you-go for subscriptions for standard features, etc...
- kevin_thibedeau 3y ago
  SXS are overpriced and underdeliver compared to what you can get from a minitruck.
  - leetrout 3y ago
    Or even just a used jeep wrangler given how overpriced they are.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
- doublerebel 3y ago
  I’d recommend looking for a reputable dealer who does a proper shipment and inspection. Here in Seattle we have https://sodo-moto.com https://sodo-moto.com who works with fvej.com to bring vehicles over and ensure the quality.
- codalan 3y ago
  They probably share a lot of the same drivetrain/engine/etc. parts from vehicles of the same era. If you are mechanically inclined and have the right tools, you might be able to do some of the work yourself. Most auto mechanics familiar with older Japanese branded vehicles should be able to work on them like they would on a regular US import. The biggest issue I have is that they are right-hand drive. I'd be hesitant driving a mini-truck on streets and highways, even if it's licensed. This would be a non-issue if the intent is to leave it on private property, unlicensed. I wish mini-trucks had a bigger demand here. I'd like a pickup, but I don't need the monster trucks that are on the market these days. Just something to move furniture, appliances, and junk around town.
ryukafalz 3y ago
New minitrucks should be legal here! If you don't need a huge truck, you should be able to buy something smaller.
- lastofthemojito 3y ago
  You do see new minitrucks in certain non-road settings in the US, but yeah, they aren't street legal. Some folks import them for use as UTVs: https://usminitrucksales.com https://usminitrucksales.com It's the same somewhat bizarre logic that makes it fine to register say, a 1969 VW Beetle in the US, but not a 2004 Mexican Beetle that's no less clean or safe. The older stuff gets grandfathered in because at that age there's hardly anyone willing to bother. But if new minitrucks were road legal, they'd be everywhere, and there might be an epidemic of minitruck highway deaths, etc.
  - gedy 3y ago
    Owner of a 69 Beetle here, and similarly frustrating that I can't buy and bring home a Suzuki Jimny across the nearby border with Mexico
  - angry_octet 3y ago
    There's a bit of confusion here: there are modern small cars/vans/trucks that are safe (e.g. https://www.euroncap.com/en/press-media/press-releases/euro-ncap-announces-safest-commercial-vans-of-2022/ https://www.euroncap.com/en/press-media/press-releases/euro-...) but efficient and well designed, and then there are new vehicles built for a slightly lower price with safety features like crumple zones entirely absent, commonly sold in Mexico. These are death traps. Many of the Chinese trucks (e.g. Great Wall) were like that too, but they do make safer ones now.
  - LucasBrandt 3y ago
    I'll take the theoretical chance of an "epidemic of minitruck highway deaths" over the current reality of an epidemic of traffic fatalities made worse by cars and trucks getting heavier, taller, and deadlier.
- rco8786 3y ago
falcolas 3y ago
> And unlike a side-by-side, it can also be driven legally on local roads Side by sides can, with a few accessories (horn, license plate lights, turn signals, etc), be driven legally on roads. Most dealers are happy to sell and attach these high profit items for you.
- lastofthemojito 3y ago
  If you're talking about the US, state laws vary widely: https://outdoortroop.com/in-what-states-are-side-by-sides-street-legal/ https://outdoortroop.com/in-what-states-are-side-by-sides-st...
  - LinuxBender 3y ago
    Adding for completeness sake, that site is out of date for my state. Street legal UTV's and mini-trucks are called "Multipurpose vehicles" in Wyoming and can be registered to operate on streets and highways. They even issue these nifty little Wyoming license plates that are UTV sized. The requirements are in the linked PDF. Funny side note, my state even has a picture of one of the Japanese mini-trucks in the PDF. [1] I think people should look up the DoT website for their state to get the current legal requirements for street legal UTV's and mini-trucks. [1] - https://www.dot.state.wy.us/files/live/sites/wydot/files/shared/Motor%20Vehicle%20Services/Multipurpose%20FAQ.pdf https://www.dot.state.wy.us/files/live/sites/wydot/files/sha...
- amundskm 3y ago
  Depends on the state.
  - yellowapple 3y ago
    The states that don't allow street-legalified side-by-sides are unlikely to allow imported Kei trucks, either.
nonethewiser 3y ago
I can see the utility but most country road speed limits are gonna be 50 mph+. I wouldn’t want to drive it there. Dirt roads or on your land, sure. Regardless, they look pretty cool. A cheaper option, but lower quality, might be some small trucks from China. It will also be interesting to see how Fords Maverick catches on. May not quite fill this niche but seems like a good option overall.
- slackfan 3y ago
  Hi, I live in the boonies, and own one of these minitrucks. a) They do 60mph ok if you have a four-speed one. Five-speed ones will do 70 just fine. b) country roads are generally 45 in most states. c) chinese minitrucks have a hell of a lot less support for about the same price. d) Ford mavericks are DOA here. If you want a work van you buy a work van.
  - kubectl_h 3y ago
    Can you expand on what you mean by DOA in this context?
    - slackfan 3y ago
      I see them about as much as I see the Hyundai equivalent, and they all appear to be owned by folks that live in the local capital city.
    - maxerickson 3y ago
      Perhaps a contributing factor is that they have a 4.5 foot long bed. That will at least get it perceived as not being a great work truck. It looks like the Honda thing is like 6.5 feet, so you are sticking off the back quite a lot less if you have an 8 foot load.
      - throwway120385 3y ago
        Common lumber and sheathing is 8 feet long, so having a 6.5 foot bed means not having to flag the lumber while you're hauling it. Also I can't imagine fitting a gas generator, 5-gallon can, gas compressor, saws, nailguns, hardware, and nails all in the back of that 4-foot bed. When I was framing people would fill up their S-10s with the gear.
guestbest 3y ago
I don’t know if those little tires can handle muddy, unpaved country roads like a tractor can.
- brucethemoose2 3y ago
  The long travel side-by-sides, on the other hand, are pretty incredible offroad.
- kevin_thibedeau 3y ago
  You can mount ATV wheels on them.
  - dboreham 3y ago
    Be careful about speed ratings for tires and wheels.
- yellowapple 3y ago
  Lift it and stick full-size tires on it. Like a miniature monster truck.
- pezezin 3y ago
  I live in rural Japan (Aomori, Northern Honshu) and I see these cars daily. If they can survive the awful roads and weather here, I'm pretty sure that they can survive anywhere.
- 0xbadcafebee 3y ago
  Small, fat, knobby tires are actually better for sandy, muddy, uneven surfaces. They apply torque easier, have less unsprung weight, move easier through uneven terrain. Small thin tires work ok too, but tread is more important.
camhenlin 3y ago
I’ve looked into one of these and they’re completely illegal in my state, no way to register them without gaming different dmv stations and getting a clueless dmv rep who doesn’t know what they’re looking at, to register it. This is Oregon. Really unfortunate situation as these fit a lot of use cases that would previously require something as big as a gas guzzling Ford F150 otherwise.
- IntelMiner 3y ago
  Why would they be illegal? Surely Oregon has "small cars"
  - 7speter 3y ago
    It might be because they dont meet safety standards (being 25+ years old and tiny) or because its right hand drive…
- im_down_w_otp 3y ago
  You could actually probably get this onto a state-wide ballot as a measure to be voted on in Oregon. The bar to get things on the ballot isn't particularly high.
- duncan-donuts 3y ago
  Why are they illegal?
  - gorbypark 3y ago
    Someone has to pay to have a vehicle certified (crash tests, emissions, figure out what’s needs modified to meet US regulations, etc). If the vehicle was never sold in the US to begin with, then they can’t be registered until they are 25+ years old. Even then, it’s hard/impossible in some states. My memory is a bit hazy, but at one point in time an importer company paid the large sums (hundreds of thousands I’m sure) to have a certain GT-R model go through the safety/emission procedures so they could be imported before they were 25 years old. That’s the only case I can think of.
Syonyk 3y ago
The local Mahindra dealer also seems to be doing a brisk business with their Roxors - they're almost literally a 1950s Jeep with a modern diesel engine in them. It's the same market niche - small, off highway use, utility vehicles. And at least out here, you're allowed to run around on the roads at least some with them to get between fields.
- officeplant 3y ago
  I've seen some very questionable old jeeps cruising around that I suspect were Mahindra's with a CJ2 tub on them.
- SkyPuncher 3y ago
  It's a shame that Roxor isn't street legal. We live about 2 miles from our city's downtown. I'd absolutely love to have a little car that I take into town.
  - dabluecaboose 3y ago
    Depends on where you live, there are street-legal kits and some places allow off-highway driving for side-by-sides.
- kylehotchkiss 3y ago
  I presume you're not in USA - I can't imagine being allowed to import the Mahindra copy-paste Jeep into USA. Those clones are so blatant... Wish they added some more Indian flair to them. I can't believe jeep still bothered to enter the Indian market with that on the roads!
  - paxys 3y ago
    Jeep's design is close to a century old at this point. Why should it still be legally protected?
    - yellowapple 3y ago
kubectl_h 3y ago
I've seen a few of these in Maine in driveways and yards/fields, but only recently have I seen a couple on the road. I was surprised to see them. I believe JDM vans cannot be registered here but perhaps that's changed recently. If made illegal to drive on the roads it's not clear why these would be preferable to side-by-sides, other than novelty or for folks that really like to wrench.
- cdchn 3y ago
  Has to be 25+ years old then you can import/register it no problem.
  - officeplant 3y ago
    In the US Kei cars/trucks are handled differently by each state. We had to vote to get them approved to drive into the cities here once enough farmers had them and kept begging for the laws to change. Although for us it stems from having them imported as farm equipment.
  - kubectl_h 3y ago
    In 2021 Maine cancelled all of the registrations for these vehicles, so it's a local regulation. Sounds like it was a wording issues. Looks like there is a bill introduced to fix this: https://gearjunkie.com/news/maine-bill-reinstate-revoked-delica-vans-registrations https://gearjunkie.com/news/maine-bill-reinstate-revoked-del...
    - cdchn 3y ago
      A lot of people are using Vermont registration to get a title then transferring it to their home state, but I'm not sure how well that works everywhere.
  - piperswe 3y ago
    Registering it does depend on the state: I've heard some states will prevent you from registering them due for emissions or safety reasons, even though they're federally legal to import
officeplant 3y ago
We've been importing them to Louisiana for 20+ years now. Although for the longest time they were only legal to drive like a farm truck (up to 40 miles from the farm) and only on 55mph or less roads. They also had limiters installed so they couldn't go over 55mph, not that its hard to remove the tiny flap of metal they installed to keep the throttle from opening fully. There is one farmer we used to call the used kei truck salesman because at any given time he has 10-20 of these in his yard for sale fresh off the import boat.
- glcheetham 3y ago
  This is interesting. I’m from the UK, in the car trade, and setting up in Louisiana. Is there a market for European panel vans (like the sprinter, crafter, ford transit) in Louisiana?
  - officeplant 3y ago
    It took a while but people are a lot more warmed up to the European or world vans now. IMO you still see a lot more tradesmen using pickup trucks just because its the culture here. For personal use you mostly see the large religious family types with 12 kids driving 15 passenger vans or RV/camper types using panel vans. I'm sad that the city van is a dying breed now. Had a Nissan NV200 I used for a daily driver and weekend camper van. Unfortunately the NV200, Metris, Promaster City, and Transit Connect are all killed off and out of production. By 2024 If I want another brand new cargo van I'm stuck buying a $40k+ fullsize.
nyx 3y ago
The 25-year import rule here, which bans Americans from importing vehicles from other countries unless they're 25+ years old, is just awful for those of us who would be interested in driving small, efficient foreign cars. It would be great to live completely car-free, but absent major changes to how we plan our cities, it's just a sad reality that cars are a necessary ingredient to life in the vast majority of America. To cope with this, I'd love to be able to import a kei car or van from Japan, or micro-sized European city cars, or even some of the very small EV city cars that we see in China... but I just can't, unless I want an overpriced pile of scrap from the 1990s. It's all so much worse when you realize that the 25-year rule is a holdover from a grey-market import scare of the mid-1980s[0]: European carmakers, namely Mercedes, BMW, and Porsche, were having trouble in the US with people importing European models of their cars. There were some valid concerns around inconsistent modifications for US safety standards, but the main issue was clearly that these grey-market imports were cheaper than buying a US model from a dealer, so profits were being missed. Instead of fixing the pricing discrepancy, they just successfully lobbied the government to enact this draconian 25-year ban, and so to this day I can't have a 2020s Japanese kei car shipped to a US port at my expense because it'd be illegal to register it. [0] https://jalopnik.com/the-25-year-import-rules-history-is-more-complicated-th-1848322467 https://jalopnik.com/the-25-year-import-rules-history-is-mor...
