The Japanese Mini Trucks are usually referred to as Kei trucks (or Kei class). There are new and used/second-hand Japanese Mini Trucks that are used frequently in Japan for a variety of functions. From store deliveries, to working on farms – these diminutive kei trucks are quite remarkable. Most Kei trucks have a near 700 lbs payload capacity. These little wonders are imported into the United States and make magnificent used Japanese 4×4 Mini Trucks for farmers, hunters or anyone needing some off road capability, a decent cargo power, and want the comforts of being in an enclosed cab to keep vicious weather like rain, sleet or snow out while they remain dry and relaxed inside 4×4 kei trucks make all of your jobs a lot easier. They are truly astonishing 4×4 farm Japanese mini trucks! Dispose of your golf cart or ATV and switch to one of our 4WD Japanese off-road mini trucks now. These kei trucks are for off-road use only.

Samurai Trucks offer full practical Japanese Mini Trucks. They are the Kei Trucks customizer for the US and Canada. Their great off road kei trucks are for a variety of uses. They are also a Japanese Mini Truck Importer that can offer you used or new kei trucks nowadays!

Samurai Trucks can help you get New or Used 4WD Japanese Mini Trucks, or you can choose from their full customization alternatives. They also offer Japanese Kei mini trucks with dump beds, heat and air, and automatic transmissions. Japanese Mini Trucks are ideal 4×4 Japanese vehicles for hunters, or farms. Many kei Japanese mini trucks are available with their always changing stock. Samurai Trucks is the Japanese Mini Truck Importer!

If Samurai Trucks don’t have the Kei 4×4 trucks that you are looking for, then they can get it for you directly from Japan!

Japanese automobile imports have become very fashionable in the past few years. In particular popular are the kei trucks or Japanese Mini Trucks as we entitle them in North America. Kei Trucks (pronounced “k”) is the phrase used to express any automobiles in Japan with an engine size of no more than 660 cc. The main focus of Samurai Trucks is the importation of the Japanese 4WD Mini Truck as they are an incredible little work horse and offer much more value and quality than any ATV or UTV such as a Rhino, Gator or Mule.

Some of the main grounds for the increase in exportation of these Japanese 4*4 Mini Trucks to Canada is the facts that Japanese Local Market trucks are manufactured to a higher standard than their North American counterparts. In Japan there are very strict and pricey inspections (shaken) which must be done on a kei truck on a regular basis. Due to these checks most times it is cheaper for a person to simply buy a new kei truck rather than have the vehicle comply with the laws.  To find a similar kei truck in North America with low miles for the year is next to impossible.

Japan has very strict inspection parameters for any automobiles over three years old called the “shaken”. Usually, as a truck gets older it becomes cheaper to just buy a new kei truck rather than pay for a shaken and then have to make the required repairs to a automobile to get it to pass. The compulsory repairs needed which would fail a truck are very nominal but in Japan end up costing much more than they would here in North America. They do inspect brakes and emissions but other than that they do a “shake down” of a vehicle. The car, kei truck or van is driven onto a platform which then wiggles the Japanese mini trucks while a person walks along underneath tapping here and there with some type of rod. The shaken, in fact is more of a tool of the government and the big auto industries to keep the Japanese economy rolling. The more kei trucks that go through the shaken, the more money the government makes in the fees. The more kei trucks that fail the inspection, the more people there are who now have to buy a new kei truck. When these people buy a new kei truck they have just supplied another vehicle, with almost nothing wrong with it, to be exported. It is a whole chain which keeps the Japanese economy going as best as it can with millions of kei trucks trading hands on a weekly basis.

The Japanese 4*4 Mini Trucks, they import have either 4 speed or 5 speed transmissions and in the abnormal case we come across an automatic. The Japanese Mini 4WD Trucks are usually 3 cylinders, 660 cc gas engines except for the Subaru and Honda Acty which are 4 cylinders. The Subaru Mini trucks also have a rear mounted engine as opposed to the rest which are mid or front mounted engines. The Subaru Sambar can also be found with a super charger, but again this is uncommon and everyone is trying to find one so the costs have been going up for these.

In the US the limit is 25 years or older in order for an imported Japanese Mini trucks to be licensed for most states. Lately there are states which have been allowing the licensing and road use of the Japanese Micro Trucks less than 25 years old everywhere except state highways/freeways. With the ever mounting price of fuel we are seeing more demand for other states to go well with and allow these great gas misers to be licensed.

