Japanese Kei Trucks: A Complete Buyer's GuideWhat a kei truck is, what it costs, and everything you need to settle before you order one
UCARWORLD is a platform where overseas buyers search used kei trucks listed by sellers in Japan. Browse Suzuki Carry, Honda Acty, Daihatsu Hijet, Subaru Sambar and Mitsubishi Minicab mini trucks that are 25 years or older by date of manufacture, compare prices, check shipping to the US, and send a free inquiry to the seller before you buy.
UCARWORLD helps you understand the whole buying process, from choosing a kei truck that is eligible for import through domestic transport, export processing and loading in Japan.
Kei Truck Price: How Much Does a Used Kei Truck Cost?
Used kei trucks in Japan sit mainly in the $1,500–$3,800 FOB band. Landed at a US port (C&F), add roughly $1,100–$1,800 of ocean freight per vehicle. The figures below are guides — year, mileage, equipment and condition move them.
What kei trucks cost depends mostly on drivetrain and condition rather than on badge. These three bands cover almost everything listed.
Entry
FOB Japan
Higher mileage, 2WD, no A/C or A/C unverified. Suited to buyers using the truck on private land or a farm.
Standard (the largest band)
FOB Japan
4WD, 5-speed manual, verifiable mileage. A/C becomes common in this band.
Higher grades & special bodies
FOB Japan
Farming grades with diff lock plus extra low, dump beds, low-mileage vehicles, and already-customized trucks.
Price band by model, and the estimate landed at a US portReference range – not a quotation
| Model | FOB price band | Ocean freight (approx. 9 m³) | Estimated at US port (C&F) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suzuki Carry | $1,800–2,800 | $1,080–1,755 | $2,900–4,600 |
| Honda Acty | $2,200–3,500 | $1,080–1,755 | $3,300–5,300 |
| Subaru Sambar | $2,300–3,800 | $1,080–1,755 | $3,400–5,600 |
| Daihatsu Hijet | $1,700–2,700 | $1,080–1,755 | $2,800–4,500 |
| Mitsubishi Minicab | $1,500–2,500 | $1,080–1,755 | $2,600–4,300 |
Ocean freight is the per-port range ($120–195 per m³) multiplied by the roughly 9 m³ measured volume of one kei truck. C&F does not include US import duty, customs or broker fees, port charges, or trucking from the US port. The duty rate depends on how the vehicle is classified (truck or not), so confirm it with your customs broker.
What it costs to land at your portReference range – not a quotation
Ocean freight is charged per cubic meter, and a kei truck measures about 9 m³. That makes the port you choose worth real money: the same truck costs roughly $230 more to bring into an East Coast port than into Tacoma or Long Beach.
| US port | Freight per m³ | Ocean freight, 1 truck (9 m³) | Transit from Japan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma, WA | $130–170 | $1,170–1,530 | 2-3 weeks |
| Long Beach, CA | $130–170 | $1,170–1,530 | 2-3 weeks |
| Freeport, TX | $155–195 | $1,395–1,755 | 5 weeks |
| Jacksonville, FL | $155–195 | $1,395–1,755 | 4-5 weeks |
| Newport News, VA | $155–195 | $1,395–1,755 | 4-5 weeks |
| Baltimore, MD | $155–195 | $1,395–1,755 | 4-5 weeks |
| Newark, NJ | $155–195 | $1,395–1,755 | 4-5 weeks |
Guam ($120–160 / m³, about 1 week) and Honolulu ($130–170 / m³, about 2 weeks) are also served. Freight is a reference range published by the shipping lines, not a quotation, and it moves with fuel, season and space. It does not include US import duty, customs or broker fees, port charges, or trucking from the port. Full port list and transit times →
Check what one specific truck actually costs
Pick a vehicle on UCARWORLD and choose a destination US port, and an estimated vehicle + freight total is shown. This is a reference figure calculated from the vehicle price set by the seller and the freight range published by the shipping lines. For a binding figure, please obtain a quotation from the seller.
Why Japanese kei trucks are popular in the USA
Japanese kei trucks are lightweight work vehicles built for Japan's narrow roads, farmland and job sites. They are known for their compact size (up to 3,400 mm long, 1,480 mm wide and 2,000 mm tall), excellent fuel economy from engines of 660 cc or less, and the agility to work in rice paddies and on mountain tracks. Most models pair a 660 cc engine with a small body and a genuinely useful cargo bed.
Over the past decade or so, kei trucks have spread across the USA for practical work on farms, ranches, private property and construction sites. Toyota's kei truck is the Pixis Truck (first generation in 2011), an OEM version of the Daihatsu Hijet. Popular models include Suzuki Carry, Honda Acty, Daihatsu Hijet, Subaru Sambar and Mitsubishi Minicab.
