Fellow Americans, are Japanese Kei-style Trucks Really Popular in The U.S.?
Posted by CalmRip@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 209 comments
YouTube popped a video entitled "Kei Trucks - Why Are They So Popular In the United States?" into my recommendations last night
I took a look because I've never seen one of these in the wild and was surprised to read that they're popular. I'm wondering if that's because I live in a very rural area where full-size pickups are common, and these seem more suited to urban use.
Do any of you see them at all, and is it in town or country, on roads or on private property?
Current_Poster@reddit
I can't say I have. Apparently there are some states that just won't allow them on highways? That would be a serious limitation on a truck hauling loads.
Prowindowlicker@reddit
They don’t allow them on the highway because they have just a bit more power than a golf cart and aren’t much bigger than one.
It’s a major safety hazard.
AlienDelarge@reddit
Sizewise they are no more of a hazard than a motorcycle but they really don't make sense outside of cities or for farm/industrial use onsite.
chattytrout@reddit
But at least most motorcycles can actually do the speed limit on the interstate. I used to have a 300cc bike that would do 70 no problem. I can't imagine a loaded kei truck getting to that speed by the end of the on-ramp.
AlienDelarge@reddit
Well thats why I specified sizewise at the start of my comment. Also my reasoning for why they can make sense for limited use in a city or on an industrial site where a lower maximum speed can be acceptable.
I'm not necessarily pro Kei truck but am willing to see where some people could use it. They are somewhat popular around me, though my state doesn't allow them to be registered(so they all have out of state plates). Now, I do take an issue with the people that overload them far beyond their rated capacity and claim thats perfectly safe and no one needs a larger truck. My 8' bed F250 is rated for substantially more than the payload of any of the kei trucks and there are still times that is limiting.
Synaps4@reddit
Pfff it's no more a safety hazard than a geo metro or a fiat 500 and we don't ban those.
They are much safer than motorcycles, tricycles, etc, and we don't ban those.
Not allowing them is stupid be abuse it amounts to a ban on cars for no other reason than being from japan.
jceez@reddit
Key trucks have 50 hp and top out at 50 mph. They are very unsafe to drive in a freeway
fetus-wearing-a-suit@reddit
I moved to the US a few months ago, I'll absolutely miss my Suzuki Swift, such a perfect car for a nice price. When I looked into small cars in the US I was surprised at how few options there were. So many great Chinese cars have entered the Mexican market recently, it would be nice if the US made it easy to import cars.
rathat@reddit
Isn't there a law that you can't import a car not meant for the United States until It's like 25 years old or something?
DoublePostedBroski@reddit
They’re not. It’s most likely click bait.
CalmRip@reddit (OP)
I suspected it was click-hunting, but our country's so big I figured that maybe possibly they were more common in other areas.
El_Polio_Loco@reddit
They're "more common" in trendy urban centers.
The popularity of kei trucks is almost entirely in the Gen-Z/Millenial quirky Japanese automotive enthusiast males, which tend to center around a few major metros.
Places like LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, and maybe a handful of East Coast cities there will be a smattering of them.
They're less common than Japanese import sports cars, but common enough where I've seen two or three in my travels on the east coast.
They're simply not practical for most people since they're almost entirely limited to urban use and don't have a value advantage over the millions of used trucks that can be bought and maintained for lower costs.
Synaps4@reddit
So in other words they are perfectly designed for what a majority of car owners do?
El_Polio_Loco@reddit
Sure, as long as those people never get on a highway or drive for more than 60 minute at a time.
So… no.
Which is why they’re not useful.
Synaps4@reddit
Are you suggesting Kei cars cant do 60mph for an hour?
El_Polio_Loco@reddit
I'm suggesting that even if it can, you wouldn't want to do it on a regular basis.
Most people who own trucks also use them as cars, not as stand alone work vehicles, a kei truck is not a functional replacement for a car or truck.
Kei Trucks are the equivalent of a side by side or Deere Gator that you can take on the road, with the added smugness of Japanese import culture.
PlatinumElement@reddit
Kei cars (especially modern ones) are just small cars, and completely fine. I recently rented a Suzuki kei car and took it on a cross country road trip in Japan. It was perfectly suited for daily use, including at highway speeds. Nothing about it stood out to me as abnormal except for how easy it was to reach across to the passenger door from the drivers seat.
El_Polio_Loco@reddit
Just remember that anything in the US is automatically 25 years old to start.
After that, most Kei trucks have top speeds in the 100km range, which is low highway speeds in the US, but the maximum highway speed in Japan.
And on top of ALLLLL that, Japanese people, on average, drive about 4,500 miles a year. The average American triples that.
I'm not saying people can't do it.
I am saying that it's not a functionally equivalent vehicle to a US pickup.
Synaps4@reddit
This would come as a great surprise to the millions of people who commute in these cars as functional cars and trucks daily in japan. You have no idea. They are not go karts. They are full vehicles and most japanese households (even ones with long commutes in rural areas) drive kei cars/trucks exclusively.
