Toyota just dusted off the Scion nameplate and slapped it on something nobody expected: a right-hand-drive kei truck that maxes out at 25 mph.
According to Jalopnik, the automaker announced a new sub-brand called Scion by Toyota this week, and the first product is the KEI-01, an 11-foot-long micro hauler set to arrive in the second half of 2027. If you follow the gray-market kei scene, you already know this truck. It goes by Daihatsu Hijet or Toyota Pixis in other markets, but the U.S. version gets the Scion badge and a speed governor to keep it legal under low-speed vehicle rules.
Power comes from a 660cc three-cylinder engine mated to a CVT, sending torque to all four wheels. Toyota has not released official horsepower figures, but that same motor usually makes around 50 hp in other applications. Not that it matters much when you are capped at 25 mph.
Fleet only, Indiana built
The KEI-01 will roll off the line at Toyota’s Indiana plant, which is a curious choice for a vehicle this niche. Standard kit includes selectable four-wheel drive with an auto mode and a push-button lock for when the pavement ends. The bed features three-way fold-down walls, and the cab offers sliding, reclining seats. Payload tops out at 600 pounds, and the chassis can handle towing light trailers or equipment.
Here is the catch: you cannot just walk into a dealer and buy one. Toyota says the KEI-01 is aimed at select use cases and will only be available to fleet customers through participating Scion by Toyota dealers. The company left the door open for retail sales down the line, but right now they are positioning it as a tool for small business owners, ranchers, and anyone working tight spaces where a full-size truck is overkill.
Concepts that might never happen
Toyota also wheeled out two other vehicles under the Scion name. The SxS Concept is a gasoline-electric hybrid side-by-side that first showed up at SEMA in 2025, designed for high-speed off-road chaos. The BKE Concept is a collapsible electric bike that folds small enough to fit in a GR86 trunk, which sounds like Toyota’s version of the Honda Motocompacto.
Jalopnik notes that both are strictly concept vehicles with no production timeline. Toyota is calling the effort a freedom lab, which appears to be corporate speak for throwing ideas at the wall to see what sticks in the micro-mobility and recreational space.
Why this matters
Reviving Scion is a weird play, especially for a product that most private buyers cannot even order. The original Scion brand died in 2016 after years of chasing younger buyers with quirky, affordable cars. This version feels less like a youth movement and more like a skunkworks division for oddball projects that do not fit the Toyota or Lexus lineup.
The KEI-01 fills a real gap if you need something smaller than a Tacoma but more capable than a golf cart. Farms, college campuses, industrial sites, and municipal fleets could all use a vehicle like this. Whether Toyota eventually opens it up to regular customers depends on how well it does with the fleet crowd.
If they do go retail, expect demand from the same people who import 25-year-old kei trucks and deal with the headaches of registration and parts sourcing. A factory-backed, U.S.-built option with a warranty would be a game changer, even if you have to put up with driving from the wrong seat.
