Scion is back: Toyota's revived brand will sell a kei truck in America

Toyota has announced that it is bringing back Scion, the brand it retired in 2016. According to the report, the marque will now be called "Scion by Toyota" and will be positioned not as a budget-friendly youth brand but as a "freedom lab" that challenges conventional thinking about mobility through design and vehicle concepts. When Scion first launched, it aimed to reach buyers under 35; the tC had the youngest average buyer age in the industry. But sales peaked in 2006 and fell sharply, and the brand was shut down in 2016.

The first production vehicle from the revived brand is the KEI-01, an ultra-compact kei truck. According to the report, Toyota will use its existing manufacturing infrastructure in Indiana to prepare it for the American market. The article points out, however, that the KEI-01 is essentially a rebadged Toyota Pixis, which is itself a rebadged Daihatsu Hijet Jumbo Cab. Based on initial imagery, it still appears to be right-hand drive, and there is no word on whether a left-hand-drive version will come later.

With its small 660cc engine and CVT transmission, the KEI-01 meets US low-speed vehicle safety standards. That means it has a top speed of less than 25mph and is only legal on roads with a posted speed limit below 35mph. That makes it unsuitable as a daily driver, but it could be an interesting option for farms, warehouses and deliveries in dense cities. It has a 600-pound payload, a three-way fold-down cargo bed and four-wheel drive, with heating and air conditioning as standard.

According to the report, the KEI-01 will initially be available only through a low-volume pilot program focused on fleet use, starting in late 2027. Availability may eventually be expanded depending on performance and owner feedback, but Toyota is not providing further information. Two concept vehicles, the SxS and the BXE, accompany the KEI-01 in the lineup, though it is not yet clear whether they will enter production.