- derefr 3y ago
  What counts as "importing a car", anyway? What's stopping someone from e.g. having the car disassembled, imported as parts, and reassembled?
  - 77pt77 3y ago
    Registering the vehicle must likely.
  - akiselev 3y ago
    Nothing. If you're only going to use it non-commercially on private property, there's almost nothing stopping you. You can even have an entire tank shipped in as long as it doesn't have any shells [1] or secondary guns, and you don't have to take it apart or anything. The question is: is it street legal and can you legally get it registered to drive afterwards? Once you ask that question, tons of regulations come into play ranging from axle weight to emissions standards to safety requirements. [1] you gotta have an ATF destructive devices license and follow state specific laws if you want to fire the main cannon
paxys 3y ago
Kinda ironic that big city dwellers are buying larger and larger trucks every year just to take them on grocery shopping runs while rural farm workers are moving in the opposite direction for actual hauling.
- Marsymars 3y ago
  I don’t know how much they’re moving in the opposite direction… my dad was a rural beekeeper for many years and had a series of compact pickups (Toyota pickup, Nissan hardbody, Chevy S10)… and then he changed careers around the time you could no longer buy new compact pickups in NA. I expect that the number of compact pickups in rural areas hasn’t actually been going up in the years since.
- rsync 3y ago
  While you are correct that urban Americans LARPing ranchers are, indeed, buying larger and larger trucks I don't see actual farmers/ranchers downsizing. I live on a working ranch and while our truck is very boring ("work truck" - basically a fleet vehicle with no options) it is still quite large as it has an 8' bed, etc. I think we could make good use of a battery powered vehicle with a small cargo area and we definitely make good use of the aforementioned full-sized truck ... but I don't find these mini-pickups appealing or interesting.
- wepple 3y ago
  The article cites someone who purchased a kei truck instead of a side-by-side, so it doesn’t imply that rural folks are moving away from trucks. If anything, the urban folks are buying bigger cars/trucks and rural folks are buying bigger sxs/ATVs
- pookah 3y ago
  My truck has a supercharger and a performance chip. It is a "city dwelling" truck...And I haul thousands of pounds of shit in the city just like I would anywhere else (hence why I have a truck). There's no rule saying trucks have to be for towing bovine.
porphyra 3y ago
One of the most highly upvoted Reddit posts on /r/fuckcars mocks large pickups compared to the utility of a kei truck. https://reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/sdrgv3/japanese_trucks_vs_american_trucks/ https://reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/sdrgv3/japanese_truck... A kei truck has about 90% the bed length of a pickup while being a lot more nimble. The lower bed is more ergonomic to load and unload too.
- boredumb 3y ago
  Where I live the hills would stall that kei out before you got to any real hills, with nothing at all added to the bed.
  - thebooktocome 3y ago
    Japan is famously mountainous. I can’t imagine they don’t road test them on “real hills”.
    - pookah 3y ago
      Japan doesn't have rural American dirt roads.
      - freetime2 3y ago
        Can you elaborate on what American dirt roads means? Japan has tons of dirt/gravel roads. A typical operating environment for a kei truck might look like this: https://www.google.com/maps/@36.9510791,138.6746615,3a,75y,230.52h,80.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s79ogvRHvAk1idPt0AmV3hg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 https://www.google.com/maps/@36.9510791,138.6746615,3a,75y,2... They are pretty capable offroad vehicles.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - tlear 3y ago
    Those things are used in mountains in Japan without any issues at all, they are very light.
daxfohl 3y ago
Wow, my dad runs some apartments and he's always buzzing random stuff from one place to another. He complains all the time that pickup trucks keep getting bigger and harder to use for day-to-day tasks. Seems like something like this would be perfect.
- nicbou 3y ago
  What about a sprinter van, or whatever you would call a Renault Kangoo? This is what tradespeople use in Europe. They're absurdly practical.
  - Symbiote 3y ago
    Sprinter is the Mercedes version of this type of vehicle. In Europe we just call these vans, as 99% of the time what's meant is a panel van. They have a roof, so you can even carry stuff when it's raining! American-style pickup trucks are hardly ever seen. If you have stuff (like construction equipment, bulky materials) to move that can get wet, and wouldn't easily fit in a van, you use a dropside van as it's much easier to load and unload. It's the same cab and chassis with a different rear end. https://www.vandemon.co.uk/blog/article/different-types-of-vans/ https://www.vandemon.co.uk/blog/article/different-types-of-v...
jnmandal 3y ago
Yeah these things are awesome. Exactly what I need on my land. I hope to get one someday.
fractallyte 3y ago
I used one of these - a van - as my daily driver some years ago. It was great! A surprising amount of volume in the back, yet small. It wasn't fast, but it was maneuverable, easy to handle, and economical. And reliable! It never failed to start, even on subzero days, after weeks of standing still. It was powerful enough to haul serious weight. The engine labored somewhat, and one could definitely feel the increased momentum of the vehicle. I had some doubts about the front crumple zone - there really wasn't much that could absorb a head-on impact. But it never became an issue.. If I had similar transport needs again, I'd get one of these vans without hesitation.
poink 3y ago
I'd love a tiny truck as my primary vehicle, but after watching Doug DeMuro review an imported kei car van (https://youtu.be/yyTJTUNgsVU https://youtu.be/yyTJTUNgsVU) I realized I could never feel comfortable driving one of these on the highways around here. What I _really_ want is something like the Ford F-100 Eluminator concept. https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2021/11/02/all-electric-f-100-eluminator-concept.html https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2021...
voisin 3y ago
I wish the actual story was “US manufacturers announce line of small, Japanese style pickup trucks” Importing adds friction both up front and for ongoing sourcing of parts and maintenance. Just give us some options for local pickup trucks utilizing existing repair facilities! Instead everyone bitches about truck drivers having such large vehicles, when that’s all that’s on offer here!
- elboru 3y ago
  RAM sells a small truck in Mexico called RAM 700 and it’s getting popular for work purposes (specially in urban areas). I have no idea why it’s not being sold in the US market. https://www.motor1.com/news/447996/2021-ram-700-debut/ https://www.motor1.com/news/447996/2021-ram-700-debut/
  - 0xbadcafebee 3y ago
    The US market never carries vehicles that executives don't think will sell well in the US market, or that may lower their brand's perceived value, or take money away from a hot-selling model... We always get the shit cars with the shit mileage and less functionality. Some of that is due to regulatory or trade issues, but mostly they just think it will cut into their sales of a more expensive car they already have here. Also, dealerships are bastards.
  - zubiaur 3y ago
    I knew it seemed familiar. It’s based on the fiat strada, a unibody based pickup that for the longest has been based on a modified fiat hatchback (fiat uno first, fiat Palio later, not sure about now, maybe the argos) The closest us equivalent in the US may be a Hyundai Santa Cruz, which sells ok-ish, the Honda rigid line, which sells okish too, and the Ford Maverick which sells like hot cakes. RAM, like Ford, had the reputation. A rebadged Fiat toro may do the trick.
  - Stephen_0xFF 3y ago
    Ford is doing the same with the C pick up truck. I often see Rangers with Mexican license plates around town since I live in south Texas. I think if Ford or Ram can sell $100k pickup trucks in Mexico they would in a heart beat. https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/03/04/ford-quietly-begins-production-of-new-small-pickup-in-mexico.html https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/03/04/ford-quietly-begins-prod...
bagels 3y ago
If you're in California, this isn't for you, sadly.
- jamestimmins 3y ago
  Why not? Are they illegal here?
  - westhom 3y ago
    You can only get them registered for off-road use. You can also use them on Catalina island. But no way to register them as street legal, legally.
  - bagels 3y ago
    California will not let you register anything that was not sold with California compliant smog equipment (with contemporaneous testing by the state)
macinjosh 3y ago
Big American trucks are like denim jeans. Jeans started out as super useful and economical clothing worn by miners, cowboys, etc. fast forward n years and people are paying hundreds of dollars for exclusive denim and designs with pre-worn holes and other artificial wear patterns. Trucks today look like they could be utilitarian and used for work but are really just an overpriced fashion statement.
ztetranz 3y ago
My neighbor has one. He drives around with his big dog in the (lefthand) passenger seat. It looks like the dog is driving.
- dsfyu404ed 3y ago
  You really wanna F with people get a spare steering wheel and have the passenger hold it and act confused.
tibbydudeza 3y ago
Our family car a Corolla (I drive a hatchback) was replaced by a Tucson and I considered it big even though it is classed as compact SUV in the US. Well it all made sense when I saw a Kia Telluride.
twalla 3y ago
These vehicles (mostly their van equivalents like the Delica and Hi Ace) are also popular with rural mail carriers since they use their own vehicles and right hand drive enables them to deposit mail without leaving the car.
aidenn0 3y ago
Funny, I was chatting with some Rural Americans while on vacation in the Bahamas, and they all were super impressed with the Kei pickups they saw while there. I didn't know you could legally register 25+ year old ones...
tinglymintyfrsh 3y ago
Stanford did too (the van kind) to squeeze between bollards. They were able to avoid CAFE and CARB standards because they're their own municipality, and technically they're not licensed for public street use.
tgtweak 3y ago
I see these all over the place in asiapac, especially at resorts for staff and maintenance to get around on smaller pathways in lieu of golf carts or runabouts. It makes a lot of sense when you consider that they are easy to move around on a small boat/ferry and can be used on the roads. These places also have a much high percentage of motorbikes, scooters and ATVs and the same garages/shops that service those can service these smaller engines with readily accessible parts. The fact they can't really be driven on interstates/highways is the only thing that would make it difficult to sell them here as new vehicles. Given how well the ford maverick is selling, and the successful introduction of the hyundai santacruz (and soon-to-be-introduced chevy montana) I think it's safe to bet there would have been a decent market for new vehicles in this segment if the manufacturers could get them highway-compatible.
- AtlasBarfed 3y ago
  Yeah, the u.s market does not really support this variety of form factors and motor cars but I think EVs are going to change that because it's a lot easier to vary the size of a battery, the main primary component of an EV vehicle and just slap on any of a range of electric motors.
AtlasBarfed 3y ago
A wide range of electric vehicles are going to invade to fill up almost all these gaps, especially once cheap sodium ion drivetrains and batteries become available
iancmceachern 3y ago
Along these lines is the Mahindra Jeep knockoff they're about to start selling here
fnbr 3y ago
man, I want a tiny Japanese pickup truck
sircastor 3y ago
My wife was really interested in doing this the last time we were talking about a new vehicle. We looked at a lot of trucks and micro vans. There are plenty of people who have done it. My biggest hang ups were related to the variability of laws about microtrucks across states. Some places I can drive it like any other vehicle. Others it’s limited to non-highway travel and locality. Also not being able to see the vehicle firsthand before purchasing. They’re inexpensive though. That’s nice.
swalling 3y ago
It's not just rural Americans. Japanese 4WD vans, SUVs, and trucks are super hot among Portland hipsters looking for city-friendly vehicles for cargo or road tripping. There are some importers here locally that this is all they do now, like https://www.javan-imports.com/ https://www.javan-imports.com/ The other highly desirable vehicle among this crowd are the J60 series Land Cruisers from the 80s, for fashion reasons more than functional ones though.
laurencerowe 3y ago
There's someone with a lovely little Kei Firetruck in Bernal Heights. Makes me smile every time I walk past it. https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/Meet-Kiri-the-tiny-Japanese-fire-truck-bringing-16137119.php https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/Meet-Kiri-the-tiny...