El_Polio_Loco@reddit
Did I really need to specify "In comparison to an American counterpart"?
Can people do it? Sure, you can also buy a cargo bike and use that as a replacement for a car for short trips.
Is it functionally comparable to a modern pickup? Not in the slightest.
Just because you can do something doesn't somehow mean it's a functionally realistic option.
devilbunny@reddit
I've looked into cars that are kei-like. They're small, they're inexpensive, and most have very limited speeds (kei cars themselves are not, but the electrics I've looked are more like souped-up golf carts). I have a very short commute, but I have to go far out of my way to stay off the freeway getting there. If it can't do 60 mph from an onramp, it's not going to cut it for me.
If I lived in, say, New Orleans, I would absolutely have one. City streets are 35 mph or less and you almost never get on the freeways unless you're leaving town.
Synaps4@reddit
Kei cars can absolutely do 60mph. Many of them aren't super happy doing it because their aerodynamics are terrible but many have top speeds in the 80s to 90s.
devilbunny@reddit
Which I noted; I'm talking about "kei-like" since the chances that a Japanese manufacturer is going to go through all the hoops to make a car street-legal in the US for a car that will definitely be a niche product are slim. We're more likely to get them as "improved golf carts" than "shrunken automobiles" even if the end state is the same.
Synaps4@reddit
I see. But you can just get an actual kei car imported via the 25 year rule, which is what this topic is really about.
There's a lot of these 25 year old low mileage kei cars being imported and it's generating some transparently stupid handwringing about "safety" when us drivers can drive much less safe vehicles already.
KaBar42@reddit
As an example, Kei truck tires, IIRC, also have to be imported because they aren't manufactured outside of Japan. And standard tires simply won't fit. Something that effect.
techtchotchke@reddit
I wonder if the video used the word "popular" to mean "well-liked" as opposed to "common." I've only ever seen a couple here in the US (compared to when I was in Japan for college and saw them everywhere) but anytime I see them IRL or online, people are smitten with them--they are really cute and a fun novelty.
butt_honcho@reddit
There's a car lot near me that has a couple out, but I've never seen one in the wild. As a fan of small pickups (I still daily a first-gen Ranger), I'm happy to see they're getting a foothold, and I wouldn't mind owning one myself. But I'd hardly call them popular, at least where I live.
PlatinumElement@reddit
As someone who had a first gen Ranger, I wish a company would make something like that for the US again. The Maverick is around the right size but has a back seat taking up space that the Ranger used for bed. I wish California allowed JDM imports so I could just get a kei truck instead.
OddishRaddish@reddit
I would have got one a long time ago if I was able to afford one.
No-Function223@reddit
They’re a pretty common utility vehicle, but no not very common for private use.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
For those unaware, kei cars are vehicles from Japan and used other places in south east Asia. They are extremely tiny, built to a very specific size and purpose, and with an engine limited to 660cc.
To answer your question, no. They are not. I love Kei cars and trucks and you'll see them at enthusiast events, but even then it's rare.
They have to be imported as as they were not certified for road use here originally I believe they also fall under the 25 year exemption.
Aa such, only people who really want one goe through the trouble.
They're super cool, but wildly impractical for much of the population. I would totally love to get a Daihatsu Tipper Truck. They are so rad.
Drew707@reddit
I'd say they are very popular in a very small niche, but overall, quite obscure. If you watch a lot of car enthusiast YT you'll see a lot of content, but they are very rare outside of that scene.
C21H27Cl3N2O3@reddit
If they were more widely available I’m sure they would be more popular overall. There is still a large market for smaller pickups but the manufacturing has dropped off pretty significantly in the last 20 years in favor of the $80k monsters.
Drew707@reddit
Yes and no. Safety ratings have increased the size of vehicles due to crumple zones and airbag compartments, but most companies still offer a modern small truck.
amazingtaters@reddit
With the size bloat I'm not sure they really qualify as small any more. Here's a size comparison of the smallest truck models for Chevy, Ford, Toyota, and Nissan in 1995 and 2024:
The Maverick comes closest to matching the smallest offering from that manufacturer in the mid-90's and it's still got a foot and half on the Ranger in length. Everything else got about a foot wider and taller and two to three feet longer.
PacSan300@reddit
Yep, I have only seen these trucks in Japan and a few other Asian countries. I do not ever recall coming across one in the US.
CrypticQuery@reddit
Conversely, I've seen four Kei vehicles in the states in the past month. Your mileage may vary.
swiggidyswooner@reddit
I’ve seen several recently I think they’re more popular among young rich rural people
Tricky-Wishbone9080@reddit
You used to see them a lot before sxs were a thing here. Now they are gaining popularity again with just how expensive sxs have become.
