About Japanese Mini Trucks
Mini Truck Depot is the leading website for US consumers and businesses looking to buy Japanese mini trucks directly from Japan. But what exactly are Japanese mini trucks? Why are they built in Japan? And how did these compact off-road vehicles gain such a strong following in the US?
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What's A Mini Truck?
If you’ve just found Mini Truck Depot through a Google search, your first question might be: ‘What exactly is a mini truck?’ You’re familiar with UTVs, but what is a Japanese mini truck? Is it a some kind of scale model? Or perhaps a novelty vehicle?
A photo speaks volumes, so let’s start with a look at a typical mini truck. Here’s one—a Daihatsu Hijet Jumbo.
As you can see, it’s a familiar shape—just mini-sized. You have a two-person cab at the front and a bed at the rear. But the other thing you will immediately notice is how different it is from a typical UTV side-by-side. Right away, you’ll spot that it has a fully enclosed, weatherproof cab with proper doors and windows.
In other words, as soon as you put a mini truck up against a typical UTV, you immediately see what a step up it is. Plus, all that equipment—and more—comes standard! Take a look at any of the mini trucks for sale here, and you’ll see they come with a level of equipment that easily outpaces even the most highly optioned regular UTV.
But They Come In More Shapes ...
These Japanese mini trucks come in a variety of shapes—though not sizes, as they are all ‘mini’ by design. We’ve already taken a look at a couple of traditional cab-and-bed models further up the page, but now let’s explore what other options are available.
We’ll start with the dump mini truck models. Here’s a typical Daihatsu Hijet Dump kei truck. This one is an HD (Heavy Duty) dump, equipped with a Fisher snow plow attachment and a salt spreader. It’s a versatile, highly capable machine built to handle a wide range of tasks. Just think of all the things you could get done with a setup like this.
And then there’s the four-passenger crew-cab style Daihatsu Hijet Deckvan. This model could also be considered a Swiss Army Knife of mini trucks, offering a versatile blend of passenger space and cargo capability. It seats four comfortably, with wide sliding rear doors for easy access—ideal for transporting family around the farm or heading out into the wild for an off-road hunting trip with friends.
Beyond seating, the Deckvan also features a deep rear load bed for hauling gear. And if even more flexibility is needed, the rear seat bases can be stowed to create additional enclosed cargo space, making it easy to transport equipment securely inside the cab as well.
Finally, there are the van-style mini truck models, such as the Daihatsu Hijet Cargo. These are well-suited for large manufacturing facilities, hospital grounds, or college campuses, offering a practical solution for maintenance teams or transporting people in far greater comfort than the golf carts that are typically used for these roles.
Like the Deckvan, the Cargo also seats four passengers. However, unlike the Deckvan, the rear load area is fully enclosed. This means that when the rear seats are folded down, the available cargo space is not only significantly increased but also fully protected from the elements.
Want To Learn More About Mini Trucks?
Hopefully you have a better idea of what Japanese mini trucks are now. But why not delve deeper into the mini truck world by finding out about …
- What is it about mini trucks that has people choosing them in droves over regular UTVs?
- How to choose the Japanese mini truck that fits your needs best
- How Japanese mini trucks compare to side-by-sides