rhema 3y ago
There's a truck exactly like that a block away from where I live in my rural town.
efields 3y ago
I wonder how much of the “Americans want big cars” is just “car manufacturers _sell_ big cars and not much else” … then there’s the whole SUV loophole that gets them around emissions regs. The Ford Maverick is great and around 20k but at this point I want 100% electric.
- throwway120385 3y ago
  I would buy a Maverick tomorrow if it had leaf springs instead of coils.
everyone 3y ago
It is puzzling how everything in the US seems to be excessively large. If you go there it feels like u have shrunk by 15%
rco8786 3y ago
It makes a ton of sense. Even a base F150 is like 15 feet tall nowadays. A 2023 Ford ranger is bigger than a 2000 F150. I imagine that the market for small trucks didn’t just disappear completely
anfilt 3y ago
I really do like the Kei Class of cars. Some people talking about the 25 year rule that does not apply if they imported as an off-road vhehicle and some things like governor installed. However, in some states you can't use off-road vehicles on any roadways, and you would only be able to register such an import as off-road vheicle. Where as you could register 25+ year old on in quite a few states as a low speed vheicle which allows pretty much anything, but highway use.
- Firmwarrior 3y ago
  Man, I wish I could get a car like that in the USA.. I guess I'd probably want something with better crash safety, though, considering how many complete morons in the Bay Area are constantly speeding, weaving aggressively through traffic, running/pushing red lights, etc People's poor dumb monkey brains just can't handle the speeds/weights involved in driving cars IMO
  - anfilt 3y ago
    Also when it comes to pickups they have gotten so large. Even the ford maverick that ford has been making is still bigger than some 90's pickups. Even then "small" (if you can call that any more) are not really made any more. Also don't get me started on how it's pretty hard to find a regular cab pickup. Like the ford maverick only comes in a 4 door configuration. Good luck carrying any standard length items like 4x8 sheet of ply wood or 8 ft lumber without the thing comically hanging out past the tail gate. What I found funny is on fords website you can see just that https://www.ford.com/trucks/maverick/ https://www.ford.com/trucks/maverick/. This is something you even see on larger trucks, and I am like wtf... It's a truck not a people hauler. You might be able to find some manufactures in their commercial/fleet line of vehicles that is at least sane when it comes to bed length. Honestly, these days it's just better to get a cargo/work van unless you needing to haul dirt or other dirty things when looking for something new. It just seems like a small truck with a bed that make any sense are not made =(
skim_milk 3y ago
I own a Honda Acty van and I have met a ton of people with other kei trucks here in Nebraska and outside of the state. It seems like every other person with an acreage owns a kei truck nowadays, they're cheaper and more reliable than an ATV plus you can drive on roads. I've met some people here in Nebraska that make bank importing and selling kei trucks to farmers. Like the other commenters have said, you have to check your state's laws to see if they can be registered, but I've met people in states that don't allow kei trucks and are just used as ATVs, and it's not like you're going to be fined for driving on back roads between your properties anyway. In Nebraska they're banned on highways, but it's not like you're going to take your 1800lb car which doesn't have airbags or any crash structure that only drives up to 65mph with a tailwind on any highways anyway. If you're looking to buy one, check state laws and I recommend just eating the ~$2,000 markup to get one already with tags from a car dealer that sells these. Dealerships that sell RHD cars to people who drive for the Post Office will have these in stock and will be the easiest to deal with. It's not worth the risks and effort to do all the paperwork yourself IMO. If the car previously passed inspection in Japan, it's basically guaranteed to be fine because inspection in Japan is very good, they check for rust etc. Parts can either be cross-referenced to other cars (e.g. Honda Civic) or they will be expensive but available. You'll have to do all your own work, but they're extremely simple cars. I use mine as a van camper, pretty cheap on gas if driven slowly.
aidog 3y ago
I moved my belongings in a kei trucks to my new place and I just bought a new kei car. I love them, easier to drive than big cars as well. Fun fact, they are more expensive used in Japan than regular cars since they are more desirable for tax reasons and cheaper on the highway.
0xbadcafebee 3y ago
I live in a tiny rural town in NY. There's 20 import mini-trucks for sale at the main street intersection. Most of the farms around here seem to have one. They're very useful.
ryukoposting 3y ago
My university had a small fleet of Kei trucks for groundskeeping. Not sure if/how they registered them.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
throwawaytruck 3y ago
Lots of light duty truck hate in this thread. I'm a rural American who has to plow their own 1k plus foot gravel driveway. I have a used light duty truck and a homestead plow for this purpose. If I didn't have to plow, I would love to have a little buggy like one of these for around the farm. I actually strongly dislike trucks,but you really need one for farm and homestead work! My dream would be something like this that has four wheel drive and a 2k plus pound bed capacity.
jccalhoun 3y ago
I am kind of in love with the Pickman electric mini-truck https://electrek.co/2021/01/23/alibaba-electric-vehicle-of-the-week-mini-electric-pickup-truck-pickman/ https://electrek.co/2021/01/23/alibaba-electric-vehicle-of-t... but the import and shipping fees just make it too expensive to think about
philsnow 3y ago
Anybody want a Sprinter Trueno AE86 ? https://www.tc-v.com/used_car/toyota/sprinter%20trueno/33158509/?isNew=1 https://www.tc-v.com/used_car/toyota/sprinter%20trueno/33158... ( https://initiald.fandom.com/wiki/Takumi_Fujiwara%27s_Toyota_AE86 https://initiald.fandom.com/wiki/Takumi_Fujiwara%27s_Toyota_... )
totetsu 3y ago
And Urban Japanese are importing giant American pickup trucks.
Animats 3y ago
There's are US-made electric mini-pickups. The Pickman.[1] But it's expensive at $20K-$30K. The GEM is cheaper, but is one notch above a golf cart.[2] [1] https://www.thepickman.com/pickman-classic https://www.thepickman.com/pickman-classic [2] https://www.gemcar.com/ https://www.gemcar.com/
raphar 3y ago
https://archive.is/sBJBr https://archive.is/sBJBr
rocauc 3y ago
Asks for mechanics for these trucks are beginning to pop up in rural Iowa.
omneity 3y ago
This kind of minitrucks is basically the workhorse of the informal Moroccan economy, locally called just "Honda" or "Pickup". It fell relatively out of favor with the introduction of cargo trikes[0], a.k.a. "triporteur" in the local parlance. Trikes are now used for everything from transportation to cargo, still mostly within small businesses in the informal economy. [0]: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/9LsAAOSwJnxgO-sr/s-l500.jpg https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/9LsAAOSwJnxgO-sr/s-l500.jpg
carabiner 3y ago
The original Toyota Tacoma wasn't quite this small, but it was a heck of a lot smaller than the current model. It used to be a compact truck, now it is midsized. I hope this trends shows makers there's demand for smaller pickups.
earthboundkid 3y ago
Weirdly two showed up in my neighborhood in Baltimore in the last year.
bane 3y ago
In Korea, there's a truck called the "Bongo" which is more of platform for cabover small trucks -- which includes box trucks, pickup-style utility trucks, flatbeds, etc. But all designed to be small and work well in tight urban environments. The stock Bongo sort of vaguely represents an American pickup truck if it was built by somebody who had only ever heard of one described. However, they're ubiquitous, and the boxtruck versions handle a lot of what we in the U.S. would use semi trucks for. In Korea they tend to be made by Kia, and I think in Japan there's a near identical variant by Mazda. They can be had pretty cheap, a friend of mine has one for some farmland he has outside of Seoul and he says he bought it for ~$5k.
Daub 3y ago
These cut little trucks are also the perfect form factor for japanese front yards, which tend to be on the tiny size.
sjducb 3y ago
I grew up on a farm and I always thought that modern "off-road" viechles like pickup trucks wouldn't actually be good off-road. These are the reasons: 1) They are too wide. Real farm tracks are often narrow and overgrown. You want a narrow viechle to fit down them. 2) They are too heavy. When they get stuck you want them to be light so it's easy to pull them out. Ideally a little manual pushing should be enough 3) Off-road "capability" isn't actually that important because you could get a Toyota Camry down 99% of farm tracks. The 1% that's impassible by a Camry is also impassable by most off-road viechles because a pipe broke or a river flooded and washed away the road completely. You want off-road capability to prolong the life of the viechle, not to get down the track. 4) You need good visibility from the cab so that you don't run over your colleagues when doing complicated maneuvers. Those little Japanese pick-ups look perfect.
venk12 3y ago
I find European cities to be well designed. Especially in the Netherlands where I currently live (not Amsterdam). Every city has a city center where all the commercial activity happens surrounded by residential suburb. Everything in and around the city is reachable by bike.I think this is great for a healthy and eco-friendly life.
- sofixa 3y ago
  > I find European cities to be well designed. Especially in the Netherlands where I currently live (not Amsterdam) Really depends on the city and country, but in general, yeah, urban planning for humans is taken seriously. E.g. the Netherlands' cities are just fantastic for pedestrians and bikes and public transit, and quite decent for cars too (because the alternatives are so good if you do need/want a car, there's not a lot of traffic in your way); meanwhile in Bulgaria, the capital Sofia with an official population at 1.3 million (and lots of people from surrounding cities commuting daily) clearly prioritises cars, with massive works around road works, new ringway, etc.. Even then, there's quite decent public transit (with 3 metro, tens of tram and trolley, close to a hundred bus lines), pedestrians can walk everywhere and there are even bike lanes showing up more and more.
Gustomaximus 3y ago
Another one to consider is a Suzuki Jimny. These are smaller again. You see people who cut off the back and add a tray. Great little things that get around well. I have a 2002 Hilux in the 2.7L four-cylinder. These things tend to be fairly bullet proof and great for on farm work both in what it does and being a cheaper vehicle you done stress about dings and scratches. On thing the article didn't mention about side-by-sides is they tend to do better in mud and hills. So in areas like I am where its hilly and slippery clay soils, side-by-sides can offer a decent advantage and safety aspect getting around vs a ute/truck.
ccorcos 3y ago
Something I’m not seeing mentioned here: I read somewhere (though i can’t find it) that we don’t have small trucks in the US because fuel economy standards are based on wheelbase. That’s why you can’t take an F-150 and put it on a smaller frame and sell it in the US. But many of us want one! I’d love a half-ton truck the size of a 80s Tacoma… I could use some help fact-checking though. I was digging around for primary sources but it’s tough reading…
asymmetric 3y ago
These are really popular in other places too, like Georgia (the country). Often the infotainment system (and the invariably J-pop music) remain in Japanese, which is fun.
ShadowBanThis01 3y ago
We can't even buy a legitimate SMALL pickup in the USA anymore. The closest thing is the still-large Ford Maverick, which is nearly useless as a truck because Ford forces a giant four-door cab on every buyer. Where is the two-door version? You see this same blunder on every "smallish" truck sold in the USA today, which is why Rangers from a decade and a half ago are selling for as much as they did new. Look at the absurd marketing picture Ford put out. These people have no hope of even loading the couch they're struggling with, let alone half the other crap waiting on the sidewalk: https://www.thedrive.com/content-b/message-editor%2F1646159878512-22_frd_mav_54243.tif.jpg https://www.thedrive.com/content-b/message-editor%2F16461598... While this is a somewhat different type of truck than the subject of this article, it reflects a similar failure of manufacturers to address a major gap in the market. Not everyone is a poser who just wants to drive around in a "truck." Some people have actual truck applications to be addressed, and want an efficient little truck for them.
hahamrfunnyguy 3y ago
Not surprising given how impractical and expensive modern pickup trucks are. There seems to be a market for smaller practical vehicles but auto manufactures want to sell trucks and SUVs because they make the most of them. That's in large part to light trucks having less stringent fuel-economy regulations.
IAmGraydon 3y ago
Pretty sure the mention of “Newport, Virginia” should actually be Newport News.
SentientAtom 3y ago
The article makes an error in saying it could be an alternative to an F250, which it can not at all. That said it is a damn good alternative to a side-by-side or Ford Ranger or Chevy S10 for farm use.
cramjabsyn 3y ago
Ah so you don't actually need a lifted turbodiesel for a work truck?

