Mitsubishi Minicab Mini Trucks
Althought Mitsubishi is a globally diversified corporation, it’s seen its role in the Japanese mini truck market decline over the years. However, it remains active in this segment through its collaboration with Suzuki, offering a rebadged version of the Suzuki Carry.
Jump To Section
Final History
This marked the final chapter for Mitsubishi’s independent production of the Minicab: By the end of 2013, the 6th generation U62T 4WD mini truck (that you see at the top of this page) and U62V 4WD van models had been in production since 1999, making them long overdue for an update. At the same time, the global economy was still feeling the effects of the 2008 financial crisis. Retooling such an established model for a new era, especially when sales were underperforming anyway was not a viable option.
As a result, the 6th generation became the final independent version of the Minicab, ending 47 years of production. While we won’t revisit the earlier five generations, the 6th generation is still recent enough that these models may appear here on Mini Truck Depot from time to time. Let’s take a closer look at what this generation has to offer.
6th Generation U62T Model
The 6th generation Mitsubishi Minicab was produced in both regular cab and van configurations. This page focuses on the more popular regular cab model. One immediately noticeable feature is its more prominent hood, giving it a distinctive appearance compared to the flat-nosed cabover designs of the Daihatsu Hijet or Suzuki Carry.
Under the hood lies Mitsubishi’s 3G83 engine, a 3-cylinder, single overhead cam, 12-valve gasoline unit. It produces peak power at 6,000 RPM, while maximum torque arrives earlier at 4,000 RPM. This high-revving design might not be ideal for a vehicle intended for off-road use. All U62T mini truck variants featured part-time 4WD and were available with either a 5-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic transmission.
Lift the front seat, and you’ll find the engine tucked beneath:
From the perspective of the 3rd decade of the 21st century, the cab interior may appear somewhat dated. However, its functionality and comfort remain evident—and in many respects, it surpasses a traditional UTV. After all, few UTVs come equipped with standard features like AC, heat, and sun visors. Here’s a look inside the cabin of a manual transmission model
As for body colors, the 6th generation Mitsubishi Minicab was only produced in standard white, lacking the variety offered by competitors like Suzuki and especially Daihatsu. Perhaps the limited options were due to low production numbers, but this lack of choice likely contributed to the Minicab’s decline. Today, Mitsubishi’s presence in the mini truck market continues only through rebadged Suzuki Carrys bearing the Minicab name.
Latest Models
The 6th generation Mitsubishi Minicab was the last independently manufactured version of this model, but it wasn’t the shortest-lived. That distinction belongs to the 7th generation, a rebadged Suzuki Every van that was produced for only a year. Today, both the mini truck and van versions of the Minicab are rebadged Suzuki models, designated DS16T for the mini truck and DS17V for the van. Beyond the badges, there’s virtually no difference between these Mitsubishis and their Suzuki counterparts.
If you’re looking for detailed information on the latest Minicab’s engine or transmission, your best resource would be the Suzuki Carry regular cab page or the Suzuki Every van page, as the specifications are identical. In truth, choosing the original Suzuki model is often a more practical option than opting for a rebadged Mitsubishi. However, we’d recommend taking a closer look at the more advanced and widely favored Daihatsu Hijet alternatives, such as the Hijet regular cab and Hijet Cargo mini trucks, which offer modern features and are more popular as off-road vehicles in the USA.
Buying A Mitsubishi Minicab
While it’s unlikely that you’ll see any of the U62T Minicabs or DS16T Minicabs for sale here at Mini Truck Depot, you may well find the equivalent Suzuki Carry DA16T models, on which only the badges are different. So why not go to our inventory page here and see what you can find?
