# Toyota set for US production of tiny ‘kei’ trucks admired by Trump, with a catch

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5 outlets covering · First listed: Washington Examiner, Nov 11, 2026, 5:00 PM · Read it: <https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy-and-environment/4800759/toyota-us-production-tiny-trucks-admired-by-trump/>

Japanese carmaker Toyota announced plans to begin U.S. production of tiny “kei” trucks of the kind that roam the streets of Tokyo and have drawn the fawning admiration of President Donald Trump, but with a major catch. The truck, the Scion KEI-01, which will have a 660 cc three-cylinder engine and four-wheel drive, will be

## Who's covering it

In the order they published:

- Nov 10, 2026, 1:00 PM: [Toyota revives Scion brand to bring America a tiny, slow, low-cost kei truck](<https://www.businessinsider.com/toyota-kei-truck-us-car-prices-2026-11>) — Business Insider (Digital news, United States)
  America has an expensive car problem. Toyota's big bet is to build a Kei truck that's bound to pull on President Donald Trump's heart strings.
- Nov 10, 2026, 3:11 PM: [Toyota Plans to Sell a Kei Pickup Truck in the U.S.](<https://www.nytimes.com/2026/11/10/business/toyota-kei-pickup-truck.html>) — New York Times (Newspaper, United States)
  The automaker plans to sell Americans “Kei” pickup trucks, which are very popular in Japan and with U.S. auto enthusiasts. Even President Trump is a fan.
- Nov 11, 2026, 9:25 AM: [Trump wanted little Kei trucks for America, Toyota makes it happen](<https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/11/toyota-resurrects-scion-with-right-hand-drive-kei-trucks/>) — Ars Technica (Digital news, United States)
  Does this herald the start of a small car revolution, or is it a meaningless distraction?
- Nov 11, 2026, 11:05 AM: [Toyota Is Bringing Japan’s Cute Kei Pickup Trucks to America. There’s Just One Small Catch](<https://gizmodo.com/toyota-is-bringing-japans-cute-kei-pickup-trucks-to-america-theres-a-just-one-small-catch-2000838322>) — Gizmodo (Digital news, United States)
  The miniature pickups are coming stateside in 2027.
- Nov 11, 2026, 5:00 PM: [Toyota set for US production of tiny ‘kei’ trucks admired by Trump, with a catch](<https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy-and-environment/4800759/toyota-us-production-tiny-trucks-admired-by-trump/>) — Washington Examiner (Magazine, United States)
  Japanese carmaker Toyota announced plans to begin U.S. production of tiny “kei” trucks of the kind that roam the streets of Tokyo and have drawn the fawning admiration of President Donald Trump, but with a major catch. The truck, the Scion KEI-01, which will have a 660 cc three-cylinder engine and four-wheel drive, will be