At this point the majority of the US imported Japanese kei mini trucks have to be governed (typically a plate is welded at the base of the gear shift limiting you to only reverse and first gear) to be imported to the US if newer but are strictly for off road use only. Canadian government rules restrict us from importing any kei truck newer than 15 years old but they may be licensed for road use with no constraints. Samurai Trucks specializes in Kei Class trucks but will bring in any Japanese manufactured vehicle upon customer demand.

Samurai Trucks has expanded their corporation under the name of Japan Auto Source and will source and import any JDM vehicles (Japan Domestic Market) whether you are looking for diesel 4×4 Vans, SUVs, mini 4×4 trucks or a sports car or luxury sedan they will find it for you. Samurai Trucks and Japan Auto Source will work with the customers in acquiring whatever type kei trucks requested. It is not unusual also to come across American made trucks with very low mileage in excellent shape for a very rational price otherwise impossible to find back home. There are corvettes, 1969 camaros, and classic trucks in Japan and available for export. Samurai Trucks has right of entry to all the Japanese Auctions and a large number of expert Japanese Mini Trucks dealers in Japan. Samurai Trucks takes pride in every Japanese Trucks it imports and struggles to bring contentment to all their customers. They can supply Japanese Mini Trucks in container loads on request for resale.

Japanese automobile makers made the “Kei class” vehicles (now usually called “K-class”) around the 1960s. Kei stands for “light weight”. These trucks are also known as Japanese Mini Trucks or Japanese 4WD Mini Trucks.

These Japanese Mini Trucks have become very popular exports to the United States because importation constraints are less as they are used as off road trucks on farms or ranches.

The K-class trucks vary from passenger cars and vans, to mini trucks. These small off road Japanese Micro trucks can execute many carrier tasks, and are regularly equipped at the rear with specific equipment such as farm equipment. These Japanese 4WD mini trucks are customized for hunters and their dogs, and a special events mini ambulance.

The Japanese 4WD mini trucks from 80’s models had generally 40 horsepower 550cc engines, but starting in the 1990’s models had mostly 45 horsepower 660cc engines. These days you will find these 4WD trucks come equipped with 660cc engines as regular. The average number of miles driven per year in Japan is only about 6,000, but when buying a Japanese mini truck at auction, be sure to confirm the mileage as often these Japanese mini trucks are put to hard work.

K trucks have changed in size over the years and laws have been regularly changed to meet emissions and safety standards which mean that they are now very well protected clean and reliable automobiles.

It’s dear to keep vehicles in Japan, fees such as compulsory “shaken” or registration fee, the “zeiken” or taxes like the “shakoshomei” or parking fees, and the “hokken” or insurance mean that used Japanese 4*4 mini trucks are not worth keeping.

These compulsory safety checks keep Japanese vehicles in good operating condition but it means that they have heavy dropped in price, which means good worth on great quality used Japanese mini trucks for overseas buyers outside of Japan.

The main Japanese mini truck manufacturers and models are from the Suzuki Carry, the Daihatsu Hijet, the Honda Acty, the Subaru Sambar, the Mitsubishi Minicab, and the Mazda Scrum. Although new models and editions appear on the marketplace every year the designs are basically the same.

The specifications on these Japanese 4wd mini trucks differ from model to model and from year to year, but here are some rule of thumb guides. They are usually 10′10″ in total length, about 4′6″ in total width, and about 5′8″ high.

The classic wheelbase on these Japanese kei mini trucks is 6′3″, and the inside dimensions of the bed are 4′1″ by 6′6″. They weigh up about 1,400 lbs each. They have manual transmissions with 4 or 5 forward gears – occasionally 6 forward gears and some have high and low ranges.

These Japanese 4wd trucks come equipped with 5.80-12 tires, but it is likely to switch to 6.00-12 mud and snow tires, ATV tires, or tractor tires. They are also fitted with extras such as radios and sometimes they have air conditioning and dump beds.

