The Economist The Economist Skip to content - Menu - Weekly edition - The world in brief - Search Log in - Featured -------- - War in Ukraine - Recession watch - US politics - Climate change - Coronavirus - A-Z of economics - Big Mac index - 1843 magazine - Sections -------- - The world this week - Leaders - Letters - By Invitation - Briefing - United States - The Americas - Asia - China - Middle East & Africa - Europe - Britain - International - Business - Finance & economics - Science & technology - Culture - Economic & financial indicators - Graphic detail - The Economist explains - Obituary - Special reports - Technology Quarterly - The World Ahead - Essay - Schools brief - The Economist reads - Summer reads - Christmas Specials - More ---- - Newsletters - Podcasts - Films - Subscriber events - The Economist app - Online courses - Opinion ------- - Leaders - Letters to the editor - By Invitation - Current topics -------------- - War in Ukraine - Climate change - Coronavirus - The Biden presidency - Recession watch - The Economist explains - World ----- - The world this week - China - United States - Europe - Britain - Middle East & Africa - Asia - The Americas - International - In depth -------- - Science & technology - Graphic detail - Special reports - Technology Quarterly - The World Ahead - Briefing - Essay - Schools brief - Business & economics -------------------- - Finance & economics - Business - Big Mac index - A-Z of economics - Economic & financial indicators - Culture & society ----------------- - 1843 magazine - Culture - Obituary - The Economist reads - Summer reads - Christmas Specials - More ---- - Podcasts - Newsletters - Films - The Economist app - Subscriber events - Online courses - My Economist - Saved stories - Log out - Saved stories - Account - Log out Search Search [United States](/united-states/) | Tiny trucks Rural Americans are importing tiny Japanese pickup trucks ========================================================= Bigger isn’t always better -------------------------- Apr 20th 2023 | CHICAGO Share A couple of years ago Jake Morgan, a farmer who lives just outside Raleigh, in North Carolina, realised he needed a new vehicle to get around his property. At first he was looking at “side-by-sides”—a sort of off-road utility vehicle. But watching a review on YouTube of one that costs around $30,000 made by John Deere, he saw a comment that said something like “Why don’t you just get a minitruck instead?” That is, a tiny four-wheel drive pickup truck, sometimes known as a “Kei” truck, mostly made in Japan to take advantage of laws there which tax smaller vehicles less. Listen to this story. Enjoy more audio and podcasts on iOS or Android. Your browser does not support the <audio> element. Intrigued, Mr Morgan started researching. Within a few months, he drove to Newport, Virginia to pick up a 1997 Honda Acty, having spent a total of just $2,000 on importing it. He was delighted. Not only was it “dirt cheap”, but the Acty is less than five feet wide, and so can get into tight spaces a normal pickup cannot, like Mr Morgan’s barn. And unlike a side-by-side, it can also be driven legally on local roads. “They’re amazingly useful,” he says. Not long after importing his first, he sold it and bought another. The new one is even better—it has air-conditioning and a button which activates a dumper. Kei trucks were never intended for sale in America. Most are right-hand drive, and they do not always have airbags or other safety features required in new cars. The bulk are imported under a rule that allows non-compliant vehicles that are older than 25 years to be brought into America, a carve-out intended originally for collectible vintage cars, although a few specialist dealers import newer ones too, for sale as off-road vehicles. They fill a niche American manufacturers are failing to. Todd Gatto, one of the owners of hvny Imports, a firm in Goshen, New York, says that he has sold over 300 to local businesses in the past few years. “We bought five of them to start, and we sold them all within seven days,” he says. Buyers include farmers, but also building contractors, a deli and Legoland, the theme park. “A lot of commercial businesses see the use of these over an $85,000 F250,” he says (the F250 is an enormous pickup truck sold by Ford). Unlike new vehicles with onboard computers and complicated proprietary parts, Kei trucks are easy to modify and repair. In northern Wisconsin and Minnesota, people fit them out with tracks to drive on ice in winter. Some owners are almost cultish. “MotoCheez”, a mechanic from Connecticut, says his YouTube channel’s popularity soared after he started featuring his Kei truck. As the demand grows, some worry that the loopholes that allow their import and use might be closed. Dealers increasingly report trouble getting the vehicles registered for road use, particularly in north-eastern states. Safety concerns are part of the reason. Mr Morgan admits his would be a “death trap” on a busy highway. But some fans suspect an auto-industry stitch-up to keep out cheap Japanese competition. If so, it would not be the first time. *Stay on top of American politics with [Checks and Balance](/newsletters/checks-and-balance), our weekly subscriber-only newsletter, which examines the state of American democracy and the issues that matter to voters.* This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline "What a Kei-motion" United States April 22nd 2023 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - The Dominion lawsuit showed the limits of Fox’s influence over its audience - Abortions have become 6% rarer since the end of Roe v Wade - Rural Americans are importing tiny Japanese pickup trucks - The Daniel Perry case shows the contradictions of gun enthusiasts in Texas - America’s Supreme Court weighs religious accommodations in the workplace - American religion is becoming less exceptional - Detroit is working again ### From the April 22nd 2023 edition Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents Explore the edition Share Reuse this content More from United States --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### [The Daniel Perry case shows the contradictions of gun enthusiasts in Texas](/united-states/2023/04/20/the-daniel-perry-case-shows-the-contradictions-of-gun-enthusiasts-in-texas) It cannot be the case both that all should be armed, and that anyone who is armed poses a mortal threat ### [America’s Supreme Court weighs religious accommodations in the workplace](/united-states/2023/04/20/americas-supreme-court-weighs-religious-accommodations-in-the-workplace) The justices grope for common ground in a religious-rights row ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ### [American religion is becoming less exceptional](/united-states/2023/04/20/american-religion-is-becoming-less-exceptional) In 1972 90% of Americans called themselves Christians; now just 64% do ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Subscribe - Group subscriptions - Reuse our content - The Trust Project - Help and contact us Keep updated ------------ - Facebook - Instagram - Twitter - LinkedIn - YouTube - RSS Published since September 1843 to take part in *“a severe contest between intelligence, which presses forward, and an unworthy, timid ignorance obstructing our progress.”* The Economist ------------- - About - Advertise - Press centre The Economist Group ------------------- - The Economist Group - Economist Intelligence - Economist Impact - Economist Events - Working Here - Economist Education Courses - Which MBA? - Executive Jobs - Executive Education Navigator - Terms of Use - Privacy - Cookie Policy - Manage Cookies - Accessibility - Modern Slavery Statement - Sitemap - California: Do Not Sell My Personal Information Copyright © The Economist Newspaper Limited 2023. 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