The cult of little Japanese kei trucks in the US and their fight against big legislation

When you think of Texas, you probably think of ten-gallon cowboy hats and extra-large portions of meals. After all, if you want to imagine a true-blue American, chances are you are thinking of a Texan with a lahrge Suthurn acksent (large Southern accent).

However, the Lone Star State is also the first state in America to overturn a ban on imported cars, specifically, a ban that mostly impacts owners and prospective buyers of small Japanese mini trucks. Trucks are massively popular not just in the big red state but essentially the whole country with models like the Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado, and Ram 1500 dominating new vehicle sales.

Despite that, some owners are not that into the large gas-guzzling behemoths and discovered the appeal of smaller trucks from Japan and China. The Japanese kei trucks, especially, became a hit with enthusiasts and farmers alike. Many remarked on their bed size, which is about the same as a typical full-size pick-up while guzzling less fuel and being relatively cheap.

Built not for fun, but a necessity

Compared to a regular pick-up, these kei trucks aren’t just tiny in size, they are also underpowered with an engine capacity of no more than 660 cc and producing a maximum output of 64 PS. Their diminutive size resulted from Japanese regulations favouring smaller vehicles that can easily fit in tight spaces in the country’s major cities.

These kei trucks and vans were used for everything in Japan from delivering barrels of beer and other items across dense cities to even ferrying schoolchildren and for emergency services. Many of them clocked high mileage but impressively some looked well-kept by their owners even as a commercial vehicle.

Malaysians are familiar with some of the kei trucks and vans that have gained some resurgence in the United States with the likes of the Daihatsu Hijet, Suzuki Carry, and Subaru Sambar once sold here officially. These days, some newer models are brought into the country via grey importers.

However, we aren’t really focusing on the appeal of kei trucks and vans in Malaysia. Rather, this will be a story on how these little Japanese trucks are gaining huge respect among owners who drive on the opposite side of the road that favours bigger vehicles.

The 25-year rule

In order to import a vehicle into the United States, it must be at least 25 years old under the Imported Vehicle Safety Compliance Act of 1988. This law was passed to apparently protect American consumers from potentially unsafe imported vehicles that weren’t built to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). Think of FMVSS as the American equivalent of Malaysia’s Vehicle Type Approval (VTA).

Once those quarter of a century years are up, an American would be able to import their favourite modern classic and drive it on the country’s roads. That’s why you’re seeing a lot of American car enthusiasts lapping over Japanese models that came from the 1990s and next year we will see the first batch of cars imported into the States from the year 2000.

Partly because of this influx of once-forbidden imports from Europe and Japan, some states have decided to change their laws to ban imports of certain vehicles even if they passed the legal 25-year age.

From 2021, states like Maine, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Texas began to make importing one’s dream 25-year-old kei truck a nightmare.

A non-governmental lobbying group, the Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) spearheaded this change after the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), one of the automotive safety bodies in America published its opinion on the issue.

Following a crash test between a Chinese microtruck and a Ford Ranger, the institute concluded that small vehicles are unsafe and should be removed from the road.

A small but victorious fight

Owners and consumers of kei trucks began advocating to revert the ban which mostly affected their small vehicles. Some called the ban unfair as other owners importing small European cars weren’t affected much by the ban.

Because of this issue, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV, the equivalent of Malaysia’s Road Transport Department, JPJ) agreed to review its policy and in April 2024, after a 3-year fight, the state decided to reverse its ban on imported kei vehicles.

This brought some good news for owners and fans of kei trucks and soon other states like Michigan and Massachusetts began reversing the import ban laws.

Nevertheless, kei vans and trucks have garnered a growing fanbase in the United States. Automotive auction website, Bring a Trailer (BaT) listed a wide variety of kei vans and trucks across the country with prices ranging from as low as USD 3,900 (~RM 17.5k) all the way up to USD 36,250 (~RM 163k).

Mind you, that is largely an enthusiast-driven market but on average, most kei trucks sold in the States through independent importers can go for a lot less depending on the condition.

According to BaT, the most popular kei truck is the Honda Acty which saw 93 successful listings sold since 2016 but regardless of model, sales of kei trucks on the website saw a significant increase over the past two years.

“Our trucks are too darn big”

What makes kei trucks hit it off with Americans though is the fun size, the cheap price, and the attention it receives. A Texas dealer specializing in kei trucks told the Wall Street Journal that some of his customers include hunters and outdoor enthusiasts who think American trucks are “too darn big”.

“Let’s be honest, most people aren’t using these big trucks to the best of their capabilities,” Tim Odom of Triple T Powersports told the American business daily. “They’re going to Lowe’s to pick up a piece of plywood,” referring to the chain of popular hardware superstores.

Even if the trucks are dangerous to drive on American roads for their fragile-looking size and the difficulty of ownership in certain states, owners are happy with their tiny Japanese load luggers.

“They’re not fast, they’re not luxurious, but this puts a smile on my face every single time I get in,” said Alec Davies who bought his 1991 Honda Acty for USD 9,000 (~RM 40.5k) and uses it to haul lumber or run errands.

Unfortunately, the Michigan resident received a letter from state officials in May which stated his little truck was no longer road-legal. Things were later resolved when the state reversed its decision following the lifting of the ban in October.

Traded a Chevy for an Acty

Another Honda Acty owner from Florida, a state that has no issues with kei truck ownership, is so happy with his purchase that he ditched his full-size USD 70,000 (~RM 315k) Silverado which was kitted up with USD 10,000 (~RM 45k) worth of accessories and mods.

Kaleb Sparks, a 26-year-old paramedic, told the Wall Street Journal that he rarely needed the extra power in his Chevy and remarked the USD 7,500 (~RM 34k) Honda is more fun to drive and gets a better reaction.

“People are always rolling down their windows to say: ‘What is that thing?’ It’s mostly a dude magnet. Every guy that sees it is like: ‘That’s sick’,” Sparks said.

Another appeal in kei trucks, especially with the younger generation, is thanks to automotive influencers like Cody Detwiler, the man behind popular YouTube channel, Whistlindiesel. A video featuring his Honda Acty with a fighter jet engine fitted on his bed received 6 million views.

As joyful the trucklets are to look at, owners admit that piloting one can be scary on American roads. “Obviously, a kei truck driving on American roads is the equivalent of a mosquito being hit by a dump truck,” Detwiler told WSJ. “I don’t think the vehicle is unsafe, it is that the other vehicles are so big.”

While there are numerous setbacks in owning a kei truck in the States, many owners are willing to overcome the issues of road legality and the unnerving experience behind the wheel

In 2023, over 4,000 shipping containers containing kei trucks and vans were shipped to America from Japan, a 75% jump from 2020 according to trade data and that number is expected to climb higher this year.