523 points by dduugg 3y ago

yellowapple 3y ago

If these were easier to register here in NV I'd buy one in a heartbeat.

Simulacra 3y ago

https://archive.is/xD4yE https://archive.is/xD4yE

pharmakom 3y ago

[flagged]

theandrewbailey 3y ago
Dead on arrival. Not enough room for the kids and dogs.
- ChuckNorris89 3y ago
  [flagged]
  - dang 3y ago
    Could you please stop posting unsubstantive comments and flamebait? You've unfortunately been doing it repeatedly. It's not what this site is for, and destroys what it is for. We've had to warn you about this kind of thing repeatedly. If you keep doing it we're going to have to ban you. If you'd please review https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and stick to the rules when posting here, we'd appreciate it. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35496424 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35496424 (April 2023) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34557545 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34557545 (Jan 2023) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34119523 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34119523 (Dec 2022) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32756292 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32756292 (Sept 2022) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32718712 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32718712 (Sept 2022) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32280825 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32280825 (July 2022) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21875253 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21875253 (Dec 2019) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21143693 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21143693 (Oct 2019)
    - dredmorbius 3y ago
      Four years of second chances isn't enough?
- lapetitejort 3y ago
  People haul kids and dogs in the beds of their trucks?
  - simonsarris 3y ago
    Many new trucks can fit three car seats. What was once the truck bed is now a smaller truck bed and a second row of seats. Aka a "full size cab".
    - anfilt 3y ago
      More like open air hatch back, I don't understand why people want such short truck beds. You can't even sleep in the truck bed anymore on a lot these trucks.
- nicbou 3y ago
  Europeans do just fine with multipurpose vehicles and regular small cars. You dont need a Straßenpanzer to bring two wee kids and a few grocery bags around.
- wpm 3y ago
  My parents did just fine with a 94 Saturn and an 88 Toyota Corolla for two kids and a dog.
adamrezich 3y ago
why do you want suburban moms to drive their kids around in a small flatbed?
- throwyawayyyy 3y ago
  Pretty sure the commenter is referring to what, in London, are called Chelsea Tractors.
  - adamrezich 3y ago
    sure, when I was growing up my mom drove myself and my four siblings around in a Suburban. I understand the baseline desire to signal virtue with regards to large motor vehicles, but even a brief glance at the photo in the article should be enough for any sane person to see that driving more than a single child around in such a vehicle is blatantly untenable. downvoters might also be surprised at how safe large motor vehicles are for transporting children, especially in areas with spontaneous, often-unavoidable wildlife crossing. try hitting a mule deer crossing the road in the dark in one of those little trucks and see how many kids riding (on the flatbed??) survive.
joewhale 3y ago
it's easy to throw rocks when you personally don't have 3-4 kids.
- pharmakom 3y ago
  Please buy a minivan if this is your situation.
  - yellowapple 3y ago
    While I largely agree with you, AWD/4WD minivans seem to be harder to find than AWD/4WD SUVs - so if you live in a place with both snow and hills, you're probably going to be gravitating toward an SUV.
    - SkyPuncher 3y ago
      AWS/4WD drive can't be pulled off with a minivan while maintaining the flat floor that people expect. There's not enough clearance for a rear drive shaft.
      - yellowapple 3y ago
        I mean, it clearly can be, since AWD (and RWD, for that matter) minivans do exist. It's just less common for minivans than it is for SUVs, likely for the reason you mention.
        SkyPuncher 3y ago
        Sorry, yes. It's technically feasible. However, practically, it's not. Within the modern minivan sector, it'd be a non-starter to have a transmission tunnel when all of your competitors don't have that.
        yellowapple 3y ago
        > when all of your competitors don't have that Aside from the Chrysler Pacifica, which does offer a traditional AWD (to this day AFAIK), presumably with the requisite transmission tunnel. There's also the Toyota Sienna, which gets away with AWD by using an electric motor for the rear wheels. Hopefully this continues to catch on.
crooked-v 3y ago
If we could finally ditch the light-duty trucks loophole [1], that would probably help when it comes to the incentives to build certain kinds of vehicle. [1]: https://www.wired.com/story/the-us-wants-to-close-the-suv-loophole-that-supersized-cars/ https://www.wired.com/story/the-us-wants-to-close-the-suv-lo...