- The right size for farms, ranches, private land and tight lanes where a full-size pickup is awkward.
- An affordable second work or play vehicle, with low running costs and outstanding fuel economy.
- A three-way drop-side bed that makes loading and unloading heavy items from the side easy.
- Models from the 1990s and early 2000s are now reaching the 25-year threshold, so more of them are importable each year.
Modified Kei Trucks: Lifted, Off Road and Dump Builds
In the USA many owners lift their kei truck and fit off-road tires to use it on private land, farms and hunting property. A truck can be built in Japan before export, or finished locally after it arrives — each route has trade-offs.
Lifted
A 2–4 inch lift with all-terrain tires. Much less likely to drag on mud, ruts and lingering snow on farm tracks. The higher the lift, the higher the centre of gravity, so it is balanced against stability under load.
Off road
Mini dump truck
A hydraulic bed that tips. One person can load and unload compost, gravel and soil. Some tip three ways, some only to the rear; PTO and electro-hydraulic types are operated differently. See dump-bodied kei trucks in stock → What to check on a dump bed →
Special bodies & crawlers
Crawler (tracked) versions, aerial work platforms, water tankers, fire-service trucks. Few exist and they arrive irregularly. Tell us what you want and we can flag it when one is listed.
A kei truck lifted two to four inches on all-terrain tyres is the most common build by a wide margin, and it is the one most owners do first. The other three — off road, dump and special-purpose — come down to what the truck actually has to do.
Before importing a modified truck
Depending on what has been changed, US import and registration treatment can differ. Lighting, emissions-related parts and ride height in particular are judged differently from state to state. Confirm with the DMV of your state and with your customs broker before you buy. UCARWORLD does not warrant that a vehicle’s modifications comply with US requirements.
Air conditioning: what “A/C equipped” really tells you
This is the question buyers ask most, so it is worth being blunt. These trucks are 25 years old or more. A/C systems of that age lose refrigerant through hardened seals and hoses, and many have not been serviced in a decade. Some blow cold, some blow cool, some blow warm — and the listing needs to say which.
Why it fails
Refrigerant leaks past perished O-rings and hose seals; the compressor clutch, condenser, evaporator and blower all age at once. Usually it is not one part.
Why it is not just repaired
Diagnosis alone takes time, and a compressor replacement in Japan runs about US$500–1,400 or more. Repairing every vehicle would push every price up, including for buyers who do not need A/C.
What sellers do instead
They disclose the state as found, in one of four categories, so you can weigh price against condition and choose.
How we describe A/C condition
Listings use four labels for it. Read them as a statement of what was checked, not a promise.
Someone ran it at inspection and it blew cold. The safest of the four.
It runs, but not strongly enough to call it good. Budget for a regas, or for a repair.
The system is fitted, but nobody could confirm cold air on the day. Treat it as unknown and ask.
Never fitted at the factory. Common on farm and base grades, and usually the cheapest way in.
A/C equipped is not the same as A/C works
Fitted and working are two different things on a vehicle this old. Controls and vents in the cab tell you the system exists, not that it still cools. If you are buying for Texas or Arizona rather than for a field, ask the seller about that specific truck before you order — and read the full guide below for what a repair costs.
A/C condition shown on a listing is reported by the selling company from what it could verify at inspection. UCARWORLD displays that report in a common format and does not warrant its accuracy.
Kei truck, mini truck, K truck: the same vehicle, several names
“Kei” is Japan’s own vehicle class, which is why the class words — kei truck, K truck Japan, kei Japanese truck — all point at one regulation rather than at a model or a size. Words that describe the size instead, and where this vehicle sits among Japan’s other trucks, are covered on names and sizes.
The regulation is the thing they have in common: 660 cc, 3.40 m long, 1.48 m wide, 350 kg rated. Which word a listing uses tells you nothing about the vehicle — the specification does. When you are ready to look at what is actually available, it is all in one place on the kei truck list.
By class
Kei truck, K truck, kei Japanese truck — from keijidōsha, Japan’s light vehicle category.
By size
Mini, little and tiny are size words, not classes. What each one means →
By body
Flatbed, dump, box, refrigerated. Browse by body type →
By maker
Suzuki kei truck, Honda Acty, Daihatsu Hijet, Subaru Sambar, Mitsubishi Minicab. Compare them →
Nobuaki ChataniFounder & CEO,
UCWORLD Co., Ltd.
