Which Is The Best JDM Kei Truck? Sambar? Acty? HiJet? Carry? Minicab? [Collector Car Guru's RANKED!] 

NO, you are not crazy. You are just crazy about Subaru Sambars. I'm not far behind too. I own one and I love it and I drive all over North Carolina in all highways at 110km or 60 miles per hour. Thanks for sharing.

I'm thinking of buying a mini truck but was on the fence over what to get. This video was super helpful... I'm now looking for a Subaru Sambar. :) Thank you for your time in putting this great comparison together!

Sam, thanks for the informative vid. Most thorough coverage of Kei trucks that I've come across. Well done, sir!

Great review! I hit 77mph in my SC Sambar with 4 adult passengers and I still had room to go; but Sambars will spin a bearing at extended trips at 70 and above; they will run all day long at 50-55, or 60-65 with cool down breaks. Also, the Sambar Squad group has probably the most comprehensive technical database and support among the vehicles you tested.

This video is ridiculously informative and thorough. Thank you for making this, it's really helped me narrow down the search. I'm also 6'4 and a few thousand km away from Japan, so it's hard to make informed decisions especially regarding the ergonomics so thank you specifically for covering that and mentioning your height!

Great review! I just purchased a Suzuki Carry 4WD, dump. I fabricated a mounting bracket for a plow and winch. No lift, just beefy snow tires. I'm sure I'll have no problem with the 4 low and axles locked. Slow and steady will easily make it work. Everything is going really well so far. I'll be ready for the North East snow this year. 👍

This video is exactly what I've been looking for, thank you!

Thanks buddy, this video gave me a sense of direction in the market. Much appreciated!

Super informative. RU-vid needs more content like this. Thanks!

You've been fantastic with your job. I am excited to own a Sambar. Thank you for taking the pains to do the job for us.

Great video. I’ve been looking at these and this is really helpful.

Very nice video, by the way. I’ll be looking for more in the future.

Thanks so much for a thorough explanation of all the vehicles.

A nice, thorough comparison! Thanks!

Thanks for the Ranking on those little trucks. I,m looking at them all the time.

Thanks thinking about a mini, and this helps! Thanks for sharing your experience. 🇯🇵

Great Job Sam!! Spot on with your assessment!.. My buddy "Oh Kei Garage" now owns that 12km Sambar from your clip..lol

Thorough and informative, thanks for the video.

Fresh intro to a cool subject. TY! :)

Thank you Sam for doing this video!! God bless you Sir. I'm actually going for a Suzuki Carry!!😊

I'm 6'4 and the only kei ive driven was a Honda Acty van. I had TONS of room. I was so shocked how roomy it was for me. 10/10 driving experience will buy one.

Great video! Just importeda new hijet van for adventuring around our new property, '22 4x4, and will be used for camping and exploring as we just purchased a combination of diff pieces of land totaling around 7100 acres! My wife just got a new '22 extend cab hijet truck, and we also ported in a new jimny and a landcruiser strictly for on property use! Should do well for use in a few private tinyhouse communities we will be bringing online this coming summer! again, great video! We've been getting folks across our existing private communities, who live in tinyhouses, to nab hijets we've been bringing in! Many have large sprinter vans, f350s/3500 rams, very large vehicles, and enjoy using the small hijets to put around town, as they are legal as atvs, and sxs's! keep up the great videos!

Thank you for the comparison video, hopefully some of this translates into their van models. I'm ready to make the purchase of a Kia van after doing some research for almost a year( and saving a few extra bucks) I have been leaning towards the Subaru sambar and your video sealed the deal for me, I'm 6'3 and would like as much room as I could get in one of these. Thanks again for the video

Really good overview of the different trucks! I have owned 6 ACTY's, 5 Sambars, 1 Minicab and 1 Hijet. They have all had their good/bad qualities and quirks. To me Sambars run smoother, and are just better driving than the others. I do like the build quality on the Hondas more, mostly because with my trucks, the interiors are less prone to falling apart.

Awesome video! Thank you so much for breaking it down.

I remember the years I spent in Japan and Korea, where such vehicles were very common. The most I recall seeing were those used for farming and hauling equipment. They were great for out in the fields, and getting into those smaller side streets, being real work horses for almost everything.

Excellent information. Thank you for sharing this.

