Kei Vans for Sale from Japan
A kei van (Japanese microvan) is a one-box light van built to Japan's kei-class limits — under 3.4 m long, 1.48 m wide, with a 660 cc engine — but packaged so efficiently that it swallows cargo, camper conversions or four adults. The mainstays are the Suzuki Every, Daihatsu Hijet Cargo, Honda Acty Van and Nissan Clipper. Sliding doors on both sides, a flat load floor and van-tool running costs make them the world's cheapest serious delivery vehicle; 1990s examples are US-importable under the 25-year rule.
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
$5,600 – $9,700
25+ year van; cargo vans attract the 25% truck duty (passenger-configured vans can enter at 2.5% — we quote the conservative case). Excludes state sales tax.
Full United States calculator →Australia
$4,800 – $8,500
25+ year concessional RAV entry; modern kei vans are generally not SEVS-eligible. Excludes compliance costs.
Full Australia calculator →United Kingdom
$6,800 – $12,000
No age cap; a 10+ year van is IVA-exempt. CEPA 0% duty + 20% VAT; excludes NOVA/DVLA fees.
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
Honda Acty Van / Street (HH3/HH4)
1990–1999 · $1,500–$5,000 FOB
Price & import guide →
Daihatsu Hijet Cargo (S321V)
2010–2020 · $2,500–$7,000 FOB
Price & import guide →
Suzuki Every (DA17V)
2015–2021 · $3,000–$8,000 FOB
Price & import guide →
Nissan Clipper Van (DR17V)
2015–2021 · $3,000–$7,500 FOB
Price & import guide →
Is it legal to import?
United States
The 25-year FMVSS exemption applies to vans exactly as to trucks — 1990s Acty, Every and Hijet vans are importable today. Cargo-configured vans attract the 25% light-truck duty; passenger-configured vans (windows and seats, like the Acty Street) can enter at the 2.5% car rate — classification is decided at entry, so we quote the conservative 25% case. State registration rules mirror kei trucks: most states are fine, a few restrict.
Australia
The realistic pathway is the 25+ year concessional RAV route, since modern kei vans are generally not SEVS-listed. ROVER approval before shipping, asbestos declaration for pre-2004 builds, 0% duty under JAEPA, 10% GST. RHD is native, so a compliant van registers like any light commercial.
United Kingdom
No age cap, and vans over 10 years old are IVA-exempt — which makes 2010–2015 Everys and Hijet Cargos the sweet spot: modern enough to work daily, old enough to skip type approval. 0% duty under CEPA, 20% import VAT, NOVA notification, then DVLA registration as a light goods vehicle.
Buying guide
Which kei van should you buy?
For a modern working van, the Suzuki Every DA17V is the benchmark and the Nissan Clipper DR17V is the same van with a cheaper badge — cross-shop them and buy condition. The Daihatsu Hijet Cargo S321V matches them tool-for-tool with the longest production run and deepest supply. For the US 25-year route, the Honda Acty Van/Street HH3/HH4 is the charmer: mid-engined, available 4WD, and the one that turns into a micro-camper most naturally. High-roof and turbo grades exist across all of them and are worth the premium if you'll drive loaded.
Reading the sheet on a working van
Kei vans are usually ex-fleet, which is good news: fleets service on schedule. Grade 3.5–4 is the working sweet spot; grade 4.5 vans exist in surprising numbers because Japanese delivery routes are short. Watch the sheet for sliding-door marks (rollers wear), rear-gate rust around the hinge line, and — on 1990s vans — corrosion under the door tracks and rear quarters. Repair marks (R/RA) on a cheap van are usually panel swaps from city scrapes; structural repair is the thing to avoid.
Camper, delivery, or daily?
Be honest about the mission before you pick a grade. Delivery work wants the base panel van: rubber floor, vinyl seats, the cheapest example with a clean mechanical sheet. Camper conversion wants the high roof and, ideally, the turbo — you will not enjoy a loaded NA van on hills. Daily-driver duty wants the passenger grades (Every Wagon, Acty Street) with cloth trim, AC and power windows. The auction price ladder between these is real, so filtering by grade saves more money than bidding aggressively.
How the import actually works
Same concierge process as everything we source: you set the spec and ceiling, our licensed dealer (USS Members Card L-1525, AVON INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD., Japan corp. no. 1800-01-102810) pulls live candidates from the USS auction system with translated sheets and a straight risk read, and bids only on your approval. RORO freight suits vans perfectly — they roll on, roll off, and the door-to-door bands above already include freight, taxes and port charges for each market.
Frequently asked questions
What is a kei van?
A Japanese light van built to kei-class limits: under 3.4 m long, 1.48 m wide, 660 cc. One-box body, sliding doors both sides, flat load floor, and seating or cargo configurations. Think of it as a full-size van photographed at 65% scale, with running costs to match.
How much does a kei van cost?
Modern (2015+) Suzuki Every / Nissan Clipper vans hammer around $3,000–$8,000 FOB depending on grade and mileage; 2010s Hijet Cargos run $2,500–$7,000; 1990s US-eligible vans are $1,500–$5,000. Add freight, taxes and port fees for the true cost — our door-to-door bands above include all of it.
Can I import a kei van to the US?
Yes, once it's 25 years old — 1990s Acty, Every and Hijet vans qualify today. Under-25 vans cannot be registered for road use. Cargo vans pay the 25% truck duty; passenger-configured vans can classify at 2.5% — we quote the conservative case and confirm classification before you commit.
Are kei vans good campers?
They are the cheapest real camper base on earth: a high-roof kei van takes a bed platform, cooker and storage while still parking in a normal bay. Turbo grades handle mountain roads loaded. The trade-off is width — it's a solo or couple's camper, not a family one.
How much can a kei van carry?
Rated payload is typically 350 kg for cargo grades, with a load bay long enough for a 1.8 m bed platform once the seats fold. The flat floor and twin sliding doors matter more than raw volume for delivery work — loading is faster than in most compact vans.
How fast do kei vans go?
Modern turbo vans (Every/Clipper turbo, Hijet Cargo turbo) cruise at 100 km/h without drama; NA versions are happiest at 80–90 km/h. 1990s vans are slower still — treat an HH3 Acty as an urban and back-road vehicle, which is exactly what it was built for.
How much does shipping a kei van cost?
RORO freight from Japan runs roughly $1,900–$2,200 to the US West Coast, Australian east coast or the UK. Add marine insurance (tens of dollars at these values), destination taxes, and $500–$900 of port and broker charges. The bands above stack every line at real rates.
Every vs Hijet Cargo vs Clipper — which is best?
The Clipper IS an Every with a Nissan badge — buy whichever is cheaper on the day. Against the Hijet Cargo it's a coin flip: the Suzuki/Nissan has a slightly nicer cabin, the Daihatsu the longest production run and huge parts commonality across years. Condition and grade should decide, not the badge.
What goes wrong with kei vans?
Sliding-door rollers, rear-gate rust, and — on hard-worked fleet vans — CVT/AT behaviour and front-end bushings. On 1990s vans, rust under the door tracks and rear quarters is the deal-breaker. All of it shows on a properly read auction sheet, which is exactly what we translate for you before any bid.
Are kei vans 4WD?
Available across the range: modern Everys/Clippers and Hijet Cargos offer selectable or full-time 4WD grades, and the 1990s Acty had Honda's real-time 4WD. 4WD adds a few hundred dollars at auction and is worth it for snow or farm use, less so for city delivery.
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.