Convergecult15@reddit
Not exactly rich, because they aren’t expensive comparatively speaking to the American used car market. But they’re definitely almost only owned by automotive enthusiasts.
swiggidyswooner@reddit
Yeah I should’ve said upper class but they have an interesting shared love between liberals and a certain breed of conservative
Convergecult15@reddit
the center of the Venn diagram between liberal and conservative men are Japanese cars, punk rock and hockey.
NuclearTurtle@reddit
I've seen one proper Kei truck out and about on city streets, and when I worked in the facilities department at a university we had a Kei-sized electric truck from China that was more like a golf cart than a standard vehicle. It topped out at about 20 mph and it was a struggle going up any sort of incline, to the point where people had to get out and push it a few times. It was only ever used to move around campus on the pedestrian paths (since it didn't take up the entire path like the regular vans/trucks) and even then only sparingly.
Pete_Iredale@reddit
They have become very popular in SW Washington in the last few years. We have multiple import dealers selling them now and I see them on the road daily.
KacerRex@reddit
Quite a few in the Snohomish/King county area too!
PrincebyChappelle@reddit
You actually see them used as maintenance vehicles on college campuses (at least here in SoCal)
saltporksuit@reddit
I have a friend who got one. He painted the rims gold.
wowitsclayton@reddit
My fat ass thought it was some kind of Japanese dish served from a food truck.
FlyByPC@reddit
I was wondering if they also served sushi.
BjornAltenburg@reddit
They did fall under rhe 25 year exclusion. Give me some time, but a bunch of auto manufacturers started whining to Congress about them since, for a very short while, they could have made a dent in American truck sales. This resulted in several agencies cracking down on kei truck and small truck imports.
Also, the Japanese yen being so weak made them ripe for very good prices.
Convergecult15@reddit
The small truck tariff was a response to the chicken tax on US poultry in I believe Germany, but I may be wrong. Basically they taxed our chickens, so we made imported light trucks so expensive that no foreign company has tried to import any since the tariff went into effect.
Chambellan@reddit
They’re increasing in popularity for farm-type work. They’re a fraction of the cost of a side-by-side and made to be easy to maintain.
Arleare13@reddit
I live in the urban-est area in the country, and I don't recall ever seeing these. Maybe I've seen them as maintenance vehicles in parks or whatever, but I'm not even certain that they're the same thing. If they're just driving around the roads here, I've never noticed them.
that-Sarah-girl@reddit
I've never seen one in DC, Maryland, or Virginia either.
shelwood46@reddit
I ended up googling and they are not street legal in most of the northeast, including NY/NJ/PA/CT
Bitter_Sir_4993@reddit
This isn't quite accurate.
Vehicles that were never sold new in the US market (and, thus, were not subjected to US regulatory requirements for safety/ emissions/ etc) cannot be legally registered in the US at all, until one of two criteria has been met:
1) A business or individual modifies the vehicle to bring it into compliance with US regulations, and jumps through all the hoops to certify its compliance (including crash testing)-- this is an extreme level of expense and headache and is therefore almost never done.
2) The vehicle turns 25 years old, at which point the level of expense and hassle to import and register the vehicle are greatly reduced.
So, broadly speaking:
Only potential exception I'm aware of is the state of Massachusetts, which is considering a ban on registration of kei vehicles due to safety concerns.
Synaps4@reddit
The MASS policy has been rolled back after opposition pointed out it makes no sense to have motorcycles on your roads and geo metros on your roads and yet ban kei cars.
Awdayshus@reddit
I've never seen one in the US. I live in a small town where people will sometimes do their in town driving in golf carts or side-by-sides. I would think that those fill the same niche that would make Keith trucks appealing. And it's much easier to get a golf cart or side-by-side.
MMARapFooty@reddit
I've never seen one irl.
candyposeidon@reddit
No they are not popular.
nasadowsk@reddit
They're niche vehicles, but I see them out here. Cheaper than a side by side, and can do just much.
Just have fun fitting into one :)
jerry_03@reddit
They're popular in hawaii. I literally see at least one everyday driving in Honolulu
Hatweed@reddit
You means those tiny Japanese trucks that make the old 2 seaters look like the modern 4-door abominations?
No, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in person.
TruckADuck42@reddit
The only one I've ever seen in the states was used at the amusement park I worked at as an ambulance. Would've been great for driving through all the crowded pathways, but it was a piece of shit. That one specifically, not all of them.
That said, I'm in the Midwest in a city with both Ford and GM plants local. Not exactly a huge market for a tiny truck.
duke_awapuhi@reddit
I wouldn’t call them popular at all
Primary_Excuse_7183@reddit
No. no they aren’t.
DannyBones00@reddit
I live in the absolute middle of nowhere Appalachia and at least three people in my town have gotten them. They’re really excellent at small jobs, like hauling off a load of trash or whatever.
designgrl@reddit
Never heard of or seen one.
rombies@reddit
This is so funny to me because I found this sub the other day, because I saw a Kei truck for the first time in the wild here in the US (North Carolina), and googled it, which brought me here.
