Our New Kei Truck Has Arrived
Keiko- Life with a Kei Truck
- The Outgoing Truck: Mitsubishi Minicab Truck GD-U62T
- The New Arrival: Suzuki Carry 3BD-DA16T
Life with a Kei Truck
My husband and I spend from May through October living between two homes, maintaining his family house in Hokkaido during that stretch. It's out in the Niseko area — genuinely deep in the mountains. In a place like that, there's one thing you absolutely cannot live without: a vehicle. And not just any vehicle — you need something with real cargo capacity, like a truck.
That's where the kei truck (軽トラック) comes in — the same category I introduced in my earlier post about kei cars. I've heard these little trucks have been gaining popularity overseas too, especially for farm use. Even our mountain property already had one: a 1999 model that had been doing the job for years. It had finally deteriorated enough that we decided this year was the time to replace it.
Today I want to introduce both the old and new kei trucks side by side.
The Outgoing Truck: Mitsubishi Minicab Truck GD-U62T
Specs
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Model year | 1999 |
| Engine | 3G83 (3-cylinder SOHC) |
| Drivetrain | Part-time 4WD |
| Transmission | 3-speed automatic |
| Displacement | 657cc |
| Fuel | Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 14.2 km/L |
| Max output | 35kW (48PS) |
| Max torque | 62 N·m (6.3 kgf·m) at 4,000 rpm |
How it drives
Honestly, there was never anything seriously wrong with how this truck ran. But the cost of keeping up with Japan's vehicle inspections (shaken) and required maintenance kept climbing — the older a car gets, the more parts need replacing based on age or mileage, and the bills add up fast. So we went ahead and deregistered it from public road use, and now it stays strictly on the property.
We still use it constantly for moving things around the land and hauling supplies. The property sits in a mountain valley, and the terrain inside our land is almost entirely steep slopes. It makes a bit of an odd noise these days, but it's still running just fine for what we need it for.
The New Arrival: Suzuki Carry 3BD-DA16T
Specs
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Model year | 2026 |
| Engine | R06A, water-cooled inline 3-cylinder |
| Drivetrain | Part-time 4WD |
| Transmission | 4-speed automatic |
| Displacement | 658cc |
| Fuel | Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 15.7 km/L |
| Max output | 37kW (50PS) |
| Max torque | 59 N·m (6.0 kgf·m) at 3,500 rpm |
| Price | ¥1,465,000 |
How it drives
We bought this one mainly for trips off the property — actual road use. This is the first brand-new vehicle we've owned in 27 years, so I'll admit my expectations were pretty high. And honestly? The driving experience itself didn't blow me away (laughs).
As I mentioned, our kei truck spends most of its life in the mountains, and I have to say — starting off on a steep incline, the old truck actually felt more capable. That's an impression that doesn't necessarily line up with what the spec sheet numbers would suggest. On regular flat roads, though, I really am happy with how smoothly it drives.
That said, we've only driven it a handful of times so far, so I'm looking forward to discovering more of its strengths as we go.
References:
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