Kei Trucks for Sale from Japan
A kei truck (or Japanese mini truck) is a light commercial pickup built to Japan's kei-class limits: no more than 3.4 m long, 1.48 m wide, and 660 cc of engine. The big five are the Suzuki Carry, Daihatsu Hijet, Honda Acty, Subaru Sambar and Mitsubishi Minicab. Most offer selectable 4WD and diff locks, carry around 350 kg in a full-size drop-side bed, and cost a fraction of a UTV. In the US they are imported under the 25-year exemption; buyers typically pay a few thousand dollars at auction in Japan plus freight and duty.
What it really costs, door to door
The number the listing sites hide. All-in estimates from our audited calculator engine — auction price, freight, taxes and port charges:
United States
$6,200 – $9,700
25+ year truck via the FMVSS exemption; includes the 25% truck duty. Excludes state sales tax and inland trucking.
Full United States calculator →Australia
$5,400 – $8,500
25+ year concessional RAV entry; excludes ROVER approval, asbestos test and state rego.
Full Australia calculator →United Kingdom
$6,200 – $9,600
CEPA 0% duty + 20% VAT; excludes NOVA/DVLA fees and MOT prep.
Full United Kingdom calculator →All-in door-to-destination-port estimate: auction FOB band + ocean freight (RORO, Japan to the primary port) + marine insurance + import taxes + typical port/broker charges, converted at ¥155/USD (as of 2026-07-06). Excludes our sourcing service fee, inland trucking past the port, registration, and state/local taxes. Every figure is an estimate — we confirm exact landed cost on WhatsApp before any bid.
Models we source
Suzuki Carry (DD51T)
1991–1998 · $1,500–$5,000 FOB
Price & import guide →
Honda Acty Truck (HA3/HA4)
1990–1999 · $1,500–$5,000 FOB
Price & import guide →
Daihatsu Hijet Truck (S100P/S110P)
1994–1998 · $1,500–$4,500 FOB
Price & import guide →
Mitsubishi Minicab Truck (U41T/U42T)
1991–1998 · $1,500–$4,500 FOB
Price & import guide →
Subaru Sambar Truck (KS4/TT)
1990–2000 · $2,000–$5,500 FOB
Price & import guide →
Is it legal to import?
United States
Federal law allows any vehicle 25+ years old (from month of manufacture) to be imported exempt from FMVSS safety standards — the EPA exemption kicks in at 21 years. That makes 1990s kei trucks fully importable. Titling and road registration are STATE decisions: most states register them like any other vehicle, a few restrict them to off-road or speed-limited use — check your state's DMV before buying. Trucks pay the 25% light-truck duty at entry.
Australia
Vehicles 25+ years old qualify for concessional Registered Automotive Vehicle (RAV) entry without full ADR compliance — the main kei-truck pathway. You must obtain a ROVER import approval BEFORE the truck ships, and pre-2004 vehicles need an asbestos declaration. Duty is 0% under the Japan–Australia agreement; 10% GST applies.
United Kingdom
The UK has no age cap. Vehicles over 10 years old skip IVA type-approval; you notify HMRC via NOVA within 14 days, pay 0% duty under the UK–Japan CEPA (with origin paperwork) plus 20% import VAT, then register with the DVLA. Kei trucks register as light goods vehicles.
Buying guide
Which kei truck should you buy?
Buy the condition, not the badge — all five majors share the same recipe of a 660cc three-cylinder, cab-over layout and selectable 4WD. That said: the Suzuki Carry has the deepest US parts and community support; the Honda Acty is mid-engined and the nicest to drive; the Daihatsu Hijet is the simplest working tool; the Subaru Sambar is rear-engined with independent suspension (and an optional supercharger); the Mitsubishi Minicab typically hammers a few hundred dollars cheaper for identical condition. For pure utility on a budget, Hijet or Minicab; for the enthusiast garage, Acty or a supercharged Sambar.
What auction grades mean on a 30-year-old truck
Kei trucks were farm equipment, so the auction sheet reads differently than on a passenger car. Grade 3.5–4 is a genuinely good 1990s truck; grade 3 can be fine if the deductions are cosmetic (bed scratches, faded paint) rather than structural. The letters matter more than the number: R/RA marks repair history, and the inspector's map shows rust (S) and corrosion (C) marks — rust-through on the frame, cab mounts or bed supports is the one defect that should end the conversation. We read the full sheet and translate it before you decide.
