See all results for new 2028 Toyota Scion KEI-01 for sale near 200000
Overview
Listen up, fans of Japanese micro pickups: A brand-new kei truck is making its way stateside, produced by none other than Toyota's long-defunct Scion brand. That's right, Scion is back, but instead of revisiting sports cars or cubes on wheels, its first foray back into the market will be a right-hand-drive utility truck barely larger than a Tonka toy called the KEI-01.
Measuring just over 11 feet long and under five feet wide, the KEI-01 will be a tiny toter, but a few party tricks are said to add utility. Like many vintage kei trucks, Toyota designed the sides of its bed to fold flat, making loading easier. With all three cylinders of its 660cc engine pumping at full bore, Toyota says the Scion KEI-01 will top out at 25 mph—just fast enough to be road legal in the U.S. Selectable four-wheel drive comes standard for some low-octane off-roading.
With a max payload rating of just 600 pounds, the pint-size pickup is meant for tackling jobs that could be handled easily by any number of larger vehicles, but normal cars won't get you nearly as many looks at your local cars and coffee.
Expert Tip: Small, ultrabasic pickups are having a moment right now, with the all-electric Slate Truck leading the charge. While it is about three feet longer and a foot wider than the KEI-01, the Slate's larger footprint and 181-hp electric powertrain afford it 1550 pounds of payload capacity and the ability to drive on any road at legal-and-above speeds.
What's New for 2028?
The KEI-01 will reintroduce Scion to the U.S. market after Toyota's sub-brand folded over ten years ago. The company says that the KEI-01 will be assembled at Toyota's Indiana plant in the second half of 2027.
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Pricing and Which One to Buy
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Toyota says that the KEI-01 will make use of a 660cc three-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission; the power goes from there to a selectable all-wheel-drive system. As is to be expected from a vehicle brandishing those specs, speed will not be the baby pickup's forte. In fact, Toyota says that the KEI-01 will top out at just 25 mph. That's just fast enough to allow it to comply with federal safety requirements applicable to low-speed vehicles, meaning that it can legally be driven on the street.
Towing and Payload Capacity
Toyota claims that the KEI-01's maximum payload capacity will cap out at just 600 pounds. To put that in perspective, the compact Ford Maverick can handle up to 1500 pounds. No towing figures have been released for the KEI-01, but we'd hazard a guess that it won't be a very impressive number.