Toyota is bringing a real Japanese-style kei truck to the United States under a revived Scion brand. The Scion KEI-01 is a tiny right-hand-drive pickup with a 660cc three-cylinder engine and four-wheel drive, and it will be built in Indiana from the second half of 2027. The catch: it is classed as a low-speed vehicle, so its top speed is 25 mph, and at first Toyota will only sell it to fleet customers. No price has been announced.[1][3][4]
 | |
| Maker | Toyota Motor North America, sold as "Scion by Toyota" |
|---|---|
| Type | Kei (ultra-compact) utility truck, right-hand drive |
| Engine | 660cc three-cylinder, CVT automatic |
| Drive | Selectable four-wheel drive with auto mode |
| Top speed | 25 mph (low-speed vehicle, FMVSS No. 500) |
| Payload | Up to 600 lb in the bed |
| Size | Just over 11 ft long, under 5 ft wide |
| Built at | Toyota Indiana ($34 million, about 50 new jobs) |
| On sale | Second half of 2027, fleet pilot first |
| Model year | 2028 (per MotorTrend and Car and Driver) |
| Price | Not announced |
What Toyota announced
Toyota Motor North America showed the new brand, called Scion by Toyota, at two events held at the same time in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, and Frisco, Texas. Its written announcement came out on Tuesday, November 10. Toyota calls the new Scion a "freedom lab", a place to try ideas that do not fit the main Toyota range. The KEI-01 is the first vehicle it will actually sell.[1][8]
Two concepts came along for the show. The SxS Concept is a side-by-side off-roader first seen at the 2025 SEMA Show, with a turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid making more than 300 horsepower. The BKE Concept is a small personal-mobility vehicle; MotorTrend says it is a compact battery scooter that fits in the back of the KEI-01. Neither has a sale date.[1][2]
Simon Humphries, Toyota's chief branding officer and head of design, said in the release that the brand "gives us a place to challenge conventional thinking". Work Truck Online carried the same statement.[1][8]
The original Scion was Toyota's youth-focused brand from 2003 until Toyota folded it in 2016, which is why the name still means boxy xB "toaster" cars to many American drivers.[5][4]
Scion KEI-01 specs: engine, speed and payload
Under the skin this is a familiar truck. MotorTrend and The Autopian both say the KEI-01 looks the same as the Toyota Pixis Truck sold in Japan, which is itself a rebadged Daihatsu Hijet, one of Japan's most popular kei trucks. Toyota's own release does not use either name.[2][6][7]
| Item | Scion KEI-01 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 660cc three-cylinder petrol | Toyota, MotorTrend |
| Gearbox | Continuously variable automatic (CVT) | Toyota, The Drive |
| Drive | Selectable 4WD with auto mode and push-button lock | Toyota, Car and Driver |
| Top speed | 25 mph | Toyota, The Drive, Car and Driver |
| Payload | Up to 600 lb | Toyota, Car and Driver, The Autopian |
| Length / width | Just over 11 ft / under 5 ft | Toyota, Car and Driver |
| Bed | Three-way fold-down sides | Toyota, The Drive |
| Cabin | Extended cab, reclining and sliding seats, heat and A/C | Toyota, MotorTrend |
| Horsepower | Not given (the Japanese Pixis makes about 50 hp, per MotorTrend) | MotorTrend |
| Towing | "Small trailers", no figure given | Toyota, Car and Driver |
Toyota says the bed takes up to 600 pounds and that the structure can tow "small trailers and equipment", without a number. Car and Driver puts that payload in context: a compact Ford Maverick handles up to 1,500 pounds, and the upcoming electric Slate Truck 1,550 pounds.[1][4]
Why is the KEI-01 limited to 25 mph?
Because that is the only way Toyota can sell it new without redesigning it for full US crash standards. Toyota says the KEI-01 is "designed to comply with FMVSS No. 500 requirements for LSVs" and that its maximum speed "will be 25 miles per hour". The Drive describes this as the way around the crash rules that keep kei vehicles out of US showrooms.[1][3]
Federal law defines a low-speed vehicle (LSV) as a four-wheeled motor vehicle that can reach more than 20 mph but no more than 25 mph within a mile on a flat paved road, and weighs under 3,000 pounds gross. Standard No. 500 then sets a short list of equipment: lights, turn signals, reflectors, mirrors, a parking brake, a proper safety-glass windshield, a seat belt at every seat, a VIN and rear visibility.[10][11]
The 20 mph floor is what separates an LSV from a golf cart, which is why the KEI-01 can carry plates while a typical golf cart cannot. A vehicle that tops out below 20 mph is not an LSV under that definition.[10]
Is the Scion KEI-01 street legal?
Yes, on the right roads. Car and Driver says the 25 mph limit is what lets it be driven legally on the street. Where exactly is up to each state: the federal standard covers the equipment, not which roads you may use. The Autopian notes that LSVs are generally only allowed on roads with a posted limit of 35 mph or less, which rules out highways and most fast arterial roads.[4][5][11]
So before anyone pictures a KEI-01 on the interstate: it cannot go there. Think farm lanes, university campuses, warehouse yards, resort towns and slow city streets. If you are a business looking at one, check your state DMV's LSV page and talk to your insurer about how they class it, because LSV rules on registration, insurance and allowed roads differ from state to state.
When can you buy one, and how much will it cost?