The checks that matter before bidding
Four things decide whether a kei truck is a good buy: frame rust (walk away from rot), 4WD engagement (confirm high/low range and, where fitted, the diff lock actually works), engine service history (all three-cylinder engines here need their timing belt or chain serviced on schedule), and axle/hub condition on trucks that lived on farm tracks. Air conditioning was optional and is worth real money in the resale market — if you need AC, filter for it at auction rather than planning a retrofit.
How the import actually works
You tell us the spec and budget; our licensed dealer checks the live USS auction system (we hold USS Members Card L-1525 through AVON INTERNATIONAL, a Japan-registered exporter, corp. no. 1800-01-102810), sends you real candidates with translated sheets and a risk read, and bids only after you approve a ceiling. The truck then gets inland transport to port, export customs, and RORO shipping — about two to six weeks on the water depending on your port. You pay duty and port charges at arrival; our door-to-door figures above already include them.
Frequently asked questions
Are kei trucks worth it?
For property work, a kei truck typically lands all-in for less than half the price of a new UTV, while being road-capable (state rules permitting), enclosed, and rated to carry around 350 kg with a full drop-side bed. Running costs are minimal — 660cc engines, cheap consumables and mechanical simplicity. If you need highway speed daily, buy a used pickup instead; at 75–100 km/h cruising, a kei truck is a tool, not a tourer.
Are kei trucks street legal in the US?
Importation is legal nationwide once the truck is 25+ years old (FMVSS exemption). Road registration is decided state by state: most states title and register them normally, some (for example a few New England and Southern states) restrict kei trucks to off-road or limited-speed use. Check your state DMV's current position before you buy — we'll tell you honestly what we know for your state.
What is the 25-year rule?
US federal law (49 USC §30141) exempts vehicles 25 years or older, counted from the month of manufacture, from FMVSS safety standards — the practical gateway for JDM imports. The EPA emissions exemption applies at 21 years. In 2026 that means trucks built in mid-2001 or earlier are eligible; every truck on this page qualifies.
How much does a kei truck cost?
At Japan's auctions, solid 1990s examples hammer around $1,500–$5,000 FOB depending on grade, 4WD and extras like diff-lock, dump beds or AC. Door-to-door, expect the landed bands shown above — roughly $6,000–$10,000 to a US port including the 25% truck duty. Anyone quoting a total far below that is leaving out duty or port fees.
How much does it cost to import a kei truck?
On top of the hammer price: Japan-side auction and inland fees, RORO ocean freight (about $1,900–$2,200 to the US West Coast, Australia or the UK), marine insurance, import duty (25% US truck duty; 0% duty + 10% GST in Australia; 0% duty + 20% VAT in the UK), and port/broker charges of roughly $500–$900. Our bands above stack all of it, at real rates, using our audited calculator engine.
How fast do kei trucks go?
A stock 1990s kei truck makes about 40–50 hp and cruises comfortably at 75–90 km/h (about 45–55 mph), with a top speed around 100–120 km/h. They are geared for load-hauling, not highways. Later trucks and supercharged Sambars are noticeably happier at speed.
Do kei trucks have air conditioning?
AC was a factory option in the 1990s and many working trucks skipped it. It shows on the auction sheet's equipment line — if you want AC, tell us and we filter for it. Retrofitting is possible but usually costs more than the price difference at auction.
Are kei trucks 4WD?
Most 1990s kei trucks were sold with selectable 4WD with a low range, and many add a rear diff lock — that combination is why they out-crawl quads on farm terrain. 2WD versions exist and hammer cheaper; confirm the drivetrain on the sheet before bidding.
What maintenance does a kei truck need?
The same as any small petrol engine of its age: timing belt (on belt-driven engines), fluids, brakes, bushings and tyres, all in tiny cheap sizes. Parts supply for Carry/Hijet/Acty is excellent, including US-based specialists. The one thing to stay ahead of is rust prevention if you salt your roads.
What are the pros and cons of a kei truck?
Pros: absurd utility per dollar, real 4WD, road-legal capability, tiny running costs, and character no UTV has. Cons: 25-year-old crash safety, modest speed, state-by-state registration quirks in the US, and rust — the condition of the frame decides everything. Buy with a translated auction sheet, not photos.
Licensed access, not a listing site
AskJapanCars sources through AVON INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD. — a Japan-registered exporter (corp. no. 1800-01-102810, Nagoya, est. 2011) holding USS auction Members Card L-1525. You see the real auction sheet, translated, before any bid.
Tell us your spec on WhatsAppFree to ask. No deposit. A human confirms every number before you commit.