Safe to say, in my opinion, they’re pretty rare. But they do look pretty damn groovy, even if they are a different aspect ratio than our American vans.
imabustanutonalizard@reddit
I have seen one of these trucks (right hand drive) in a small 1200 pop town in the middle of Missouri. They are rare but not improbable to come upon.
cdb03b@reddit
I have never heard of them. Looking them up I have never seen one in the US, only on TV.
Low-Cat4360@reddit
There is one in my city but it's the only one I've ever seen in real life. Always the same guy driving this one so I know it's the same one
ReviveOurWisdom@reddit
They are definitely not popular in the US. I’ve been to 14 states this year. Seen 2 kei trucks. I’ve seen more Model Ts then Kei Trucks lmao
CalmRip@reddit (OP)
Goodness, there's a lot of sharp-eyed car connoisseurs on this sub. Been very informative reading all your comments, and they seem to confirm my suspicion that kei trucks may be interesting novelties but calling them popular was stretching it.
Think_Leadership_91@reddit
Hobbyists like them as novelties and my kids’ friends talk about them
But nobody owns one
2FistsInMyBHole@reddit
I see a couple a month - that is way more than I used to see them (which was never.). I've probably seen more in the last year than I have in the 20 years prior.
I'd like one, but they are all right-hand drive.
Suchalife671@reddit
Here in Guam they are extremely popular.They even have several car lots that import and sell them.I don't care for them that much because I don't like rhd vehicles,but I don't blame people for liking them seeing how gas here is right at $5/gallon.Its not just the little trucks they import...it's the vans,compact sports cars like integras,jeeps,toyotas,even ambulances
idiot-prodigy@reddit
Nope.
I am 45 years old and have never once seen one in person... ever.
OneWayStreetPark@reddit
No, they are not as popular. That being said, my neighbor bought one last summer and I'm currently staring at it from my window.
Racheakt@reddit
I would love to have one for local use, but the effort to get one is too much for me to bother with
notyogrannysgrandkid@reddit
I actually make my living importing and selling them. They are pretty awesome vehicles. I think a lot of people disregard their practicality due to conditioning by the American auto market. I use my personal one, a 1994 Daihatsu Hijet, pretty much every day. I can zip into town for some groceries, go to the hardware store for lumber, take the kayaks to the lake (yeah, but I can do all of that in my F-150!), LET ME FINISH- mow my whole property in air-conditioned comfort, and get over 30 MPG all with one vehicle that cost me less than $5000.
biggcb@reddit
Mow your property?
notyogrannysgrandkid@reddit
Yeah I have a mower deck I pull behind it.
Bedbouncer@reddit
Maybe he moved the radiator fan horizontally under the engine.
ColossusOfChoads@reddit
Some kind of tow-behind rotary mower?
FlyByPC@reddit
I had to Google what those are.
They look like garden carts -- I'm not sure they'd be road-legal in the US.
kippen@reddit
yes, very popular in the PNW.
Sihaya212@reddit
Not at all
BeerJunky@reddit
I know one guy that has one, I see them driving around occasionally (saw one yesterday) and there’s a car dealer near me that has a few on the lot but I don’t think they sell very quick.
yellowbubble7@reddit
I've seen exactly two, both for use on a family farm. Neither was registered for on road use
boltsnuts@reddit
I have seen two in my city in last month. Like seeing a unicorn.
cs_woodwork@reddit
No! Our roads are wide and stuff we need to tow and haul are heavy. I’ll stick with my pickup, thank you!
Starfevre@reddit
I have literally never heard of them and now that I know what they are, can confirm I've never seen one. And I am on the highway a LOT.
MMAGG83@reddit
I think they’re cool, but I have never seen one in my entire life.
aloofman75@reddit
Don’t believe what you see on YouTube. They are not common in the U.S. at all.
Swimming-Book-1296@reddit
No. They are illegal in the US (sort of) because they can't pass US safety standards. Farmers will use them on the farm sometimes though.
Synaps4@reddit
I wouldn't confuse "haven't been tested" with "can't pass".
Dorkapotamus@reddit
Not illegal per se but they aren't sold here. Look up the chicken tax
cigarjack@reddit
I see more around here in the rural great plains. They compete with the side by side ATVs for use by farmers. I kinda want one.
QuercusSambucus@reddit
I've seen a few of these in Portland. One of them was a very cute miniature VW bus. Most of them are just seem to be normal trucks used by businesses.
Synaps4@reddit
Yeah the vw bus body kit is pretty popular for being adorable
cadoshast@reddit
In certain areas you'll see them, but not a lot. When I lived in Washington I saw them, as there is a guy who sells them exclusively A boss of mine had one. In the Midwest I have yet to see any.
