Kei cars are going global, and Toyota has just joined the movement. Meet the Toyota by Scion Kei-01: While it looks like your typical low-powered, subcompact Japanese workhorse, this little guy will actually be assembled at Toyota’s plant in Indiana.
And as you might have guessed from its name, the Kei-01 also reintroduces Scion under the new ‘Scion by Toyota’ freedom lab—whatever that is. But, according to the Japanese carmaker, Scion by Toyota will “learn and evolve through new vehicle concepts, designs, capabilities, and experiences that could help shape the future of Toyota mobility.”
With that, the Kei-01 will start with a limited release for fleet-focused customers around the United States. This should inform Toyota on how car buyers will react to and receive kei trucks as a regular offering.
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After all, these types of vehicles are the antithesis of the beefy pickup trucks you’d find on an American farm. Under the hood lies a 660cc three-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission—all in line with Japanese kei standards. Its maximum speed is 40kph, which, according to Toyota, complies with low-speed vehicle requirements in the US. Interestingly, this kei car will also remain right-hand drive.
The Kei-01 also comes with four-wheel drive and an extended cabin with a taller roofline—for those burlier American ranch hands. Its maximum payload capacity is listed at 600lbs, or 272kg. Toyota also says it can tow small trailers and other equipment.
With the BYD Racco set to hit its first markets outside Japan, it looks like kei cars are quickly globalizing. A uniquely Japanese vehicle built in America is certainly an odd thought, but Toyota seems confident in the experiment. Assembly of the Kei-01 is scheduled for the second half of 2027.