LinuxBender 3y ago

I've seriously contemplated getting one of these. Street legal, fuel efficient, simple, but when I started researching them I started to see a pattern. It's hard to find anyone in rural areas willing to work on them and not all mini trucks are equal. Some are not shipped correctly and have frame rust issues. There are YouTuber's that cover some of the models and the gotchas and things to inspect. I would never buy one without inspecting it locally. I've seen a couple of them in town and the owners somehow manage to keep them running. I am leaning more towards a street legal side-by-side as there are a few dealers here and they have people to perform more advanced repairs. Downside is they cost more especially if I want a fully enclosed cab with windshield and heater, something that is a must during the winter here. Upside is I can take it into the mountains and also use it to run into town for groceries. An upside to either of these options is that these are the remaining vehicles that do not as of yet have any of the telemetry, dashboard infotainment systems, pay-as-you-go for subscriptions for standard features, etc...

kevin_thibedeau 3y ago
SXS are overpriced and underdeliver compared to what you can get from a minitruck.
- leetrout 3y ago
  Or even just a used jeep wrangler given how overpriced they are.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
doublerebel 3y ago
I’d recommend looking for a reputable dealer who does a proper shipment and inspection. Here in Seattle we have https://sodo-moto.com https://sodo-moto.com who works with fvej.com to bring vehicles over and ensure the quality.
codalan 3y ago
They probably share a lot of the same drivetrain/engine/etc. parts from vehicles of the same era. If you are mechanically inclined and have the right tools, you might be able to do some of the work yourself. Most auto mechanics familiar with older Japanese branded vehicles should be able to work on them like they would on a regular US import. The biggest issue I have is that they are right-hand drive. I'd be hesitant driving a mini-truck on streets and highways, even if it's licensed. This would be a non-issue if the intent is to leave it on private property, unlicensed. I wish mini-trucks had a bigger demand here. I'd like a pickup, but I don't need the monster trucks that are on the market these days. Just something to move furniture, appliances, and junk around town.

ryukafalz 3y ago

New minitrucks should be legal here! If you don't need a huge truck, you should be able to buy something smaller.

lastofthemojito 3y ago
You do see new minitrucks in certain non-road settings in the US, but yeah, they aren't street legal. Some folks import them for use as UTVs: https://usminitrucksales.com https://usminitrucksales.com It's the same somewhat bizarre logic that makes it fine to register say, a 1969 VW Beetle in the US, but not a 2004 Mexican Beetle that's no less clean or safe. The older stuff gets grandfathered in because at that age there's hardly anyone willing to bother. But if new minitrucks were road legal, they'd be everywhere, and there might be an epidemic of minitruck highway deaths, etc.
- gedy 3y ago
  Owner of a 69 Beetle here, and similarly frustrating that I can't buy and bring home a Suzuki Jimny across the nearby border with Mexico
- angry_octet 3y ago
  There's a bit of confusion here: there are modern small cars/vans/trucks that are safe (e.g. https://www.euroncap.com/en/press-media/press-releases/euro-ncap-announces-safest-commercial-vans-of-2022/ https://www.euroncap.com/en/press-media/press-releases/euro-...) but efficient and well designed, and then there are new vehicles built for a slightly lower price with safety features like crumple zones entirely absent, commonly sold in Mexico. These are death traps. Many of the Chinese trucks (e.g. Great Wall) were like that too, but they do make safer ones now.
- LucasBrandt 3y ago
  I'll take the theoretical chance of an "epidemic of minitruck highway deaths" over the current reality of an epidemic of traffic fatalities made worse by cars and trucks getting heavier, taller, and deadlier.
rco8786 3y ago

falcolas 3y ago

> And unlike a side-by-side, it can also be driven legally on local roads Side by sides can, with a few accessories (horn, license plate lights, turn signals, etc), be driven legally on roads. Most dealers are happy to sell and attach these high profit items for you.

lastofthemojito 3y ago
If you're talking about the US, state laws vary widely: https://outdoortroop.com/in-what-states-are-side-by-sides-street-legal/ https://outdoortroop.com/in-what-states-are-side-by-sides-st...
- LinuxBender 3y ago
  Adding for completeness sake, that site is out of date for my state. Street legal UTV's and mini-trucks are called "Multipurpose vehicles" in Wyoming and can be registered to operate on streets and highways. They even issue these nifty little Wyoming license plates that are UTV sized. The requirements are in the linked PDF. Funny side note, my state even has a picture of one of the Japanese mini-trucks in the PDF. [1] I think people should look up the DoT website for their state to get the current legal requirements for street legal UTV's and mini-trucks. [1] - https://www.dot.state.wy.us/files/live/sites/wydot/files/shared/Motor%20Vehicle%20Services/Multipurpose%20FAQ.pdf https://www.dot.state.wy.us/files/live/sites/wydot/files/sha...
amundskm 3y ago
Depends on the state.
- yellowapple 3y ago
  The states that don't allow street-legalified side-by-sides are unlikely to allow imported Kei trucks, either.

nonethewiser 3y ago

I can see the utility but most country road speed limits are gonna be 50 mph+. I wouldn’t want to drive it there. Dirt roads or on your land, sure. Regardless, they look pretty cool. A cheaper option, but lower quality, might be some small trucks from China. It will also be interesting to see how Fords Maverick catches on. May not quite fill this niche but seems like a good option overall.

slackfan 3y ago
Hi, I live in the boonies, and own one of these minitrucks. a) They do 60mph ok if you have a four-speed one. Five-speed ones will do 70 just fine. b) country roads are generally 45 in most states. c) chinese minitrucks have a hell of a lot less support for about the same price. d) Ford mavericks are DOA here. If you want a work van you buy a work van.
- kubectl_h 3y ago
  Can you expand on what you mean by DOA in this context?
  - slackfan 3y ago
    I see them about as much as I see the Hyundai equivalent, and they all appear to be owned by folks that live in the local capital city.
  - maxerickson 3y ago
    Perhaps a contributing factor is that they have a 4.5 foot long bed. That will at least get it perceived as not being a great work truck. It looks like the Honda thing is like 6.5 feet, so you are sticking off the back quite a lot less if you have an 8 foot load.
    - throwway120385 3y ago
      Common lumber and sheathing is 8 feet long, so having a 6.5 foot bed means not having to flag the lumber while you're hauling it. Also I can't imagine fitting a gas generator, 5-gallon can, gas compressor, saws, nailguns, hardware, and nails all in the back of that 4-foot bed. When I was framing people would fill up their S-10s with the gear.

guestbest 3y ago

I don’t know if those little tires can handle muddy, unpaved country roads like a tractor can.

brucethemoose2 3y ago
The long travel side-by-sides, on the other hand, are pretty incredible offroad.
kevin_thibedeau 3y ago
You can mount ATV wheels on them.
- dboreham 3y ago
  Be careful about speed ratings for tires and wheels.
yellowapple 3y ago
Lift it and stick full-size tires on it. Like a miniature monster truck.
pezezin 3y ago
I live in rural Japan (Aomori, Northern Honshu) and I see these cars daily. If they can survive the awful roads and weather here, I'm pretty sure that they can survive anywhere.
0xbadcafebee 3y ago
Small, fat, knobby tires are actually better for sandy, muddy, uneven surfaces. They apply torque easier, have less unsprung weight, move easier through uneven terrain. Small thin tires work ok too, but tread is more important.

camhenlin 3y ago

I’ve looked into one of these and they’re completely illegal in my state, no way to register them without gaming different dmv stations and getting a clueless dmv rep who doesn’t know what they’re looking at, to register it. This is Oregon. Really unfortunate situation as these fit a lot of use cases that would previously require something as big as a gas guzzling Ford F150 otherwise.