Chatani's POINT
Looking at the kei trucks going to the USA, vehicles that sit in the same price band here in Japan get very different reactions over there depending on specification. Among the companies we work with, it is the 4WD and dump-bodied trucks that draw the first enquiries — from buyers who already know what the job is: “I want it for the farm”, “I need to move things around the property”.
A kei truck priced only against the Japanese domestic market misses that. Looking one step further — at what the vehicle will actually be used for overseas — makes the buying decision a good deal easier.
Everything else about Japanese kei trucks, one page per question
Each guide below answers one question properly rather than in a paragraph. Start wherever you are in the decision.
Other ways into the same subject
Different starting points, depending on what you came looking for.
About UCARWORLD’s role
Before you use UCARWORLD, please read where we stand and where responsibility for the sale sits.
- UCARWORLD is an online platform that connects Japanese sellers with overseas buyers. We are not the seller of the vehicles.
- The contract of sale is formed between the buyer and the seller.
- All information on a vehicle’s year, mileage, equipment and condition is supplied by the listing seller. UCARWORLD does not warrant its accuracy.
- Payment is received by UCWORLD Co., Ltd. as a collection agent and remitted to the seller under the conditions set out in the terms.
- The regulations, costs and lead times on this page are general information and reference figures — not legal advice and not a quotation. Please confirm import eligibility and state registration yourself with the relevant authorities.
Buying from Japan with more confidence
UCARWORLD is an online platform that connects Japanese sellers with overseas buyers. Check the vehicle information, ask the seller about its condition before you order; payment is received by UCWORLD Co., Ltd. as a collection agent, and you can follow the progress of the transaction in My Page.
Sellers who passed registration screening
Listings come from Japanese sellers who passed screening of their corporate registration, identity and export record.Screening confirms registration requirements. It is not a warranty of any individual transaction or of vehicle quality.
Payment via collection agency
Payment is received by UCWORLD Co., Ltd. as a collection agent. The chassis number on the invoice is matched against the chassis number on the B/L after shipment, and the funds are remitted to the seller under the conditions set out in the terms.Collection agency service terms →
8-stage tracking
Follow your order through eight stages in My Page.
Online support
Fast support throughout the purchase.
Kei truck FAQ for US buyers
It comes down to two things: federal import eligibility and your state's registration rules. A kei truck 25 years or older can generally be imported under federal rules, but whether you can register it for road use depends on the state, and splits into fully legal, restricted and not permitted.
A vehicle 25 years or older by date of manufacture can generally be imported even if it does not meet the FMVSS that applied when it was built. Eligibility uses the actual date of manufacture, not the model year. EPA (emissions) requirements are separate.
Some states allow normal registration; some allow it with restrictions such as 35-55 mph limits, no Interstates, or agricultural and ordinance-based use; and in some states normal road registration is not possible. Check the state table above and with your DMV.
Generally not for normal road use. Anything under 25 years must meet current federal safety standards, which imported kei trucks usually cannot. Confirm individual cases before buying.
As a guide, about 2 weeks of preparation in Japan after payment, then about 4 to 6 weeks at sea. These are estimates and vary with the sailing, port, weather and customs clearance.
Landed cost includes the vehicle price, ocean freight, US import duty, customs and broker fees, port charges and domestic delivery. On UCARWORLD you can choose your destination and see an estimated vehicle + freight total before sending an inquiry.
Yes. Both 2WD and 4WD are widely available, and 4WD is popular for farms, snow, mud and off-road use.
The Suzuki Carry, Honda Acty, Daihatsu Hijet, Subaru Sambar and Mitsubishi Minicab are the best-known Japanese kei trucks.
Landed cost is more than the vehicle price: it covers the vehicle price in Japan, ocean freight, US import duty, customs and broker fees, port charges and domestic delivery. FOB covers everything up to loading in Japan; C&F / CIF includes freight to the US port. On UCARWORLD you can choose your destination and see an estimated total.
Yes. A kei truck 25 years or older can generally be imported under the federal 25-year rule. Whether you can then register it for road use depends on your state (see the state table above).
In outline: (1) confirm the date of manufacture meets the 25-year rule, (2) check your state rules, (3) choose a vehicle, (4) estimate freight, (5) prepare US import documents (export de-registration certificate, invoice, B/L, customs paperwork), (6) clear customs and title and register it in your state. See the step guide above.
Yes. With UCARWORLD you buy directly from vetted Japanese sellers, pay UCWORLD Co., Ltd. rather than an individual stranger, and follow eight tracking stages in My Page.
For many people, yes. They are affordable, cheap to run and ideal for farms, ranches, private property and work. Confirm the vehicle is 25 years or older and that your state permits your intended use (some states allow off-road or agricultural use only).