Absolutely amazing video! So glad I came across this because I want to buy a Kei truck soon 😊

Hey man, love the cars and the jokes, great vid !!

Nice summation. I just ran my supercharged Subaru Sambar TT2 Hi-Cab up and down the hilly Vermont I-91 freeway between Windsor and WRJ at 70+ mph (I hit 120 kph on 175-70 R14 tires). I had to downshift into 4th on one particular hill in 10 miles, always do, because it is mountainous terrain, but we maintained speed. We passed two vehicles in 10 miles and kept up with the majority of the rest. The Sambar does not have a tachometer, but it has shift point indicators for 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear at certain positions noted on the speedometer. The engine and transmission combo is designed for these recommended shift points and it truly screams far beyond what people think would to be normal in reaching these shift points. It is amazing, how nicely it slides into the next gear when I follow the queues. To shift at lower points would be to lug the hot little engine. The full power band in any engine should be regularly used or the engine is being abused. I have been driving and beating the hell out of engines since the mid '60's and haven't blown one yet. I love the way this little supercharged, EFI, four cylinder engine screams. It wants to work and it does. I have owned my Sambar since 2009. I purchased it with 40k miles on it. The engine has been through hell and back, due to some leaky coolant tube situations now in the past, the result of the tin worms eating the tubes (something you'll learn about if you drive a Sambar in salt country), but the engine still does not use a drop of oil after all these years. I rebuilt the cooling tube manifold and runs using soldered copper plumbing pipe and fittings. It was a perfect match. I use top shelf 10w30 synthetic oil, always have. I change it once a year. I don't drive a lot of miles, so this works for me, an oil change every spring. Have some fun with a Kei truck!

really interesting thanks Sam

this video really helped me decide which kei truck im going to purchase, thank you !

I bought a Hijet pick/Lift, mostly becasue it had the most accessible engine. Having to work through a hole in the bed just isn’t very fun. With a dump bed, you raise the bed, take off the engine protection plate, and you have full access to the engine. The Suzuki, and the Hijet, have the best weight distribution, due to their true mid engine layout. My Hijet has a perfect fifty/fifty weight distribution with me in the seat.

Thanks for helping me make a decision on what to choose when I get to that decision. It was either between the Subaru or the Honda. I'm leaning more towards subaru since I will probably hop on the 5 a lot

I bought the Acty. I don't have it yet, but i think i made the right choice. I'm 5'9" and 120 lbs, so space really shouldn't be a problem. I hear nothing but good stories of the real time 4wd. I like the look of it better than the others, too. It was a choice between the Sambar and the Acty, as the engine under the cab in southern Utah heat was just not going to happen. Not going to lie, the final decision maker was price, I absolutely had to have 4WD, 5-Speed manual, and A/C. Found a 95 Acty with all those four 1200 before shipping from Japan. Yeah, the 95 is carbureted, and the 96 is fuel injected, but I really ain't going to be driving it a whole lot as I work all over the country and this is just my at home rig, so I'm cool with second place. As far as it being the weakest, I'm probably never taking it to the freeway, and the most highway driving will be about 6 miles one way, so not a problem. But the other half of this equation is that I'm considering swapping out the engine for a street bike engine when it gives up the ghost. So I'll be upping the power substantially IF I do that, may or may not... but kinda the plan if the engine goes out.

Awesome review, glad I came across this.

Thank you for the information. I was trying to pick one to buy and now i have all the info i need.

Just ordered my second Minicab (sold my 1st and instantly regretted it) . While I never had any trouble with highways or backroads, it definitely was revvving quite high at speed. Moving forward, if I ever am in the market again, I will now be looking for a Sambar for sure, Just couldn't resist the price on the 4x4 mitsu with AC and dump bed as I'll only be using it as a property maintenance vehicle instead of buying a Kubota RTV.

Thanks for the comprehensive comparision. At 6'2 I was concerned most about fitting. Good to know Sambar is the way to go for me.

I have owned a Suzuki carry and a honda acty hands down honda is the best slow I don't care about speed 55mph cruising 😎 all day

My last Sambar caught fire at just over 700'000km. My company has had many of these over the years and I stand by my assertion that they are the best business decision I have ever made.

Excellent consise video. I imported 18 or so JDM. And ran them in other countries. Thank 🐦 you!

Wonderful review for a future buyer.

Great review of the factors that matter.