Avasia1717@reddit
i used to work at a race track in california and they imported 5 kei trucks to use around the track grounds, the way a lot of places use golf carts.
then i went to japan and saw them in their natural habitat. pretty cool.
lately i've seen a few on the streets. they're far from common though. i've seen maybe 3 in 10 years.
No-Combination-1332@reddit
I’ve seen one or two in southeast wisco
Bedbouncer@reddit
I live in a rural area but we have at least 2 places that sell them, sometimes modified with snow plows or tank-style tracks for winter use.
They're probably super useful if you own 40 acres or more somewhere, not so much in town.
TheDreadPirateJeff@reddit
No. Clickbaity YouTube videos never represent the level of popularity of something they imply.
They are popular amongst a certain segment of the car world but are just a fun toy for the most part. They are too slow to drive on the interstates, not enough weight capacity to do the things most folks by trucks to do, etc. and city folks who want "a pickup truck" without actually owning a real pickup truck buy things like the Honda Ridgeline or the Hyundai Santa Cruz, or if they decide they want something approaching a real truck, then a Maverick, or Ranger or Colorado or something in that class.
kei trucks are great little farm vehicles though and they fill several niches but are very much a niche product.
AcidReign25@reddit
Midwest. Never seen one.
TravelerMSY@reddit
They might be popular if you have one, but they are certainly not common. It’s hard to find a small truck of any sort in the US market these days.
crotchpolice@reddit
I've seen a couple around where I live and I'm always insanely jealous. To me, they're a perfect city vehicle for someone with no kids: small enough to park anywhere, more than enough cargo space for errands or any other "around the block" tasks.
GodzillaDrinks@reddit
Yes. They have limited but growing popularity for being actually useful pickup trucks (American made "pavement princesses" being typically too large to do any serious work with).
The big thing thats impeding them.being adopted more broadly is that they (usually) are not street-legal in the US.so you can use them on your property. But not much passed that.
El_Polio_Loco@reddit
They're no more useful than any pickup truck and about as good on the road as a side by side or gator (both of which are much more common than kei trucks).
They're too small for using on major roads, they cost as much to run as an old pickup, and their capacity is no better than a truck or minivan.
I'm not saying that most people need trucks, but if you need a Kei truck, then an actual American truck will do the job better, cheaper, and more safely.
GodzillaDrinks@reddit
True, but typically, older trucks of American make.
The modern ones tend to have a much higher tailgate and sides which makes them impractical to use as a truckbed.
El_Polio_Loco@reddit
Meh, if you want a 2 door 8 ft bed F150 with 2wd it's not much different in size than my '92 that I use, but a whole lot more capable. I just looked it up, from the ground to the bed is 33" on my truck, 34" on the modern equivalent.
They're closer in size than you think, the big difference is the hood height/length and the fact that anything with 4WD immediately gets 1.5" higher
Most people don't buy those now because they're pretty much only offered in "fleet" trim, which make them rather unpleasant places to be for people who need it for more than a moving trailer.
KaBar42@reddit
There's a very significant difference between "being able to do " and "willing to use" or "purchasing to use for a purpose".
You assertion that a glorified golf cart that will decapitate you in a 15mph crash is able to do more work than a full size pickup truck with a full sized engine is utterly absurd and is why it's difficult to take Kei enthusiasts seriously.
They're cool vehicles that do what they were intended to do acceptably well, but they are not and will never be, a full sized pickup or even the compact pickups of old.
WaddlesJP13@reddit
I wouldn't call them popular when comparing them to other trucks or side by sides, but there's definitely a growing market for kei trucks. Not just for enthusiasts who like niche Japanese cars, but for those who work in blue collar industries or for organizations like park services or local governments. I wouldn't say this is just because pretty much everyone in the US loves Japanese vehicles for the reliability and affordability, but also because the domestic alternatives like regular trucks and 4x4s are now way more expensive than they used to be.
Side by sides, which were intended to be essentially be a crossover between a golf cart and an ATV and an affordable and smaller alternative to a truck now cost as a much as a new small truck like a Ford Maverick. They're facing the same situation as full-size trucks like the F-150 where they are less and less being used as work equipment and more as status symbols. These days, they are more popular among rich tourists hitting trails in Appalachia than for people like farmers, at least for the newer models.
That's where the rising popularity of kei trucks among non-enthusiasts comes from. You could probably buy two 20-something year old Suzuki trucks from an importer for the price of one JD Gator, and they'll still probably last longer and be easier to maintain down the long run.
Bitter_Sir_4993@reddit
I probably see a kei vehicle (mostly trucks and vans) about once per month, on average?
Overgeneralizing a bit, the trucks are appealing to people who meet all of the following criteria
My city has a Subaru Sambar in the park maintenance fleet. I'd be very curious about how that came to be-- seems like a whole lot of extra hassle for roughly equivalent functionality vs. a John Deere Gator or similar.