Here are some common specs for Japanese 4*4 mini trucks
Weighs approximately 1600 Lbs
1200 Lb. payload
4′ 6″ wide x 10′ 6″ long
Average Size: 4′ 6″ wide, 10′ 10″ long, 5′ 8″ high
Average cruising speed – 50 MPH
Bed with fold down/removable sides
Automotive liquid cooled gasoline engine
3 cylinders 550CC or 660CC
On demand 4WD with high and low range
4 or 5 speed transmission
Hydraulic disc brakes
Full function cabs with 2 seats, wipers, horn, safety glass, all gauges, all lights, seat belts, heater, radio, door locks, some with A/C and more
Average 40 MPG

The Japanese Mini Trucks or Kei Class vehicles have long been an invention from Japan. Kei Class Mini Trucks are lightweight automobiles and these Japanese Kei trucks are used for various purposes.

These small multitalented Japanese Mini Trucks have turn out to be a popular export to the U.S. Mainly the reason for their fame is the import laws are not as strict on these motor vehicles as on others. The reason for the lenient rules is because of these Japanese Kei Mini Trucks use for off road reasons and is usually used on ranches and farms.

The Kei Class Mini Trucks vehicle from Japan can be traveler cars as well as the mini trucks that you frequently see on farms and grounds. These tiny Japanese Micro Trucks are very resourceful in their capacity. They are usually fitted with equipment on the back of the truck so that they can carry out their many tasks.

The ability of Japanese Mini Trucks to move around in small places makes them a brilliant choice for hunting and use as an ambulance in crowded areas.

During the 1980’s these Japanese Kei Mini Trucks usually had engines that were 550 cc and 40 horsepower, but now you can get them with 660cc and 45 horsepower engines. This is the standard size engine on Japanese mini trucks nowadays.

A motor vehicle is generally only driven 6000 miles a year on average in Japan, but when you are buying one of these Used Japanese Mini Trucks be sure to test out the miles. The 6000 miles are generally very hard driven miles.

You will find that these Japanese Kei Class Mini Trucks have progressed over the years from their original size and emission control gear. The laws that administrate the safety and emissions of these Japanese Mini Trucks and vehicles are changing frequently and today’s Kei trucks and cars are safer and cleaner than ever.

An automobile is a luxurious item in Japan. Not the cost of the automobile itself, but the fees that are attached to maintaining vehicles in Japan is quite high. The Japanese have to pay a registration fee called ’shaken’, the parking charges called ’shakoshomei’ and ‘zeiken’ which indicates taxes. And then there is the insurance, which is called ‘hokken’. All of these fees and taxes mean that the older used Japanese Mini Trucks are not worth the actual costs for the new Mini Truck.

All of these fees and safety checks mean that the Japanese keep their Mini Trucks and all other vehicles in great form. It also means that they depreciate pretty heavily in Japan. This is good news for those buying these used Japanese Micro Trucks in other countries. They are usually sold for very good prices.

The Japanese Mini Truck models that are the trendiest are the Daihatsu Hijet, the Suzuki Carry, the Honda Acty, the Mitsubishi Minicab and the Subaru Sambar. There are new models introduced very year, but generally they are pretty much the same.

The specifications on Japanese Kei Class Mini Trucks have varied each year. And they also contrast between models. Usually they follow an explicit guideline. They are generally 10′10″ in length, 5′8″ tall and 4′6″ in width.

The dimensions for the Japanese Mini Truck’s bed are usually 4′1′ X 6′6″. The wheelbase is usually 6′3″ and they weigh around 1400 pounds. These Japanese mini trucks are equipped with a manual transmission and usually have four or five gears. Some contain six gears and ranges between high and low.

Their tires can be changed to accommodate their use from regular tires to snow and mud tires. If they are to be used on a farm they can also be outfitted with tractor tires or ATV tires. Sometimes these little work Japanese Kei trucks will have air conditioning or radios installed inside the cab.

List Of Specifications for Japanese Kei Class Mini Trucks

• 1200 pound payload
• Weight of 1600 pounds
• 4′6″ W X 10′6″ L
• Speeds up to 50 MPH
• Liquid cooled gas engine
• 4WD on demand with a range of high and low
• 550cc or 660cc 3 cylinder engine
• Fold down bed with removable sides
• 4 Speed or 5 speed transmission
• Cabs with all functions including wipers, safety glass, horn, lights, seat belts, radio, heater, locks and sometimes air conditioning
• An average of 40 miles per gallon

Japanese Mini Trucks are diminutive trucks from Japan and are very well-accepted for off-road use in the US. The Japanese Mini Truck also acknowledged as the K Truck or Kei for Keitora originated in Japan in 1964 and is a category of automobile in Japan which is a sub-compact group with engine displacement restricted to 660cc which are everywhere from a two cylinder to four cylinder and start at 550cc.  In Japan they are used in all facets of everyday life, these Japanese Mini Trucks can be seen from downtown Tokyo to distant villages.

