The Suzuki Carry and the Daihatsu Hijet are the two kei trucks most buyers end up choosing between, and the honest answer is that neither is a mistake. Both run 660cc three-cylinder engines, both carry the same 350kg rated load, and both were built in enormous numbers for Japanese farms and tradesmen. The Carry has the bigger following abroad and the better-known 4WD package; the Hijet is the simpler machine and often a few hundred dollars cheaper at auction in equal condition. Past that, the individual truck in front of you matters far more than the badge.
What exactly is a kei truck?
Kei trucks are Japan’s smallest class of commercial vehicle: cab-over pickups built to the kei legal limits, with engines capped at 660cc and a rated payload of 350kg. They exist because Japanese tax and insurance rules reward the small footprint, and forty years of farm duty have refined them into cheap, tough tools. For the wider category — vans included, and what they cost to run — see our kei truck import hub.
Carry vs Hijet at a glance
| Suzuki Carry (DD51T) | Daihatsu Hijet (S100P/S110P) | |
|---|---|---|
| US-eligible years | 1991–1998 — all past the 25-year rule | 1994–1998 — all past the 25-year rule |
| Engine | 660cc F6A three-cylinder | 660cc EF-series three-cylinder |
| 4WD | Selectable 4WD with hi/lo transfer; diff lock or axle lock on many grades | 4WD on the S110P; diff lock and 2-speed transfer on some trims |
| Typical auction FOB | US$1,500–5,000 | US$1,500–4,500 |
| Character | The default first import; huge US parts and owner scene | Japan’s working favourite; simplest mechanicals of the group |
| Watch for | Frame and bed-support rust; confirm 4WD and low range engage | Frame and cab-mount rust; carb icing and idle issues on neglected trucks |
The case for the Suzuki Carry
The DD51T is the kei truck most Americans picture when they hear the term. The F6A is an honest little engine, the hi/lo transfer case makes it genuinely useful off the pavement, and higher grades came with a locking diff or axle lock — the reason so many end up on hunting land and smallholdings. Because it is the popular choice, the aftermarket is the deepest of any kei truck: lift kits, tires, carb rebuild parts, all a day away in the US. The flip side of that popularity is price. Clean DD51Ts get bid up, and a tidy diff-lock truck can cost a thousand dollars more than the same year of Hijet.
The case for the Daihatsu Hijet
The Hijet has been in production since 1960 and was the working man’s truck in Japan for most of that time. The S100P (2WD) and S110P (4WD) of the mid-nineties run Daihatsu’s EF-series triple, and the whole package is about as simple as a road vehicle gets: carburettor, cable throttle, five-speed manual, leaf-sprung rear. Simple means cheap to keep running, and because the badge has less collector pull overseas, the same money buys a lower-mileage Hijet than Carry more often than not. Some trims carry a diff lock and a two-speed transfer case of their own, so the off-road gap is smaller than the internet suggests.
So which one should you buy?
Buy the Carry if you want the deepest parts supply and resale audience, or if you specifically need the diff-lock and low-range package for rough ground. Buy the Hijet if you want the most truck for the money and plan to use it as the tool it was built to be. Then throw the badge question away and judge the individual truck: these were outdoor working vehicles, so the disqualifier is rust in the frame rails, cab mounts and bed supports, not scratched paint. That is exactly what the auction sheet grades, and why we read the sheet before you bid. A grade-4 Hijet beats a rusty Carry every day of the week.
Worth knowing: the same auctions sell the Honda Acty, Subaru Sambar and Mitsubishi Minicab alongside these two, and the Minicab in particular often hammers a few hundred dollars cheaper for equal condition. You can browse the kei trucks we source or ask us to watch for a specific spec.
What does it cost to import one to the US?
From our audited data: mid-nineties Carrys source at roughly US$1,500–5,000 FOB from Japan’s licensed auctions, Hijets at US$1,500–4,500. RoRo freight from Japan to a US port runs about US$2,300 for a truck, with 34 to 46 days at sea. Being 25-plus years old clears the FMVSS and EPA hurdles, but kei trucks are still trucks to US Customs, so the 25% “chicken tax” applies to the price you paid — on a US$3,500 truck that is roughly US$875. Add port fees and inland delivery and a mid-band truck typically lands somewhere around US$7,000 before state tax and registration. A handful of states restrict kei-class vehicles on public roads, so check your state before you commit.
Run your own numbers first
The US import cost calculator estimates the full door-to-door cost for your port and city, and our AI assistant can compare a specific Carry against a specific Hijet from the auction listings. No upfront deposit.
How we source them
AskJapanCars is operated by AVON INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD., a Japan-registered exporter established in 2011 with USS auction membership (Members Card L-1525). We bid from inside the auction rather than through a middleman, translate the auction sheet, verify the build date for 25-year-rule timing, and give you the landed cost before you commit. More about us here.
Which is more reliable, the Suzuki Carry or the Daihatsu Hijet?
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Both are robust when maintained; there is no clear reliability winner between the F6A and EF engines. Condition decides it: service history, frame rust and how hard the truck worked matter far more than the badge. The Hijet’s simpler package is generally the cheaper of the two to put right.
Do kei trucks have four-wheel drive and diff locks?
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Many do. The Carry DD51T offers selectable 4WD with a hi/lo transfer case, and many grades add a locking diff or axle lock. The 4WD Hijet (S110P) counters with a diff lock and two-speed transfer on some trims. Confirm the exact spec on the auction sheet before bidding — not every truck has them.
Are Suzuki Carry and Daihatsu Hijet trucks street legal in the US?
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Federally, yes once they are over 25 years old, which covers all 1991–1998 Carrys and 1994–1998 Hijets. Registration is state-by-state: most states plate them, but a handful restrict kei-class vehicles on public roads, so check your state’s rules first.
How much does a kei truck cost all-in, landed in the US?
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Working from our audited figures — US$1,500–5,000 FOB at auction, about US$2,300 RoRo freight, and 25% truck duty on the purchase price — a mid-band truck typically lands around US$7,000 before state tax, registration and any repairs.
Can I import a newer Carry or Hijet?
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Not to the US, where the 25-year rule applies — but markets without that rule can take the current-generation Suzuki Carry (DA16T, 2013 on) and Daihatsu Hijet (S500 series, 2014 on). Check your country’s age and steering rules in our cost calculator before shortlisting one.