As trucks in the U.S. get bigger and more expensive, demand has surged for a cheaper, smaller alternative from across the Pacific Ocean: Japan’s Kei trucks.
Despite being street legal in just 19 states, Kei trucks, Japanese-made trucks small enough to belong to the keijidōsha class of light vehicles, have developed a cultlike following in recent years, attracting small-business owners, in particular, who see them as cheaper and sometimes better alternatives to the pricier new trucks typically found on American roads.
“My Kei truck can do everything a midsize pickup can do,” said Tyler Hiestand, who owns a home remodeling business in Pennsylvania. He bought his 1994 Subaru Sambar two years ago for about $10,000.
The truck, which he said has nearly the same bed size as a Ford-150, as well as four-wheel drive and a five-speed manual transmission, can haul practically everything within reason. “It’s been a game changer for me and my business,” Hiestand said.