Been wanting a kei van for a while now, but highway capabilities have been a deterrent. Especially as I would primarily use it as a camper. Anyways, great video! Answered so many questions I didn’t even know I had!

Hey there Class winners! Your video is a blast to watch! There was a lot of good information in the video. A combination of both information and opinion:) However more opportunity for education remains. For the last twelve years, we have been humbled and privileged to own thousands of mini trucks. This has given us unique insight that causes us to proceed carefully when we are asked the question "which is the best KEI truck?" It's the most commonly asked question because it's what the well intentioned consumer wants to know. There are a variety of people out there needing a mini truck for varied applications but there really isn't just one mini truck which is the best for all people. While the fantastic Subaru Sambar is a well engineered and built KEI truck, buying one could be a mistake. A BIG mistake. For example, we've been contacted by five people over the past few years (three of whom self imported) who had either a spun connecting rod bearing or a crankshaft bearing. This is because the Subaru Sambar is a 4 cylinder and is buttery smooth. Add to that the engine literally doubles as the rear bumper way back there. You can barely hear it. This creates a risk to the unsuspecting operator who can over rev their engine and do irreversible damage. Add to that a supercharger and we'll let you imagine the rest:) The KEI vehicle is NOT an acceptable interstate commuter. We sold a Subaru Sambar van to someone who wanted to drive it on the interstate to complete a six hour trip and against our advice did attempt to make the trip. The crankshaft bearing spun on interstate 81. Caveat emptor. We also are hearing from people who are needing a KEI truck for the woods or off road and must have a Subaru. That is a poor union of truck/user since your rear bumper is your engine and there is a large risk of backing into a stationary object and causing huge damage to the powerplant. Seen it first hand:) There are several more acceptable options which are safer and a more appropriate solution. As a secondary or tertiary mention, we have Daihatsu's on a two post lift every day doing oil changes at three different mechanics. We use normal protocol and have not had any trucks fall off:) Thank God for that! Didn't want to write a book here but your video prompted a rejoinder. Thank you for making the video! There is a lot of useful information contained in it:) Caveat emptor for sure. An educated consumer is the best consumer:)

Definitely happy I found this video. Been looking all over FB marketplace for a kei van and came very close to paying a premium for a minicab bravo. Glad I found out it’s difficult to find parts for it. Might try my luck with the Diahatsu since it’s so hard to find a Sambar van for cheap

Hi Sam, great mini truck review! I think you were fair in your world. Urban, highways, etc. Don't forget they are trucks. I haul 600lb hay bales and firewood in Colorado mountains. I wouldn't want a rear engine, prone to damage and taking payload ability here. I've done a couple of videos that get that point across hopefully. I also believe Suzuki parts availability is the best. Thanks again!

East Coast Canada, I got myself a 2005 Suzuki Every Wagon and it is a blast to drive with its 4x4 turbo I turn so many heads and so many people want it, I mainly bought it for mail delivery but now its my daily driver and at 6'5" its tight but I have good leg room, amazing head room like 6 or 8 inches of head room, I haul so much stuff in it, and I'm working with a buddy of mine to get a side by side plow mounted on it, very excited. great video B'y

Awesome video!

If I'm on the highway going downhill with the wind at my back and my foot to the floor, I can bury the needle on my Autozam Scrum and it doesn't mind it at all. And even when fully loaded with ~1,200 pounds of topsoil, I could keep it at 65 kmh going uphill on a 12-14% incline in 4th gear. That truck impresses me every day and is a blast to drive. Great reviews and comparisons of the main competitors. I completely agree with your ranking, too. A Sanbar might be my next acquisition.

Nice job. Agree with the conclusions.

This is the video i have been waiting for. Personally i enjoy them all however i do like the Hijet and Minicab more.

Have daily driven my 94 Sambar for 2yrsvwithout a problem. Fantastic vehicle, the most functional and practical truck that I have ever owned.

thank you this helps a lot

My '98 Sambar is being put into a shipping container next week. I'm 6'2" 250#, and I had done some research before buying and knew it would have more room and I also liked the idea of weight distribution and ease of access to the engine. It will be used around a small farm in East Texas. These minitrucks are much more useful and affordable than a side by side. I appreciate your video and thanks for helping me feel better about my decision to buy the Subaru.