There are numerous intrinsic advantages to these small automobiles, and the most apparent is their size, the small size allows them to go almost everywhere, like small city streets, or narrow country roads through the rice fields. The second main advantage of these Japanese Kei Trucks is that they have a low cost of possession and have been engineered to grant years of heavy duty service.

Here in the United States Japanese  ATV Mini Trucks are the ultimate utility vehicle for: Hunting, Fishing,  Hauling, Tree Services, Golf coarse, Airports, Factory’s, Farms, Police, Entertainment, Trails, Nursery, Orchards, Zoo’s, Parks, University & School grounds, Meter Maids, Cemetery’s, Marinas, Campgrounds, Resorts, Lodges, Theme Parks, Storage Yards, Auto Dealerships, Salvage Yard, Stables, Construction Sites, Landscaping, Race Tracks, Ranches, etc.

These ATV Japanese Mini Trucks are imported four 4WD units for off-road use because the import rules that they are imported under bans them from being used on our highways due to a lack of emission statements from the automakers or impact studies.

Some Differences in Japanese “K” or “Kei” class trucks are minor, but there are some differences between manufactures and year manufactured. Suzuki Mitsubishi & Daihatsu/ have greater ground approval with Mid Engines which are better for mountain climbing, Honda & Subaru’s have rear mounted engine which gives a smoother ride.

Some of the Japanese ATV Mini Trucks may have air conditioning, heater, dumping beds, locking diff or even a high/low range.

In early 1990 Japanese Micro Trucks went from a 550cc motor to a 660cc motor, thus the 660cc are mid 1990 and latest and the 550cc mid 1990 and antiques.  Some Japanese Mini trucks have a 5 speed manual trans while others have a 6 speed manual trans or some even come in with automatic transmissions but the mass of these Japanese ATV Mini Trucks that come in we see a 6 speed manual trans.  All Mini Trucks from Japan have an instrument cluster just like you would see in your automobiles here in the U.S., windshield wipers, turn signals, lights, two seats, radio and most typically have tilt steering.

The recent and trendiest Japanese Mini trucks are designed to be workhorses for carrying heavy loads in intense and unpleasant environments. Japan is a mountainous country and the Japanese Mini trucks are mostly operated on the twisty mountainous roads as well as the highways in Japan. Therefore these Japanese ATV Mini trucks come outfitted with high-quality, high-performance engines, transmissions, brakes, and cooling systems to meet these obligations. Japanese Kei Mini trucks are designed for comfort and simplicity of operation, these Japanese trucks must be able to do everything from shipping a load of rocks to rushing a delivery down a rural road or into tight market areas.

Japanese “Kei Class” or “K Class” subcompact trucks are made by the major Japanese automobile manufactures that we are all familiar with & know to build strong reliable vehicles that hold their value.

Honda’s Japanese Mini truck model is the “ACTV”,  Suzuki “Carry”,  Daihatsu “Hijet”, Mitsubishi “The Minicab” , Subaru “Sambar” and   Mazda’s “Scram” which is manufactured by Suzuki is basically the same with  the Logo’s being different and Daihatsu  is in fact Toyota’s Kei Class Division.

As all of us here in the US have realized over the years is these manufacturers have produced extremely consistent strong running products and their Japanese Mini Trucks are no different and make superb sense for off-road needs here in the US.

Why are these Japanese Mini Trucks so reasonably priced?  Japan’s emissions standards are tremendously strict; this means Mini trucks must be well maintained so by the time the vehicle reaches 70,000 kilometers the registration fees & taxes become too pricey. Usually the owner had taken very good care of the vehicle and now has reached the point of buying a new one due to Registration costs and by the time they get to 100,000 Kilometers it is just too expensive to register and has been used every day for daily deliveries much like our UPS trucks here in the states.  However, as with all the new vehicles sold in Japan it causes a high depreciation rate over the years and ultimately Japanese owners will trade an absolutely good vehicle in for a new one, often with very low mileage.  ATV Japanese Mini Truck acquires a lot of 10-15 year old trucks with less than 100K on them in excellent condition, which makes them ideal in a foreign country for off road utility truck customers.