_pamelab@reddit
I’ve heard of them, but I’ve only seen one in the wild. Driving through the middle of town.
kobayashi_maru_fail@reddit
I’ve literally only seen one in person, all the others are on r/keitruck. And I think I even saw the IRL one on the sub, so they’re vanishingly rare.
Pete_Iredale@reddit
They've become very popular in SW Washington state at least in the last five years or so. I don't think you can even register them in Oregon though.
NickCharlesYT@reddit
I've seen maybe half a dozen in my entire life IRL? Half of them in Hawaii, FWIW.
I wouldn't mind owning one myself, personally, but the process to get one imported just completely destroys the potential value.
Jakebob70@reddit
I don't think you can even get them here.
ImperfectTapestry@reddit
I lived in the Continental US for 40 years, not sure I ever saw one. Moved to Hawaii & I see many daily.
NotTheATF1993@reddit
Pretty common around here in south FL
dj4slugs@reddit
There is a following but not huge. I have seen two around my town. See more cybertrucks.
re7swerb@reddit
PNW here and I see them pretty regularly. Since they hit the 25 year exemption for import they’ve gotten more and more popular, we’ll be seeing a lot more of them in the next few years I think. Dunno if I could get used to RHD but I love the idea of one myself as well.
MrBobBuilder@reddit
I’m seeing them more and more but the 25 year rule limits it . Plus for the price of a Kei truck you can buy a used ranger . If they were cheaper /newer they’d be everywhere
fruitcup729again@reddit
They are extremely popular in Hawaii. There's two or three people in my neighborhood who own one.
Sewer-Urchin@reddit
I'm glad to finally know what these are called. I'm starting to see more of them, and there's even a place near me with several out front to sell.
tcrhs@reddit
I’ve never heard of them.
djspacebunny@reddit
Two of my neighbors in Delaware had them, but they were registered in other states.
gaoshan@reddit
Never heard of them and would need to Google that phrase to even know what they might look like.
pedro0930@reddit
Literally never seen one in PNW.
Wild-Attention2932@reddit
They used to be back in like 2005 when they only cost a couple thousand farmers loved em.
But now I can buy a used Chevy for the price on one of those. Why would I take a smaller "truck" when I could have a full size?
Agile_Property9943@reddit
Never heard of them tbh
Unusual_Sundae8483@reddit
I have seen one in the USA. It was driving outside of the Air Force base so maybe it was theirs?
Captain_of_Gravyboat@reddit
Some people love them but I would guess 99.9% of Americans have never seen one on the road in person.
The_Real_Scrotus@reddit
They're popular among a small subset of gearheads and almost unheard of by anyone else.
jephph_@reddit
Are those the tiny little pickup truck things? If so, there are two that I regularly see in my neighborhood
Popular isn’t the word I’d use. More like rare.
But they’re cute looking
biggcb@reddit
No, they are not. There is an auto repair shop nearby that has one, but I've never seen it on the road. Not sure I recall ever seeing one being driven.
moonstarfc@reddit
I live in MD and I've seen them probably 3 to 4 times in the past year, so maybe they are gaining popularity because I never noticed them before. It's mainly rural areas where I've seen them.
OfficeChair70@reddit
When I visit family in Seattle they are everywhere, and I see them pretty regularly in the east side of the valley of the sun, but definitely not as many.
DisappointedInHumany@reddit
I keep recommending that a relative of mine get one instead of a golf cart for trips to the pool, since it’s a car and not a whole EV. But I think that she has to stay off any main roads and highways where she lives, so she hasn’t moved in it yet.
proscriptus@reddit
Fairly popular, but a lot of states have made it more difficult to register them. A lot of small shops use them as yard trucks.
BluudLust@reddit
I see them around a lot here
Chazzysnax@reddit
I wouldn't say they're popular, but I have been seeing more posts/memes about them lately so I think the idea of them is a bit more popular than it was. I think people are just tired of the trend of massive pickup trucks and are drawn towards the idea of an alternative. I've been seeing more memes about old Ford Rangers for the same reason.
One_Bicycle_1776@reddit
I’ve seen them before on the road, but very rarely
DGlen@reddit
No and they really aren't road legal either.
DrWhoisOverRated@reddit
They aren't popular, and until recently were not street legal in Massachusetts. (Something about the cab forward design not being safe.)
That being said, the people who like them really like them.
axethebarbarian@reddit
They're fuckin awesome to me, but unfortunately can be very difficult to get here
dangleicious13@reddit
No. Not at all.
Book_of_Numbers@reddit
I’ve seen a lot of them as maintenance vehicles for parks and universities. Not really seen them on main roads except for really close to these sites and I haven’t seen individuals own them.
EK60@reddit
I saw one at a car show last year and thought it would be great for yard work, but they're so small and underpowered that any serious use I would have for one, I would just use my F-150
machagogo@reddit
To the general public?
No.
To a subset of automobile enthusiasts?
Yes.