This was AWESOME and SO insightful! Thank you!! But now, uh-oh... I was all down the path of ACTY (just about to pull the trigger), and now all sights are on Sambar! LOL. :-D Gosh I hope I can find a good one (van). PS: Constructive crit... Maybe turn down the volume a little bit? Felt a bit like I was getting yelled at.

Very good video packed with a lot of useful information. How would you rate the newer Suzuki DA63T compared to the other models?

I think you forgot a few points with the Honda acty. The truck is a unibody which sets it apart. The acty has the longest bed space because it dips in behind the seats. The acty has much more interior storage room than the cab over alternatives under the seats. The acty is best off-road in my opinion from testing the others. The acty also was offered in a 6 wheel version that can have tracks installed! Also being real-time 4x4 it is much safer in snowy conditions. I do agree with a lot of the things about the acty in your video though especially the leg room.

Thanks for the informative video. Currently hunting for a Kei van for my lake house to run people up steep hill to and from the dock. At 6'3" it sound like the Subaru is best option. Didn't here it mentioned but have you had chance to try the turbocharged models from Mitsubishi and Suzuki in the vans?

I appreciate the info I'm going to find one of those sandbars and sit in it and see if it works, THANKS 👍

I'll start by saying your video is most informing. I have seen on the JDM Kei trucks! I would like to see a video on the JDM Daihatsu Mira Walthrough. I have a 1993 Classic model Walkthrough.

Made that decision simple. TY!

2001 HiJet owner here. I love this thing, but it's not that useful in a rural setting unless you have it raised and have serious tires on it. Highway speeds of 70 mph are possible but you're beating it to death. Staying around 50-55 is pretty good. The High-low ranges are cool as are the locking differential and the DUMP BED (gets all the oohs and ahhhs). North American users will want to get heavier springs as the slightest pothole jars the spine. All in all, a pretty cool and rare package though. Love it.

That Supercharger clip was in Olympia, WA crazy be able to figure that out at a glimpse

Exactly what I was thinking, I'm looking into a Sambar supercharged right now. I have an importer looking for one. As soon as he finds a clean one I'll have my little tank 😂

I have a 92' Acty and I love it, I have taken it on several trails and never any issues.

Looks like I am definitely looking into researching he Subaru a lot more and I have a feeling that’s what I’m going to end up choosing.

Subaru prices are higher....i love the Sandbar and want one bad ( Samba!)....but the Suzuki is a great econo ride...and yes it revs up like a motorbike...the sound of a four banger is superb, though I love the quirky three piston growl, too( well, i got that in the R2...one 5speed, the other a cvt 4WD supercharger(not long to an engine transplant/swap)) You are not Crazy Mr. Bauer(?), you are spot on. Thanks very much. Happy New Year P.S. i got my eye on a Every van...that, as you know, is a midship engine rear wheel drive...hoping the extra weight will solve that-what dya say- feeling she gonna buck ya from behind

Glad I watched this was going to get the Honda now I’m looking at the sandbar

Your love for the little Kai shows. But at 6 ft 6 and 400 lb I will never have one I love them so much about the only thing I could do is play Matchbox cars with them I really like your attitude and Reporting in this because of this video you got a new subscriber

Good to know info.

Great, well thought-out ranking, though where the Subaru stumbles is climbing. For rural users who turn these things into UTVs, the subie is way too rear-biased in its center of gravity and lacks low range and diff/hub locks. The Hijet and Carry excel in this application with some pros and cons. Daihatsu made a special Climber version of the Hijet that reigns king, followed by the Carry then the regular Hijet.

Although this does answer a lot of my questions, I would love to see a video like this dedicated to the van versions....as I will need to buy one sometime this year for my new job....based on this video, the Subaru is my #1 choice, followed by the Suzuki.

This is the Future!

awesome video, do you know which performs best off-road? I have heard that the acty attack is great

Excellent video. I have a Honda Acty , I’ve had it for 2 years now. Love it, but very cramped and slow. Next buy is the Subaru

Sam nice video. Thank you. I’ve been looking at kei trucks and this was helpful. One question, have you ever tried a Toyota tow ace. It’s slightly larger and my state doesn’t seem to frown on titling and registering them. Love any input you may have.

What an awesome video. Very comprehensive.

