Daihatsu’s $12,950 Kei Van Is Also A Crew-Cab Pickup With A 34-Inch Bed

Meet the 1998 Daihatsu Hijet DeckVan—a bizarre JDM oddball now for sale in South Carolina that somehow splits the difference between a van and a pickup.

This eighth-generation Hijet is built to Japanese kei regulations, so its 660cc three-cylinder engine makes just 44 HP and drives all four wheels through a five-speed manual.

From the front, it looks like any other Hijet van: four seats, side windows behind the doors, and the utilitarian vibe of a household appliance.

But swing around to the back and the DeckVan’s party trick reveals itself—a tiny pickup bed that measures roughly 34 inches (860 mm) long.

That’s barely enough room for a bag of mulch, but it’s a crew-cab truck that seats four adults with what appears to be generous rear legroom.

The rear bench folds down for extra cargo flexibility, though Daihatsu skipped a pass-through bulkhead for longer loads.

Under the front seats sits the mandated 660cc engine, good for 44 HP (44 PS) when new, routed to all four wheels via that five-speed manual.

At 130 inches (3,300 mm) long overall, the DeckVan sacrifices some cargo space to cram in the second row, but it’s still small enough to thread through impossibly tight spaces.

This example shows around 69,000 miles (111,000 km) and is listed by Japan Direct Motors for $12,950.

The seller claims minimal interior wear despite the truck’s near-30th birthday, and there’s reportedly no major rust or paint issues—just a small tear under the bolstered aftermarket seat covers.

It’s not the cheapest kei import on the US market, and you won’t get much bed space per dollar, but how often do you get a four-seat mini-truck that can haul a tiny load, squeeze into the tightest spots, and turn heads everywhere it rolls? Sometimes the most interesting rides are the ones that refuse to pick a lane.