1999 Daihatsu Hijet – EF-SE 660cc, 4WD, 5-Speed Manual, High and Low Gear
How We Prepare Every Vehicle
Every vehicle we sell goes through the same preparation process before it is offered for sale. Here is what was done on this one:
- Engine oil and filter replaced
- Transmission oil replaced
- New air filter installed
- New spark plugs installed
- New belts installed
- New battery installed
- New coolant
- New brake fluid
- New mirrors
- Full interior disassembly and deep clean
- New Yokohama 155/65R14 tires mounted on new aluminum wheels
No leaks, no issues. The truck was driven and verified by our team before being listed for sale.
The Hijet is the most widely used small truck in Japan and one of the most straightforward vehicles we sell. It does not need much of an introduction. It goes anywhere, carries anything, and costs very little to maintain. This one is white, clean, and ready to work.
The truck is fitted with 4WD and a proper high and low transfer case. Five-speed manual. A/C. Bed light from the factory. Grey vinyl interior in solid condition. 100,012 km on the clock, which translates to just over 62,000 miles. For a kei truck of this era, that is a reasonable number with plenty of life remaining.
One thing we do on every kei truck we sell: we replace the stock tires with a larger, more appropriate size for American roads. The Hijet from the factory runs 145/80R12, a narrow tire designed for Japan’s smooth urban streets and slow agricultural work. We fitted new Yokohama 155/65R14 tires on new aluminum wheels. The wider footprint gives better highway stability, more grip in wet conditions, and a noticeably more comfortable ride. It is the first modification experienced kei truck owners make, so we do it before the truck leaves us.
Mileage: 62,160 miles (100,012 km).
Fuel economy: approximately 35 – 42 MPG in mixed driving based on real-world EF-SE data.
Interesting Facts
- The Daihatsu Hijet has been in continuous production since 1960, making it one of the longest-running kei truck nameplates in automotive history. The S200 series introduced in 1998 modernized the cab design while keeping the same go-anywhere character that made the Hijet the most widely used work vehicle in rural Japan.
- The EF-SE engine is a water-cooled 660cc three-cylinder that Daihatsu used across multiple kei platforms. It is simple, proven, and well-supported by parts availability. The fact that it shares components across Daihatsu’s lineup means replacement parts are not difficult to source.
- Kei trucks in Japan are used daily by farmers, tradespeople, and small business owners who need a reliable, go-anywhere vehicle that fits in spaces a full-size truck cannot reach. They are not novelties in Japan. They are the most practical tool many people own.
- The high and low transfer case on this Hijet gives it a crawl ratio that most light trucks twice its size do not offer. Low gear is geared down enough to move the truck at idle speed on steep or rough terrain without slipping the clutch, which is exactly how it was designed to be used on Japan’s mountain farms and rice paddy paths.
- The Daihatsu Hijet was never officially sold in the United States. At 25 years old this example now qualifies for legal import under the federal 25-year exemption rule.
Key Features
- 1999 Daihatsu Hijet
- EF-SE 660cc 3-cylinder engine
- 5-speed manual transmission
- 4WD with high and low gear
- 62,160 miles (100,012 km)
- White exterior
- Grey vinyl interior
- A/C
- Bed light – factory
- New Yokohama 155/65R14 tires
- New aluminum wheels
- New spark plugs
- New belts
- New battery
- Engine and transmission oils replaced
- New coolant and brake fluid
- New mirrors
- Full interior deep clean
About Us
We’ve been working with Japanese vehicles for over 25 years. Long before opening our location in the United States, our team was importing and servicing these vehicles in Europe when many of them were still new.
Because of that experience, we know these platforms extremely well. Every model has its own weak points, and we inspect and address them before the vehicle is offered for sale.
All vehicles are serviced at our facility in Japan before shipping. Fluids, belts, filters, batteries, and common failure points are inspected and replaced when necessary.
Unlike many dealerships, we actually drive our vehicles. They don’t sit in a parking lot. Our trucks and cars are used regularly so we can verify reliability before they reach their new owner.
When you buy from us, you’re getting a vehicle that is fully prepared and ready to drive from day one.
JP-TRADE is our first location in the United States, supported by a team of more than 40 people across Europe, Japan, Korea, China, and the U.S.
If you made it this far, here is a little bonus for you.
Why do kei trucks run such small tires from the factory?
Japanese kei regulations cap vehicle width at 1.48 meters. Every dimension of a kei truck, including tire width, is engineered around that limit. The narrow 145mm tires that come from the factory are not a cost-cutting measure. They are a direct result of the regulations, sized to keep the vehicle within the legal footprint while providing adequate load capacity for the rated payload. On Japanese roads, at Japanese speeds, on Japanese agricultural terrain, they work fine. On American highways at 55 to 65 mph, they are undersized for the conditions. Wider tires in a taller diameter fill the wheel wells properly, improve stability at speed, and give the truck a more composed feel on rough American pavement. It is not a modification that changes what the truck is. It is a modification that makes the truck work better where it is actually being used.