I'm biased to the Hijet because I bought one a few months ago. I looked at a LOT of kei trucks for sale online and the Hijets of the same year seemed to have fewer problems. The A/C is going to be problematic on 25+ year old vehicles but worked more often on the Hijets. The Hijets seemed to have less rust on both the frame and the body. That was a big concern for me after my Toyota Tacoma had a manufacturer's defect that caused the frame to rust through at 91,000 miles and rust completely in half at 137,000 miles despite me living in Kentucky on the lower edge of the salt belt. The old Hijets also had fewer oil leaks. I hate oil leaks almost as much as I hate rust. Almost all of the Sambars I saw had oil leaks, some minor and some major. So far, my Hijet has been easy to repair, maintain and upgrade, but I don't have a lift. That was good info to know. Thanks for the warning. The Hijet engine has a ridiculous number of vacuum lines. The top of the engine looks like a plate of spaghetti.

My parents owned an Asia (Kia) towner back in the late 90’s. It was perfect for tight spaces when parking and loading in downtown. It hink it had a 3 cyl. engine that was super fuel efficient waaaay before we even thought of EV’s.

Thank you

I liked the Subaru Sambar. Lots of room. I really had my heart set on an Orange Honda Acty but my knees were into the dash. No way to shift or work pedals.

Id love to get a hold of a super charged samdbar van to convert to an off-road mini cmaper, that can high way to the next dirt trail with out a trailer

Which of these has the best automatic transmission and 4X4 configuration? I plan on converting to using an electric/fuel cell for power.

So cool. Would love to get one someday. Do you what they cost? Do you know if these legal in California ?

My fiance’s family in SE Asia have a 1990 Suzuki Carry. What is the expected longevity of the motor and transmisssion? They are considering buying a newer Suzuki Every from 2010+ model years. Is there a better wngine between the da64v, da64w and the da17w?

The other better ergonomic thing about these Kei trucks that is better than full size pickups, is that even small people can load the beds without having to bench press the loads to waist level height or higher, because the bed level is between the height of our hanging fingertips and our knees, just the height that loads in your arms hang without any lifting needed to get it onto the bed.

Good review can you tell me can you import theSubaru Sambars into Australia.

Thanks

Hi Sam, i too have recently caught the Kei truck bug. I am looking at the Mazda Bongo. Do you have any experience with those? I have 2 dogs that go with me everywhere and NEED the room. The larger engine and bed appeals to me too. I plan to use it in my fledgling orchard. Driving up and down the rows ( hereto for Ive used my pickup and trailer) and of course there will be the short trips into town, 2 miles away and occasionally to the larger town 20 miles away. Also, i may be loaning it occasionally to my girlfriend who will drive it 50 miles away and it seems the extra HP and size is a fit for me. Is 4 wheel drive necessary in the Bongo? With the duals in the rear I am wondering 2 WD is enough? Thanks for your time

I'm curious if the engines are universally compatible on these? Because most of them seem to be the 660 size engine. There's a couple that aren't. but I did see more than a few with 600 something 3 cylinder engine size. They also all look the same with very few changes. It looks like they all use the same template and then do a few tiny modifications. So can you cross parts these, for the internals and guts?

Thank you for addressing the fuel mileage myth. Everyone selling a Kei vehicle makes that claim. Even my Suzuki Cappuccino doesn't even get 40-50mpg. The best I've ever gotten in my Suzuki carry has been 34mpg. I average about 28mpg.

You are right wright 😊, about Mitsubishi , it power can carry more weight , about 1,2 tons, from others, and stand still even at climbing a hills road

You are dead spot on....

Is the inside width of the bed over 4' wide so it can carry plywood with the sides up (tailgate open is okay)?

Ive been trying to find a sambar supercharger pickup, only one but sadly its just rear wheel drive. Ive found a ton of dias ones with the supercharger so im debating between them

I wonder if parts are still more available on the street in Asia. Back when I had a 1L Daihatsu Charade nearly 30 years ago I could fly to Indonesia or Malaysia and come back with a suitcase or two filled with parts and still save money overall. I'm now wondering if that holds true today with my HiJet.

i got a honda acty and i’m 6’4. this will be interesting when i get it😅

How you doing Sr I live in Florida do you know if there's a large distributor in Florida. I've been interested in finding a Subaru Sambar with the super charger 4×4 with a dump bed . I just don't have a good starting point to look for one.thanks for your input and take care n be safe