Do you own a business and frequently require Kei trucks for the transport of goods, animals, construction material, or furniture? The Japanese Kei trucks are one of the most popular vehicles worldwide due to a number of reasons. They are used in various businesses for their usability, flexibility, and durability.
Japanese Kei trucks are versatile vehicles that perform well on city roads as well as in the suburbs. They are lightweight yet powerful vehicles that different business owners use for their business needs.
The vehicles are used in construction to transport sand and other construction material. Farmers use them to transport vegetables. Transport businesses around the world use Kei trucks to help people commute in a cost-effective way.
Among other reasons, Kei trucks are popular because they are easy to use as well as affordable. Small families find Kei trucks beneficial and efficient. They can also be used by small families. The Kei trucks industry has evolved over the years, and there are many vehicles and brands today to choose from. Two of the most popular Japanese Kei trucks are the Daihatsu Hijet and Honda Acty.
In this article, we will draw a comparison between Daihatsu vs. Honda Acty to find out which vehicle you should opt for. So, let’s begin with a brief overview of both.
Daihatsu Hijet
The Daihatsu Hijet is a cab over microvan and Kei truck that has remained in production since 1960 up till now. It is manufactured by the leading Japanese automaker Daihatsu and spans eleven generations.
The Daihatsu Hijet comes in four variants which include the Deluxe, Cruise, Cruise Turbo, and Special. This light commercial vehicle has undergone various changes in body style and specifications over the years. Let’s take a look at its specifications across the four variants.
Deluxe
The Daihatsu Hijet Deluxe is a 5-door vehicle with a seating capacity of 5 persons. It comes in a 658cc petrol engine with 53hp and 60Nm torque. It has 3 in-line cylinders and 4 valves per cylinder. The engine gives a maximum speed of 180 km/hr and is powered by an EFI fuel system and .
The vehicle has a 4-speed gearbox and an automatic transmission. You can steer the vehicle with a power-assisted hydraulic power steering. Moreover, the car boasts front and rear tube shocks.
The wheels are 12-inches steel wheels with wheel caps. The fuel tank has a capacity of 40 liters. The safety features in the car include 2 airbags and has an anti-lock braking system, traction control, and child lock.
The exterior of the car is quite plain, with no additional features. Other features in the car include the front speakers, air conditioner, heater, defogger, power door locks, power windows and steering, and power mirrors. It also includes rear folding seats and a rear wiper.
Cruise
The Daihatsu Hijet Cruise is a 5-door Kei truck with a seating capacity of 5 persons. It is powered by a 658cc petrol engine with 53hp and 3 in-line cylinders. It has a 4-speed automatic transmission.
You can drive the car around with a power-assisted hydraulic power steering. It has 12-inch steel wheels with wheel caps and a 40L fuel tank capacity.
The Hijet Cruise comes fitted with 2 airbags, an immobilizer, ABS, traction control, and a child lock. Among other features, it has front speakers, air conditioning, a heater, a defogger, keyless entry, power door locks, power steering, windows and mirrors, cruise control, and optional navigation. In addition, it comes with a rear folding seat, armrest, and interior lighting.
Cruise Turbo
The third body style of the Daihatsu Hijet is the Cruise Turbo which comes in similar specifications with some differences. Cruise Turbo comes with a 658cc petrol engine powered with 63 horsepower and 91 Nm torque. It has 3 in-line cylinders and 4 valves per cylinder. It has a seating capacity for 5 people and 5 doors.
The Cruise Turbo comes with a 4-speed gearbox with an automatic transmission. It has a power-assisted hydraulic power steering. Furthermore, the car comes fitted with 12-inch steel wheels with wheel caps. The fuel tank has a capacity of 40L.
Its safety features include two airbags, an immobilizer, an anti-lock braking system, traction control, and a child lock. You’ll find that the Cruise Turbo does not have many extraordinary exterior features. Instead, it comes as a standard-looking vehicle.
The infotainment system in the car includes front speakers, while other features of convenience in the interior include an air conditioner, heater, defogger, keyless entry, power door locks, power windows, and power mirrors.
You will also find cruise control, optional navigation, steering adjustment, rear folding seat, rear wiper, and armrest. The car also comes fitted with interior lighting and cup holders for convenience.
Special
The last variation in the model for the Daihatsu Hijet is Special which has an overall length of 3390 mm and an overall width of 1470 mm. It has a wheelbase of 2450 mm and a curb weight of 860 kg.
5 people can easily be accommodated in the car, and it comes with 4 doors. It features a 658cc petrol engine with 45 horsepower at 5900 RPM and 63 nm at 4000 RPM. It has 3 cylinders with 2 valves per cylinder and an EF-VE fuel system with a 105 km/h maximum speed.
Furthermore the Daihatsu Hijet Special comes with a 3-speed gearbox and an automatic transmission. Its suspension is a strut type coil spring, rear with front disc and rear drum brakes.
The Special variant comes with a 40-liter fuel tank with a mileage rating of 12 km/L for the city and 14 km/L for the highway. Its safety features only feature airbags for the front seats, while there are no additional features on this variant.
On the exterior, you will find alloy wheels, and that is about it. There are no other defining exterior features. You will find a CD player which you can enjoy on longer rides. Other features that make the ride comfortable and convenient on this variant of the Daihatsu Hijet include an air conditioner, central locking, power steering, and power windows.
This variant of the Daihatsu Hijet seems to have the least additional features compared to other variants.