It can be for 25-year-eligible kei trucks and JDM classics. Compare on total landed cost (vehicle + freight + duty + fees + domestic delivery) against equivalent US vehicles, not on FOB price alone.
Either arrange the export paperwork, ocean freight and US customs / EPA / NHTSA documents yourself and clear it at the port, or leave it to an exporter and a customs broker. Either way, confirm 25-year eligibility and your state registration rules first.
It varies by state and changes often. As of October 2026, Texas, Massachusetts, Vermont and Alaska among others allow normal registration, many states such as Tennessee, North Carolina and Oklahoma allow road use with restrictions, and California, New York, New Jersey and Georgia do not. Check the state table above and with your DMV.
For eligible vehicles, yes. You can get well-maintained, low-mileage Japanese vehicles and kei trucks at competitive prices. Confirm federal import eligibility (the 25-year rule) and your state registration requirements before buying.
It locks the left and right driven wheels together so that when one wheel spins, torque stays on the wheel with grip. It is what gets you out when one wheel is stuck in a rice paddy, a snow rut, a swamp or soft farmland. Disengage it as soon as you are out (it makes the truck hard to steer). → Diff lock explained
They are different things. Axle lock connects the front hubs to the driveline (part of engaging 4WD); diff lock ties the left and right rear wheels together. On some models, selecting 4H without engaging the axle lock leaves you in 2WD. → Axle lock explained
Both drive all four wheels; the only difference is the gear ratio. 4H is for snow, gravel and unpaved roads up to medium speed; 4L is for producing large torque at low speed in paddies, swamps, steep climbs and towing. → 2H / 4H / 4L explained
A gear lower than 1st. It is used where you need to keep moving at walking pace without stopping: harvesting in orchards, feeding on ranches, towing trailers and climbing steep slopes. Honda calls it Ultra Low. → Extra low gear explained
Almost all are 660 cc inline-3. The exception is the Subaru Sambar, which uses the inline-4 EN07. → Engine code list
The Honda Acty ATTACK, the Suzuki Carry Nohan and the Daihatsu Hijet Noyo Special (all 4WD and 5MT only). The Mitsubishi Minicab has no diff lock; a mechanical LSD was optional. → Model Comparison
It depends on the maker. The Suzuki Carry uses a single transfer lever (2H, 4H, N, 4L; for 4L, stop and hold the red button). The Daihatsu Hijet and Mitsubishi Minicab use a 4WD switch plus an H/N/L sub-transmission lever. The Subaru Sambar uses a button on top of the shift knob. The Honda Acty is automatic with no selection at all. → How to engage each system
It depends on the truck. Single-transfer-lever systems (the Carry and similar) have no 2L position, so it is not available. Systems with a separate 4WD switch and sub-transmission lever (Hijet, Minicab and similar) give you a 2L in practice: leave the switch off and move the sub-transmission to L. But all the torque goes to the rear wheels alone and they spin easily, so use 4L off-road. → About 2L
Per cubic meter (m³) the guide figures are: Guam $120-160; Hawaii and the West Coast (Long Beach/Los Angeles, Tacoma) $130-170; the East Coast (Baltimore, Newark/New York, Newport News, Jacksonville) and the Gulf Coast (Freeport) $155-195. → Freight table by port
From the kei size limits (3.40 m long x 1.48 m wide x 2.00 m tall or less), the measured volume is roughly 8.5-10.0 m³, averaging about 9 m³. At 9 m³ that is about $1,170-1,530 to the West Coast and about $1,395-1,755 to the East Coast. US duty, customs fees, port charges and inland trucking are not included.
Many Japanese kei trucks were built with air conditioning, but whether it is fitted depends on grade, year and specification. And A/C equipped is not the same as A/C working today. UCARWORLD describes the condition in four categories: Blows Cold, Cooling Weak, Not Cooling and No A/C. → Air conditioning in kei trucks
Not necessarily. If it is simply low on refrigerant a top-up may help, but if a hose or seal is leaking it will only cool briefly before failing again. The cause has to be identified first. → The nine causes of A/C failure
Find your kei truck
Browse kei trucks listed by Japanese sellers and compare year, mileage, drivetrain, transmission and price. Before buying for use in the USA, confirm the vehicle's date of manufacture and the latest registration requirements in your state.
UCARWORLD is a platform connecting Japanese sellers with overseas buyers. We are not the seller; the contract of sale is formed between buyer and seller. Vehicle information is supplied by the seller. Payment is received by UCWORLD Co., Ltd. as a collection agent. About UCARWORLD’s role →