With 340 million + people if even .05% of the population is into something that is enough for an industry of sorts to form around it.
zneave@reddit
Also certain types of industries too. I see them every day at the airport I work at.
JMS1991@reddit
My college had a handful of them for the maintenance and janitorial staff to drive around campus. They are pretty good (and cheap) alternatives to UTV's for those kinds of applications.
SentrySappinMahSpy@reddit
There's a dealership selling them about a half hour from where I live, and I've seen 2 or 3 of them parked at people's houses. I haven't seen one on the road yet, but they seem to be growing in popularity. I don't think they've been available for long, though, so they're growing from nothing to something.
They don't seem to be useful for anything but hauling small loads relatively short distances.
I_am_photo@reddit
I usually see them near the beach towns and around the fishing piers.
imuniqueaf@reddit
They are unusual, so people think they are cool, not definitely not common.
Also, many states won't let you register them because they are "unsafe". Motorcycles are fine. 🤦♂️
TrixieLurker@reddit
I have never once seen one of these on the road. All the trucks I know are those oversized 70K massive pickups that everyone around me seems to be in love with.
JoeDildo@reddit
This is one of the many things that Reddit gets extremely wrong about real life. People like the large pickup trucks. Everyone and their brother on Reddit likes to say that everyone hates trucks and large cars. Those posts are always upvoted highly. Large trucks and SUV's consistently are the top selling models for the companies that produce them. So much so that foreign companies make larger vehicles specifically for the US market.
warm_sweater@reddit
I wouldn’t say “popular” but there is a following for sure. There is actually an importer in my neighborhood so I see them more often than others may, they are usually old Japanese fire trucks and trucks with small beds in the back.
G00dSh0tJans0n@reddit
No, BUT I’ve seen at least two dealerships that import older ones (because of the laws they were able to bring over one’s old enough to be considered antique). So they are sold but a very, very niche market
CardiologistSweet343@reddit
Never seen one in the US.
MarcusAurelius0@reddit
I want one but my state of NY won't register them so no road use. Dumb.
Prowindowlicker@reddit
I’ve literally never seen these trucks in my life. Never once have I seen these things on the roads.
7yearlurkernowposter@reddit
No but they are cool, I see one a few blocks from me but it's the only one I've ever seen in real life.
May someday import one as it's cheaper than I expected but doubt it.
WritPositWrit@reddit
I’ve never seen nor heard of a “kei-style” truck. I had to google. NO these are not popular where I live. I’ve never seen one. Compact pickup trucks are very common, as are full-size pickups. Dually and extended cab trucks are slightly less common but I see them sometimes.
NiceGuysFinishLast@reddit
I see them all over my small city. The landscape companies use them because they fit on the golf cart paths. They have something of a cult following, people want them, and supply is limited, so they're always expensive for what they are. I'd love one just for fun.
Pinwurm@reddit
No, they're a niche vehicle for a niche subset of enthusiasts.
I've never seen one around. In fact, they were banned here in Massachusetts for some time - as they didn't meet local safety requirements. The ban was only lifted in September.
That said, you do see Smart and Fiat brand vehicles around - which are small and similar to kei vehicles.
More to the point, most American cities are designed around automobiles - so the idea of needing a 'smaller vehicle' for urban use is a little moot. Yes, here in New England - we have some cities and towns with small, narrow roads and limited parking - but this isn't true of say Los Angeles or Houston or something.
Gladyskravitz99@reddit
I've never seen one Irl and am not a car person, but I do think they're cute and kinda want one.
UnfairHoneydew6690@reddit
Are you in north, middle, or south Alabama? Because I’m in the northern part and I swear I see those little things almost few times a week.
Gladyskravitz99@reddit
Middle
JustSomeGuy556@reddit
I've seen them. And I found the video and watched it.
Anybody calling them "popular" is really misusing the term.
The only place I've seen them in any number is for things like maintenance departments for campuses and the like. (And even that is rare, and I'm not even sure if they are Kei trucks).
icspn@reddit
I saw one for the first time in my 30 years about 2 weeks ago. I was excited because I'd only ever seen them on TV and it was cute, haha. No, they are not common at all.
Danibear285@reddit
Also again the internet is not reality
Danibear285@reddit
What?
SenorVajay@reddit
They have some here in Portland, but this is probably an exception to the rule. I imagine importing would be relatively the cheapest here and using them in town makes some sense due to the density. Still, there aren’t many.
davidm2232@reddit
They are not popular because they are expensive and very hard to get paperwork for. But the few that are here are very highly sought after. The US does not have many small vehicles.
azuth89@reddit
There has been an upsurge in imports because some popular models hit the 25 year mark where they become easier to work with on the government side.
"upsurge" does not mean "popular" in any absolute sense, they're not displacing F-150s or anything. I've seen a few around and, as you said, they are good for tight spaces like cities and low-speed utility applications like moving stuff around as a farm truck but they're just not up to american freeways, they were never built for that, so there's always going to be a cap on using them very much.
