Does (Pickup) Size Matter? Scion By Toyota Doesn't Think So

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump said that his administration would pave the way for something unique. In Japan, there is an entire class of small vehicles often aimed at younger drivers. It's called the kei car and now, several months after Trump said he would welcome such cars, Toyota is taking him up on that offer. It's going to relaunch the Scion brand and do so with a small pickup. The catch? It's right-hand drive, isn't allowed on the highway, and is so slow that a decently fit cyclist can pass it on a bicycle. Buckle up because there's a lot to break down.

Dubbed the Kei-01, this little truck from Scion by Toyota — yes, that's the real brand name — has the bones of something very interesting. At its heart is a 660cc three-cylinder engine that routes power to all four wheels via a CVT. Toyota says that it offers selectable four-wheel drive, a fancy fold-down cargo bed, and creature comforts like heating and AC. Sadly, there's one other issue we haven't mentioned just yet. You can't buy one unless it's for a fleet. Let's dig into the details.

Toyota says the Kei-01 aims to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 500. That's key because it pertains to Low-Speed Vehicles (LSVs). In other words, forget thinking that this is some super-cool JDM trucklet that can replace your daily driver. Here's why. LSVs aren't legal everywhere. In fact, even in states where owners can register them and drive them on streets legally, they're prohibited from highways, since this truck has a top speed of just 25 mph.

It's also worth noting that LSVs don't have to meet all the same safety features that normal cars do. That's somewhat obvious from the size and shape of this little truck. It measures 11 feet long and just under five feet wide. Toyota doesn't say how much power or torque it'll make but does say it'll handle mud, snow, and uneven terrain with the help of a "push-button lock up." It doesn't say if that locks both axles or just one or something else.

It'll have a payload capacity of 600 pounds, and it features a three-way cargo bed — transforming from a tradition cargo bed to a flat bed with ease thanks to three folding side rails. That would effectively allow easier loading and unloading without any fancy suspension tricks. As mentioned, it's right-hand drive so that experience will be interesting for those who buy this thing. There's no tow rating as of yet, but Toyota says it's built to handle small trailers and the like.

The Kei-01 will go into production in 2027 in Indiana. Toyota says it'll need to hire around 50 new folks for the work and that the entire thing is intentionally low volume. Initially, sales will be entirely focused on the fleet sector. Think of small businesses looking for an inexpensive in-city vehicle. Farmers and ranchers will no doubt be interested as well. Municipalities, corporate campuses, and universities are also a part of Toyota's target demographic.

Toyota killed Scion for the 2017 model year, but in addition to this small trucklet, the Scion by Toyota branding has also been applied to two other concept vehicles. The SxS Concept debuted at the 2025 SEMA Show, and it shows that Toyota might be looking to go after the side-by-side market with this four-door, four-seat off-road vehicle. Then there's the BKE Concept, which Toyota says "explores another dimension of personal mobility." Basically, this looks like a rival to the Honda Motocompacto folding e-scooter, only with meatier tires.