IntelMiner 3y ago
Why would they be illegal? Surely Oregon has "small cars"
- 7speter 3y ago
  It might be because they dont meet safety standards (being 25+ years old and tiny) or because its right hand drive…
im_down_w_otp 3y ago
You could actually probably get this onto a state-wide ballot as a measure to be voted on in Oregon. The bar to get things on the ballot isn't particularly high.
duncan-donuts 3y ago
Why are they illegal?
- gorbypark 3y ago
  Someone has to pay to have a vehicle certified (crash tests, emissions, figure out what’s needs modified to meet US regulations, etc). If the vehicle was never sold in the US to begin with, then they can’t be registered until they are 25+ years old. Even then, it’s hard/impossible in some states. My memory is a bit hazy, but at one point in time an importer company paid the large sums (hundreds of thousands I’m sure) to have a certain GT-R model go through the safety/emission procedures so they could be imported before they were 25 years old. That’s the only case I can think of.

Syonyk 3y ago

The local Mahindra dealer also seems to be doing a brisk business with their Roxors - they're almost literally a 1950s Jeep with a modern diesel engine in them. It's the same market niche - small, off highway use, utility vehicles. And at least out here, you're allowed to run around on the roads at least some with them to get between fields.

officeplant 3y ago
I've seen some very questionable old jeeps cruising around that I suspect were Mahindra's with a CJ2 tub on them.
SkyPuncher 3y ago
It's a shame that Roxor isn't street legal. We live about 2 miles from our city's downtown. I'd absolutely love to have a little car that I take into town.
- dabluecaboose 3y ago
  Depends on where you live, there are street-legal kits and some places allow off-highway driving for side-by-sides.
kylehotchkiss 3y ago
I presume you're not in USA - I can't imagine being allowed to import the Mahindra copy-paste Jeep into USA. Those clones are so blatant... Wish they added some more Indian flair to them. I can't believe jeep still bothered to enter the Indian market with that on the roads!
- paxys 3y ago
  Jeep's design is close to a century old at this point. Why should it still be legally protected?
  - yellowapple 3y ago

kubectl_h 3y ago

I've seen a few of these in Maine in driveways and yards/fields, but only recently have I seen a couple on the road. I was surprised to see them. I believe JDM vans cannot be registered here but perhaps that's changed recently. If made illegal to drive on the roads it's not clear why these would be preferable to side-by-sides, other than novelty or for folks that really like to wrench.

cdchn 3y ago
Has to be 25+ years old then you can import/register it no problem.
- officeplant 3y ago
  In the US Kei cars/trucks are handled differently by each state. We had to vote to get them approved to drive into the cities here once enough farmers had them and kept begging for the laws to change. Although for us it stems from having them imported as farm equipment.
- kubectl_h 3y ago
  In 2021 Maine cancelled all of the registrations for these vehicles, so it's a local regulation. Sounds like it was a wording issues. Looks like there is a bill introduced to fix this: https://gearjunkie.com/news/maine-bill-reinstate-revoked-delica-vans-registrations https://gearjunkie.com/news/maine-bill-reinstate-revoked-del...
  - cdchn 3y ago
    A lot of people are using Vermont registration to get a title then transferring it to their home state, but I'm not sure how well that works everywhere.
- piperswe 3y ago
  Registering it does depend on the state: I've heard some states will prevent you from registering them due for emissions or safety reasons, even though they're federally legal to import

officeplant 3y ago

We've been importing them to Louisiana for 20+ years now. Although for the longest time they were only legal to drive like a farm truck (up to 40 miles from the farm) and only on 55mph or less roads. They also had limiters installed so they couldn't go over 55mph, not that its hard to remove the tiny flap of metal they installed to keep the throttle from opening fully. There is one farmer we used to call the used kei truck salesman because at any given time he has 10-20 of these in his yard for sale fresh off the import boat.

glcheetham 3y ago
This is interesting. I’m from the UK, in the car trade, and setting up in Louisiana. Is there a market for European panel vans (like the sprinter, crafter, ford transit) in Louisiana?
- officeplant 3y ago
  It took a while but people are a lot more warmed up to the European or world vans now. IMO you still see a lot more tradesmen using pickup trucks just because its the culture here. For personal use you mostly see the large religious family types with 12 kids driving 15 passenger vans or RV/camper types using panel vans. I'm sad that the city van is a dying breed now. Had a Nissan NV200 I used for a daily driver and weekend camper van. Unfortunately the NV200, Metris, Promaster City, and Transit Connect are all killed off and out of production. By 2024 If I want another brand new cargo van I'm stuck buying a $40k+ fullsize.

nyx 3y ago

The 25-year import rule here, which bans Americans from importing vehicles from other countries unless they're 25+ years old, is just awful for those of us who would be interested in driving small, efficient foreign cars. It would be great to live completely car-free, but absent major changes to how we plan our cities, it's just a sad reality that cars are a necessary ingredient to life in the vast majority of America. To cope with this, I'd love to be able to import a kei car or van from Japan, or micro-sized European city cars, or even some of the very small EV city cars that we see in China... but I just can't, unless I want an overpriced pile of scrap from the 1990s. It's all so much worse when you realize that the 25-year rule is a holdover from a grey-market import scare of the mid-1980s[0]: European carmakers, namely Mercedes, BMW, and Porsche, were having trouble in the US with people importing European models of their cars. There were some valid concerns around inconsistent modifications for US safety standards, but the main issue was clearly that these grey-market imports were cheaper than buying a US model from a dealer, so profits were being missed. Instead of fixing the pricing discrepancy, they just successfully lobbied the government to enact this draconian 25-year ban, and so to this day I can't have a 2020s Japanese kei car shipped to a US port at my expense because it'd be illegal to register it. [0] https://jalopnik.com/the-25-year-import-rules-history-is-more-complicated-th-1848322467 https://jalopnik.com/the-25-year-import-rules-history-is-mor...

derefr 3y ago
What counts as "importing a car", anyway? What's stopping someone from e.g. having the car disassembled, imported as parts, and reassembled?
- 77pt77 3y ago
  Registering the vehicle must likely.
- akiselev 3y ago
  Nothing. If you're only going to use it non-commercially on private property, there's almost nothing stopping you. You can even have an entire tank shipped in as long as it doesn't have any shells [1] or secondary guns, and you don't have to take it apart or anything. The question is: is it street legal and can you legally get it registered to drive afterwards? Once you ask that question, tons of regulations come into play ranging from axle weight to emissions standards to safety requirements. [1] you gotta have an ATF destructive devices license and follow state specific laws if you want to fire the main cannon

paxys 3y ago

Kinda ironic that big city dwellers are buying larger and larger trucks every year just to take them on grocery shopping runs while rural farm workers are moving in the opposite direction for actual hauling.

Marsymars 3y ago
I don’t know how much they’re moving in the opposite direction… my dad was a rural beekeeper for many years and had a series of compact pickups (Toyota pickup, Nissan hardbody, Chevy S10)… and then he changed careers around the time you could no longer buy new compact pickups in NA. I expect that the number of compact pickups in rural areas hasn’t actually been going up in the years since.
rsync 3y ago
While you are correct that urban Americans LARPing ranchers are, indeed, buying larger and larger trucks I don't see actual farmers/ranchers downsizing. I live on a working ranch and while our truck is very boring ("work truck" - basically a fleet vehicle with no options) it is still quite large as it has an 8' bed, etc. I think we could make good use of a battery powered vehicle with a small cargo area and we definitely make good use of the aforementioned full-sized truck ... but I don't find these mini-pickups appealing or interesting.
wepple 3y ago
The article cites someone who purchased a kei truck instead of a side-by-side, so it doesn’t imply that rural folks are moving away from trucks. If anything, the urban folks are buying bigger cars/trucks and rural folks are buying bigger sxs/ATVs
pookah 3y ago
My truck has a supercharger and a performance chip. It is a "city dwelling" truck...And I haul thousands of pounds of shit in the city just like I would anywhere else (hence why I have a truck). There's no rule saying trucks have to be for towing bovine.

porphyra 3y ago

One of the most highly upvoted Reddit posts on /r/fuckcars mocks large pickups compared to the utility of a kei truck. https://reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/sdrgv3/japanese_trucks_vs_american_trucks/ https://reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/sdrgv3/japanese_truck... A kei truck has about 90% the bed length of a pickup while being a lot more nimble. The lower bed is more ergonomic to load and unload too.

boredumb 3y ago
Where I live the hills would stall that kei out before you got to any real hills, with nothing at all added to the bed.
- thebooktocome 3y ago
  Japan is famously mountainous. I can’t imagine they don’t road test them on “real hills”.
  - pookah 3y ago
    Japan doesn't have rural American dirt roads.
    - freetime2 3y ago
      Can you elaborate on what American dirt roads means? Japan has tons of dirt/gravel roads. A typical operating environment for a kei truck might look like this: https://www.google.com/maps/@36.9510791,138.6746615,3a,75y,230.52h,80.4t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s79ogvRHvAk1idPt0AmV3hg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 https://www.google.com/maps/@36.9510791,138.6746615,3a,75y,2... They are pretty capable offroad vehicles.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- tlear 3y ago
  Those things are used in mountains in Japan without any issues at all, they are very light.

daxfohl 3y ago

Wow, my dad runs some apartments and he's always buzzing random stuff from one place to another. He complains all the time that pickup trucks keep getting bigger and harder to use for day-to-day tasks. Seems like something like this would be perfect.

nicbou 3y ago
What about a sprinter van, or whatever you would call a Renault Kangoo? This is what tradespeople use in Europe. They're absurdly practical.
- Symbiote 3y ago
  Sprinter is the Mercedes version of this type of vehicle. In Europe we just call these vans, as 99% of the time what's meant is a panel van. They have a roof, so you can even carry stuff when it's raining! American-style pickup trucks are hardly ever seen. If you have stuff (like construction equipment, bulky materials) to move that can get wet, and wouldn't easily fit in a van, you use a dropside van as it's much easier to load and unload. It's the same cab and chassis with a different rear end. https://www.vandemon.co.uk/blog/article/different-types-of-vans/ https://www.vandemon.co.uk/blog/article/different-types-of-v...

