The defunct Scion brand is returning to experiment with new vehicle types, starting with a low-speed kei truck that you probably won't be able to buy.

Apparently, Toyota has been up at night watching Instagram reels. Reading the comments. Scratching its chin. Asking itself an important question: If people are already paying tariffs and other import fees to get old kei trucks into America from Japan, why don’t we just build new ones here?

That brings us to the Scion KEI-01. A small truck. With a tiny engine. And big dreams. What’s essentially a rebadged Daihatsu Hijet Jumbo, the Scion will instead be assembled at the same Toyota plant where the Grand Highlander and Sienna are built, in Princeton, Indiana. The word “kei” comes from the Japanese vehicle classification “keijidōsha,” which translates to light automobile.

For now, you won’t find any hiding in the shadow of a lifted Toyota Tundra TRD Pro on dealer lots. Instead, these trucks—shorter than a Mazda MX-5 Miata—will be sold next year through a fleet-focused trial program to test the waters. If demand is strong, Toyota says limited retail sales could follow.

The Scion KEI-01 is as adorable as it looks and is said to weigh less than 2000 pounds, despite having all-wheel drive. Power comes from a tiny 660-cc three-cylinder engine paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission. It uses an independent front suspension, a solid rear axle, and a hydromechanical clutch to automatically shift power between the front and rear wheels based on traction needs.

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