Production starts at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana in the second half of 2027, backed by a $34 million investment that Toyota says adds about 50 jobs. Toyota's own release gives the timing as the second half of 2027; MotorTrend and Car and Driver label the truck a 2028 model.[1][2][4][9]
Buying one will be hard at first. Toyota calls the KEI-01 an "intentionally low-volume, niche vehicle" and will start with a fleet-focused pilot programme, sold through a small group of Scion by Toyota dealers picked from existing Toyota dealers. It says it "may consider expanding availability to limited retail sales at a later date", depending on demand and market conditions. The Drive sums it up as "not a no, but it's far from a yes".[1][3][7]
The target buyers Toyota lists are small business owners, farmers and ranchers, municipalities, universities, corporate campuses, urban delivery and service firms, and outdoor hobbyists.[1]
Price: Toyota has not announced one. The Drive and MotorTrend both say the price is undisclosed. For a rough market reference only, The Autopian says brand-new mini-trucks sold by independent US dealers usually cost over $20,000. That is not a KEI-01 price.[2][3][6]
A cheap, slow, small work truck also lands at a time when running costs matter to small firms; see our look at why US gas prices fell below $4 a gallon.
KEI-01 vs imported kei trucks and small pickups
Kei trucks are not new to America. Many already work on farms and college campuses, and enthusiasts import them from Japan. Under federal law, a vehicle that is at least 25 years old can be imported without meeting US safety standards, which is why the popular route is a used truck from around 2000 or earlier.[6][12]
The Autopian, written by someone who has imported three kei cars, makes the trade-off clear. A 25-year-old import can usually top 70 mph and, in states that title them, be driven almost anywhere. New "mini-trucks" from independent dealers are either limited to LSV speeds or sold for off-road use, and they come with no factory support and at best a limited warranty. The KEI-01 sits between the two: new, backed by Toyota dealers, but slow.[6]
Against a normal small pickup it is not really a rival. A Ford Maverick can carry about two and a half times the payload and drive at highway speeds. The KEI-01's selling points are size, a cabin with heat and air conditioning, Toyota service and what Toyota calls "exceptional fuel efficiency".[1][4]
Politics may help too. Late in 2025 President Donald Trump praised Japan's tiny kei cars and said his administration would clear the way for them in the US, Yahoo Finance and The Drive both recall. A US-built kei truck fits that message, and fits Toyota's push to show US investment while tariffs remain a big issue for importers (background: China's $1 trillion trade surplus and US tariffs).[3][9]
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2003 | Toyota launches the original Scion brand in the US |
| 2016 | Toyota retires the Scion brand |
| Late 2025 | SxS Concept shown at the SEMA Show; Trump praises kei cars |
| November 10, 2026 | Scion by Toyota and the KEI-01 announced |
| Second half of 2027 | KEI-01 production starts in Indiana; fleet sales begin |
| Later (not dated) | Possible limited retail sales, if demand is there |
Sources for the table: Toyota, The Autopian, Car and Driver, The Drive and Yahoo Finance.[1][3][4][5][9]
Frequently asked questions
What is the Scion KEI-01 top speed?
25 mph. That is the federal maximum for a low-speed vehicle.[1][10]
How much does the Scion KEI-01 cost?
Toyota has not announced a price.[2][3]
When does the Toyota kei truck come to the USA?
Production in Indiana starts in the second half of 2027, with fleet customers first.[1][4]
Can I buy a Scion KEI-01 as a private buyer?
Not at launch. Toyota says it may consider limited retail sales later, depending on demand.[1][3]
Is it right-hand drive?
Yes. Toyota confirms the KEI-01 is right-hand drive, even though it is built in Indiana.[1][3]
Can it go on the highway?
No. As an LSV it is limited to 25 mph, and states generally keep LSVs to slower roads.[1][5]
References
- Toyota Says 'Okei' to America: Introducing the Scion by Toyota Brand and KEI-01, Toyota Newsroom, November 10, 2026.
- The 2028 Scion KEI-01 Is a 25-MPH Pickup Truck Coming to America, MotorTrend, November 10, 2026.
- Toyota Revives Scion Brand With US-Legal Kei Truck, and There's More Where That Came From, The Drive, November 10, 2026.
- Scion Is Back, with a Tiny Kei-Class Truck, Car and Driver, November 10, 2026.
- Scion Is Back! And It's Going To Sell A Kei Truck In America, The Autopian, November 10, 2026.
- Here's Who The New Scion KEI-01 Actually Is (And Isn't) For, The Autopian, November 10, 2026.
- The 2028 Toyota KEI-01 4x4 Mini Truck Is Coming to the US, The Fast Lane Truck, November 10, 2026.
- Toyota Introduces the Scion by Toyota Brand and KEI-01, Work Truck Online, November 11, 2026.
- Toyota resurrects Scion with Kei mini car, a Trump favorite, Yahoo Finance, November 10, 2026.
- 49 CFR 571.3, Definitions (low-speed vehicle), Cornell Legal Information Institute, checked November 11, 2026.
- 49 CFR 571.500, Standard No. 500: Low-speed vehicles, Cornell Legal Information Institute, checked November 11, 2026.
- 49 U.S.C. 30112, Prohibitions on manufacturing, selling, and importing noncomplying motor vehicles, Cornell Legal Information Institute, checked November 11, 2026.