jnmandal 3y ago

Yeah these things are awesome. Exactly what I need on my land. I hope to get one someday.

fractallyte 3y ago

I used one of these - a van - as my daily driver some years ago. It was great! A surprising amount of volume in the back, yet small. It wasn't fast, but it was maneuverable, easy to handle, and economical. And reliable! It never failed to start, even on subzero days, after weeks of standing still. It was powerful enough to haul serious weight. The engine labored somewhat, and one could definitely feel the increased momentum of the vehicle. I had some doubts about the front crumple zone - there really wasn't much that could absorb a head-on impact. But it never became an issue.. If I had similar transport needs again, I'd get one of these vans without hesitation.

poink 3y ago

I'd love a tiny truck as my primary vehicle, but after watching Doug DeMuro review an imported kei car van (https://youtu.be/yyTJTUNgsVU https://youtu.be/yyTJTUNgsVU) I realized I could never feel comfortable driving one of these on the highways around here. What I _really_ want is something like the Ford F-100 Eluminator concept. https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2021/11/02/all-electric-f-100-eluminator-concept.html https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2021...

voisin 3y ago

I wish the actual story was “US manufacturers announce line of small, Japanese style pickup trucks” Importing adds friction both up front and for ongoing sourcing of parts and maintenance. Just give us some options for local pickup trucks utilizing existing repair facilities! Instead everyone bitches about truck drivers having such large vehicles, when that’s all that’s on offer here!

elboru 3y ago
RAM sells a small truck in Mexico called RAM 700 and it’s getting popular for work purposes (specially in urban areas). I have no idea why it’s not being sold in the US market. https://www.motor1.com/news/447996/2021-ram-700-debut/ https://www.motor1.com/news/447996/2021-ram-700-debut/
- 0xbadcafebee 3y ago
  The US market never carries vehicles that executives don't think will sell well in the US market, or that may lower their brand's perceived value, or take money away from a hot-selling model... We always get the shit cars with the shit mileage and less functionality. Some of that is due to regulatory or trade issues, but mostly they just think it will cut into their sales of a more expensive car they already have here. Also, dealerships are bastards.
- zubiaur 3y ago
  I knew it seemed familiar. It’s based on the fiat strada, a unibody based pickup that for the longest has been based on a modified fiat hatchback (fiat uno first, fiat Palio later, not sure about now, maybe the argos) The closest us equivalent in the US may be a Hyundai Santa Cruz, which sells ok-ish, the Honda rigid line, which sells okish too, and the Ford Maverick which sells like hot cakes. RAM, like Ford, had the reputation. A rebadged Fiat toro may do the trick.
- Stephen_0xFF 3y ago
  Ford is doing the same with the C pick up truck. I often see Rangers with Mexican license plates around town since I live in south Texas. I think if Ford or Ram can sell $100k pickup trucks in Mexico they would in a heart beat. https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/03/04/ford-quietly-begins-production-of-new-small-pickup-in-mexico.html https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/03/04/ford-quietly-begins-prod...

bagels 3y ago

If you're in California, this isn't for you, sadly.

jamestimmins 3y ago
Why not? Are they illegal here?
- westhom 3y ago
  You can only get them registered for off-road use. You can also use them on Catalina island. But no way to register them as street legal, legally.
- bagels 3y ago
  California will not let you register anything that was not sold with California compliant smog equipment (with contemporaneous testing by the state)

macinjosh 3y ago

Big American trucks are like denim jeans. Jeans started out as super useful and economical clothing worn by miners, cowboys, etc. fast forward n years and people are paying hundreds of dollars for exclusive denim and designs with pre-worn holes and other artificial wear patterns. Trucks today look like they could be utilitarian and used for work but are really just an overpriced fashion statement.

ztetranz 3y ago

My neighbor has one. He drives around with his big dog in the (lefthand) passenger seat. It looks like the dog is driving.

dsfyu404ed 3y ago
You really wanna F with people get a spare steering wheel and have the passenger hold it and act confused.

tibbydudeza 3y ago

Our family car a Corolla (I drive a hatchback) was replaced by a Tucson and I considered it big even though it is classed as compact SUV in the US. Well it all made sense when I saw a Kia Telluride.

twalla 3y ago

These vehicles (mostly their van equivalents like the Delica and Hi Ace) are also popular with rural mail carriers since they use their own vehicles and right hand drive enables them to deposit mail without leaving the car.

aidenn0 3y ago

Funny, I was chatting with some Rural Americans while on vacation in the Bahamas, and they all were super impressed with the Kei pickups they saw while there. I didn't know you could legally register 25+ year old ones...

tinglymintyfrsh 3y ago

Stanford did too (the van kind) to squeeze between bollards. They were able to avoid CAFE and CARB standards because they're their own municipality, and technically they're not licensed for public street use.

tgtweak 3y ago

I see these all over the place in asiapac, especially at resorts for staff and maintenance to get around on smaller pathways in lieu of golf carts or runabouts. It makes a lot of sense when you consider that they are easy to move around on a small boat/ferry and can be used on the roads. These places also have a much high percentage of motorbikes, scooters and ATVs and the same garages/shops that service those can service these smaller engines with readily accessible parts. The fact they can't really be driven on interstates/highways is the only thing that would make it difficult to sell them here as new vehicles. Given how well the ford maverick is selling, and the successful introduction of the hyundai santacruz (and soon-to-be-introduced chevy montana) I think it's safe to bet there would have been a decent market for new vehicles in this segment if the manufacturers could get them highway-compatible.

AtlasBarfed 3y ago
Yeah, the u.s market does not really support this variety of form factors and motor cars but I think EVs are going to change that because it's a lot easier to vary the size of a battery, the main primary component of an EV vehicle and just slap on any of a range of electric motors.

AtlasBarfed 3y ago

A wide range of electric vehicles are going to invade to fill up almost all these gaps, especially once cheap sodium ion drivetrains and batteries become available

iancmceachern 3y ago

Along these lines is the Mahindra Jeep knockoff they're about to start selling here

fnbr 3y ago

man, I want a tiny Japanese pickup truck

sircastor 3y ago

My wife was really interested in doing this the last time we were talking about a new vehicle. We looked at a lot of trucks and micro vans. There are plenty of people who have done it. My biggest hang ups were related to the variability of laws about microtrucks across states. Some places I can drive it like any other vehicle. Others it’s limited to non-highway travel and locality. Also not being able to see the vehicle firsthand before purchasing. They’re inexpensive though. That’s nice.

swalling 3y ago

It's not just rural Americans. Japanese 4WD vans, SUVs, and trucks are super hot among Portland hipsters looking for city-friendly vehicles for cargo or road tripping. There are some importers here locally that this is all they do now, like https://www.javan-imports.com/ https://www.javan-imports.com/ The other highly desirable vehicle among this crowd are the J60 series Land Cruisers from the 80s, for fashion reasons more than functional ones though.

laurencerowe 3y ago

There's someone with a lovely little Kei Firetruck in Bernal Heights. Makes me smile every time I walk past it. https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/Meet-Kiri-the-tiny-Japanese-fire-truck-bringing-16137119.php https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/Meet-Kiri-the-tiny...

rhema 3y ago

There's a truck exactly like that a block away from where I live in my rural town.

efields 3y ago

I wonder how much of the “Americans want big cars” is just “car manufacturers _sell_ big cars and not much else” … then there’s the whole SUV loophole that gets them around emissions regs. The Ford Maverick is great and around 20k but at this point I want 100% electric.

throwway120385 3y ago
I would buy a Maverick tomorrow if it had leaf springs instead of coils.

everyone 3y ago

It is puzzling how everything in the US seems to be excessively large. If you go there it feels like u have shrunk by 15%

rco8786 3y ago

It makes a ton of sense. Even a base F150 is like 15 feet tall nowadays. A 2023 Ford ranger is bigger than a 2000 F150. I imagine that the market for small trucks didn’t just disappear completely

anfilt 3y ago

I really do like the Kei Class of cars. Some people talking about the 25 year rule that does not apply if they imported as an off-road vhehicle and some things like governor installed. However, in some states you can't use off-road vehicles on any roadways, and you would only be able to register such an import as off-road vheicle. Where as you could register 25+ year old on in quite a few states as a low speed vheicle which allows pretty much anything, but highway use.

