I follow a few car youtube channels. I've noticed more content about kei trucks of late. Also seen more around on the roads, a few in very good condition, a some modified.
Anyone else noticed more of them?
Kei Trucks. Are There More on The Roads Now?
Euphemistic on 23/04/2024 - 16:58
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The two most recently seen were different colours, but yeah, could be the same ones.
Kei truck motor home conversion does look kinda cute Ngl
I need to import me a Honda T880 and do that.
That rotary powered Hoonigan version is my fave.
You wouldn't want to have a frontal collision, especially in anything pre-1996 that will be fairly light on safety features.
Well this product has to exist for someone; https://www.amazon.com/Airbags-Funny-Bumper-Sticker-Window/d…
Yes, it's just importers pushing the flavour of the month.
It's just hype because youtubers jumped on them.
Same as supras
Skylines
Etc.What do you guys think about the Honda N box? I think they look kinda cool, but unsure how they'd fare in a collision… apples for apples, i wonder if they're comparable (crash test wise) to similar sized car? maybe a corolla vs n box?
Honda N-One RS 6-speed manual is on my shortlist
compared to 50 years ago? yes.
Maybe they were always there and you didn't notice them until hearing about them.
I like them. They look cool. Was after a Honda N Box a while back as i wanted a Kei car. Ended up with a Jimny as a hobby car, pretty happy.
“Frequency bias” or “Baader-Meinhof phenomenon”, while there may be a few more, the videos you have been watching suddenly increasing in numbers on the same topic, the kei utes being the latest “cool kids toy” to have all add up to you taking more notice…
The same thing happens when you are looking for a new car and you set your mind on a certain model and all of a sudden it seems every second car that you pass in the same model that you were looking at…
That was my thoughts, wpndered if anyone else had noticed to confirm my frequency bias.
I wish we sold them here. A new Kei truck in Japan costs as cheap as $7000. Direct from manufacturer, you would be paying $9000-$11000 for the cheapest basic model. Meanwhile in Australia, the cheapest ute will cost you $40,000-$50,000 new, although most people are paying probably $60,000-$80,000. Granted, these are very different types of car. But for most people who just want a cheap, fuel-efficient car to pick up furniture or carry tools around, a kei-truck is all they would need.
A new kei-truck in Japan will use about 5.8 L fuel per 100km, whereas an Australian ute will use a minimum of about 7.5-8 L per 100 km, and likely more.
They will have the same problem as that Mitsubishi Kei EV in that they miss things required for the 5 star ANCAP rating…. If cars don't get 5 stars it triggers a lot of screeching and the cost to make Kei cars get 5 stars in ANCAP would add thousands to the unit price.
I believe a contributing factor is people want the quirkiness of an imported car, but all the usual suspects are worth too much money since C19 and the USA's 25 year import rule.
I've seen a lot of American social media users buying them because you can pick up old kei trucks for pennies in Japan and the import process is so cheap and lax.
It's a bit of “Frequency bias” as Pegaxs has mentioned, but it's not just that. As all the hero JDM 90s legends become too rare and unobtainable, importers and content creators need to switch gear and move to something else that's just as quirky and eye catching.
Sure Kei cars and trucks have been around Japan for decades, but not many were able to be imported in to Aus, but with the recent changes to import scheme, where there is either a new category or more emphasis on the category of eco cars like hybrids and kei cars, now importers have a focus on kei cars as they're already dirty cheap in Japan and it's an easy tick of import approval cause they fit into the eco category.
More of them or just same one going around the block again?