Full_Detail_3725@reddit
No
SavannahInChicago@reddit
Never seen one in the US but they look super cute
namhee69@reddit
They’re very rare. I’ve seen one in my area outside a supermarket a year ago.
There’s some demand for them but it’s a needle in a haystack.
hitometootoo@reddit
I've never seen a kei truck in America and don't believe they are popular in America. Helps that they aren't sold in America afaik, so you have to import them.
AtheneSchmidt@reddit
I have never heard of them and had to look them up. I have never seen one irl, or even in US based media. I think I only recognized them because they show up in movies based in Asia.
Thing_On_Your_Shelf@reddit
They’re popular in the sense most people would say the like them or that they’re cool and such, but not popular in the sense that there’s a lot of them.
I love them, so seeing one is notable for me. In person though, I think I’ve maybe seen like 5 ever
vuther_316@reddit
Popular as in people like them? Maybe. Popular as in alot of people drive them? No. I think these are effected by the same things that prevent the hilolux from being imported, which are 1. Light truck imports are heavily restricted 2. Emission standards are affected greatly by size, meaning that a smaller vehicle has to emit less carbon, so a small vehicle with a big engine would have trouble meeting the standards.
WashuOtaku@reddit
The city I live in owns a Kei Truck. Its used by the maintenance team in the downtown area.
MyDaroga@reddit
Ooh! Pick me! I have an answer! I work in an industry that deals with a lot of automotive regulation and Kei trucks have come up a lot. Several state legislators have also weighed into the matter.
To the average person, they’re not an issue. But if you’re in the right industry, it’s a big deal.
According-Bug8150@reddit
They're not street legal in my state. I've never seen one.
mkshane@reddit
I've never even heard of this
DirtierGibson@reddit
Keep in mind several states (including California) don't allow these on roads because they don't meet the state's emissions and safety standards. That immediately removes the incentive of owning or importing one when you can only use it on your property.
MunitionGuyMike@reddit
I see them at high schools and some small businesses that are labor intensive, but other than that, no
Aquatic_Platinum78@reddit
No. But I know someone in my hometown who drives one around for fun.
mattisaloser@reddit
I live in central KY in a rural area. Farmers will own these and they’re not common but seeing one isn’t shocking. My father in law wants to buy one next year to use on his farm.
MyUsername2459@reddit
I've never seen them in-person on American roads.
I've seen the same internet articles saying they're popular, I haven't seen that happen in reality.
This is a very big country, with over 300 million people. I don't doubt that some people are importing them. . .but they're still an extremely rare sight in the US.
NormanQuacks345@reddit
My university has some in the facilities management department, but that’s the only time I’ve ever seen them. I don’t really understand it, to me it seems like it’s got about as utility as one of those John Deere Gators, but you have to import them and they’re RHD. Plus, it’s not like the roads here are two narrow for F-150s.
q0vneob@reddit
I've seen a few but its definitely a niche community. Most states wont let you register one or have other restrictions on it, plus the federal import ban means most are 25+ years old coming in.
GF_baker_2024@reddit
No. I don't think I've ever seen one in person here.
fishonthemoon@reddit
I see them all the time where I live. It’s at the point where we joke about getting one. 😆
I don’t think they’re popular all over the U.S. thought. Most people probably wouldn’t even know what a Kei truck or car is if you asked.
Sharkhawk23@reddit
My polish babcia (grandma) used to say smacznego when she fed us. My mom and aunts said who w born in Poland would say smacznego before formal events they were hosting. Smacznego is basically polish for dig in or enjoy.
Technical_Plum2239@reddit
They are cute and lots of businesses use them for for the look.
In most of the regions they aren't super practical -- big trucks are huge and heavy and do a lot of damage to smaller cars, especially much older smaller cars, like the Kei imports. They are like 25 years old.
Relevant-Ad4156@reddit
Not in my area, at least. I've never seen one in the wild in my entire life. I live in a small city (it's the biggest city in the county, but at only 17k) surrounded by rural areas.
virtual_human@reddit
No they are not. They are kind of cool though.
talk_to_the_sea@reddit
I probably only see one once every month or so
MrAnachronist@reddit
There are a bunch in my town. I wouldn’t say they are popular, but they are not uncommon.
MrLongWalk@reddit
They’re disproportionately popular in rural Vermont, people like their efficiency, reliability and size
BurgerFaces@reddit
I've seen a number of these at large industrial sites. They can get into tight spaces easier, and maintenance guys can haul their tools and some spare parts around in the back
TheBimpo@reddit
No. They're exceptionally rare. I think I've only ever seen one in a reel or social media. They're something a collector would buy and have imported or something, you can't go to a dealership and buy one.
They basically don't exist outside of a small community of enthusiasts.
Raving_Lunatic69@reddit
Can't say I've ever seen one on this side of the Pacific.