Firmwarrior 3y ago
Man, I wish I could get a car like that in the USA.. I guess I'd probably want something with better crash safety, though, considering how many complete morons in the Bay Area are constantly speeding, weaving aggressively through traffic, running/pushing red lights, etc People's poor dumb monkey brains just can't handle the speeds/weights involved in driving cars IMO
- anfilt 3y ago
  Also when it comes to pickups they have gotten so large. Even the ford maverick that ford has been making is still bigger than some 90's pickups. Even then "small" (if you can call that any more) are not really made any more. Also don't get me started on how it's pretty hard to find a regular cab pickup. Like the ford maverick only comes in a 4 door configuration. Good luck carrying any standard length items like 4x8 sheet of ply wood or 8 ft lumber without the thing comically hanging out past the tail gate. What I found funny is on fords website you can see just that https://www.ford.com/trucks/maverick/ https://www.ford.com/trucks/maverick/. This is something you even see on larger trucks, and I am like wtf... It's a truck not a people hauler. You might be able to find some manufactures in their commercial/fleet line of vehicles that is at least sane when it comes to bed length. Honestly, these days it's just better to get a cargo/work van unless you needing to haul dirt or other dirty things when looking for something new. It just seems like a small truck with a bed that make any sense are not made =(

skim_milk 3y ago

I own a Honda Acty van and I have met a ton of people with other kei trucks here in Nebraska and outside of the state. It seems like every other person with an acreage owns a kei truck nowadays, they're cheaper and more reliable than an ATV plus you can drive on roads. I've met some people here in Nebraska that make bank importing and selling kei trucks to farmers. Like the other commenters have said, you have to check your state's laws to see if they can be registered, but I've met people in states that don't allow kei trucks and are just used as ATVs, and it's not like you're going to be fined for driving on back roads between your properties anyway. In Nebraska they're banned on highways, but it's not like you're going to take your 1800lb car which doesn't have airbags or any crash structure that only drives up to 65mph with a tailwind on any highways anyway. If you're looking to buy one, check state laws and I recommend just eating the ~$2,000 markup to get one already with tags from a car dealer that sells these. Dealerships that sell RHD cars to people who drive for the Post Office will have these in stock and will be the easiest to deal with. It's not worth the risks and effort to do all the paperwork yourself IMO. If the car previously passed inspection in Japan, it's basically guaranteed to be fine because inspection in Japan is very good, they check for rust etc. Parts can either be cross-referenced to other cars (e.g. Honda Civic) or they will be expensive but available. You'll have to do all your own work, but they're extremely simple cars. I use mine as a van camper, pretty cheap on gas if driven slowly.

aidog 3y ago

I moved my belongings in a kei trucks to my new place and I just bought a new kei car. I love them, easier to drive than big cars as well. Fun fact, they are more expensive used in Japan than regular cars since they are more desirable for tax reasons and cheaper on the highway.

0xbadcafebee 3y ago

I live in a tiny rural town in NY. There's 20 import mini-trucks for sale at the main street intersection. Most of the farms around here seem to have one. They're very useful.

ryukoposting 3y ago

My university had a small fleet of Kei trucks for groundskeeping. Not sure if/how they registered them.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

throwawaytruck 3y ago

Lots of light duty truck hate in this thread. I'm a rural American who has to plow their own 1k plus foot gravel driveway. I have a used light duty truck and a homestead plow for this purpose. If I didn't have to plow, I would love to have a little buggy like one of these for around the farm. I actually strongly dislike trucks,but you really need one for farm and homestead work! My dream would be something like this that has four wheel drive and a 2k plus pound bed capacity.

jccalhoun 3y ago

I am kind of in love with the Pickman electric mini-truck https://electrek.co/2021/01/23/alibaba-electric-vehicle-of-the-week-mini-electric-pickup-truck-pickman/ https://electrek.co/2021/01/23/alibaba-electric-vehicle-of-t... but the import and shipping fees just make it too expensive to think about

philsnow 3y ago

Anybody want a Sprinter Trueno AE86 ? https://www.tc-v.com/used_car/toyota/sprinter%20trueno/33158509/?isNew=1 https://www.tc-v.com/used_car/toyota/sprinter%20trueno/33158... ( https://initiald.fandom.com/wiki/Takumi_Fujiwara%27s_Toyota_AE86 https://initiald.fandom.com/wiki/Takumi_Fujiwara%27s_Toyota_... )

totetsu 3y ago

And Urban Japanese are importing giant American pickup trucks.

Animats 3y ago

There's are US-made electric mini-pickups. The Pickman.[1] But it's expensive at $20K-$30K. The GEM is cheaper, but is one notch above a golf cart.[2] [1] https://www.thepickman.com/pickman-classic https://www.thepickman.com/pickman-classic [2] https://www.gemcar.com/ https://www.gemcar.com/

raphar 3y ago

https://archive.is/sBJBr https://archive.is/sBJBr

rocauc 3y ago

Asks for mechanics for these trucks are beginning to pop up in rural Iowa.

omneity 3y ago

This kind of minitrucks is basically the workhorse of the informal Moroccan economy, locally called just "Honda" or "Pickup". It fell relatively out of favor with the introduction of cargo trikes[0], a.k.a. "triporteur" in the local parlance. Trikes are now used for everything from transportation to cargo, still mostly within small businesses in the informal economy. [0]: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/9LsAAOSwJnxgO-sr/s-l500.jpg https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/9LsAAOSwJnxgO-sr/s-l500.jpg

carabiner 3y ago

The original Toyota Tacoma wasn't quite this small, but it was a heck of a lot smaller than the current model. It used to be a compact truck, now it is midsized. I hope this trends shows makers there's demand for smaller pickups.

earthboundkid 3y ago

Weirdly two showed up in my neighborhood in Baltimore in the last year.

bane 3y ago

In Korea, there's a truck called the "Bongo" which is more of platform for cabover small trucks -- which includes box trucks, pickup-style utility trucks, flatbeds, etc. But all designed to be small and work well in tight urban environments. The stock Bongo sort of vaguely represents an American pickup truck if it was built by somebody who had only ever heard of one described. However, they're ubiquitous, and the boxtruck versions handle a lot of what we in the U.S. would use semi trucks for. In Korea they tend to be made by Kia, and I think in Japan there's a near identical variant by Mazda. They can be had pretty cheap, a friend of mine has one for some farmland he has outside of Seoul and he says he bought it for ~$5k.

Daub 3y ago

These cut little trucks are also the perfect form factor for japanese front yards, which tend to be on the tiny size.

sjducb 3y ago

I grew up on a farm and I always thought that modern "off-road" viechles like pickup trucks wouldn't actually be good off-road. These are the reasons: 1) They are too wide. Real farm tracks are often narrow and overgrown. You want a narrow viechle to fit down them. 2) They are too heavy. When they get stuck you want them to be light so it's easy to pull them out. Ideally a little manual pushing should be enough 3) Off-road "capability" isn't actually that important because you could get a Toyota Camry down 99% of farm tracks. The 1% that's impassible by a Camry is also impassable by most off-road viechles because a pipe broke or a river flooded and washed away the road completely. You want off-road capability to prolong the life of the viechle, not to get down the track. 4) You need good visibility from the cab so that you don't run over your colleagues when doing complicated maneuvers. Those little Japanese pick-ups look perfect.

venk12 3y ago

I find European cities to be well designed. Especially in the Netherlands where I currently live (not Amsterdam). Every city has a city center where all the commercial activity happens surrounded by residential suburb. Everything in and around the city is reachable by bike.I think this is great for a healthy and eco-friendly life.

sofixa 3y ago
> I find European cities to be well designed. Especially in the Netherlands where I currently live (not Amsterdam) Really depends on the city and country, but in general, yeah, urban planning for humans is taken seriously. E.g. the Netherlands' cities are just fantastic for pedestrians and bikes and public transit, and quite decent for cars too (because the alternatives are so good if you do need/want a car, there's not a lot of traffic in your way); meanwhile in Bulgaria, the capital Sofia with an official population at 1.3 million (and lots of people from surrounding cities commuting daily) clearly prioritises cars, with massive works around road works, new ringway, etc.. Even then, there's quite decent public transit (with 3 metro, tens of tram and trolley, close to a hundred bus lines), pedestrians can walk everywhere and there are even bike lanes showing up more and more.

Gustomaximus 3y ago

Another one to consider is a Suzuki Jimny. These are smaller again. You see people who cut off the back and add a tray. Great little things that get around well. I have a 2002 Hilux in the 2.7L four-cylinder. These things tend to be fairly bullet proof and great for on farm work both in what it does and being a cheaper vehicle you done stress about dings and scratches. On thing the article didn't mention about side-by-sides is they tend to do better in mud and hills. So in areas like I am where its hilly and slippery clay soils, side-by-sides can offer a decent advantage and safety aspect getting around vs a ute/truck.

ccorcos 3y ago

Something I’m not seeing mentioned here: I read somewhere (though i can’t find it) that we don’t have small trucks in the US because fuel economy standards are based on wheelbase. That’s why you can’t take an F-150 and put it on a smaller frame and sell it in the US. But many of us want one! I’d love a half-ton truck the size of a 80s Tacoma… I could use some help fact-checking though. I was digging around for primary sources but it’s tough reading…

asymmetric 3y ago

These are really popular in other places too, like Georgia (the country). Often the infotainment system (and the invariably J-pop music) remain in Japanese, which is fun.

ShadowBanThis01 3y ago

We can't even buy a legitimate SMALL pickup in the USA anymore. The closest thing is the still-large Ford Maverick, which is nearly useless as a truck because Ford forces a giant four-door cab on every buyer. Where is the two-door version? You see this same blunder on every "smallish" truck sold in the USA today, which is why Rangers from a decade and a half ago are selling for as much as they did new. Look at the absurd marketing picture Ford put out. These people have no hope of even loading the couch they're struggling with, let alone half the other crap waiting on the sidewalk: https://www.thedrive.com/content-b/message-editor%2F1646159878512-22_frd_mav_54243.tif.jpg https://www.thedrive.com/content-b/message-editor%2F16461598... While this is a somewhat different type of truck than the subject of this article, it reflects a similar failure of manufacturers to address a major gap in the market. Not everyone is a poser who just wants to drive around in a "truck." Some people have actual truck applications to be addressed, and want an efficient little truck for them.

hahamrfunnyguy 3y ago

Not surprising given how impractical and expensive modern pickup trucks are. There seems to be a market for smaller practical vehicles but auto manufactures want to sell trucks and SUVs because they make the most of them. That's in large part to light trucks having less stringent fuel-economy regulations.

IAmGraydon 3y ago

Pretty sure the mention of “Newport, Virginia” should actually be Newport News.

SentientAtom 3y ago

The article makes an error in saying it could be an alternative to an F250, which it can not at all. That said it is a damn good alternative to a side-by-side or Ford Ranger or Chevy S10 for farm use.

cramjabsyn 3y ago

Ah so you don't actually need a lifted turbodiesel for a work truck?