In November, 1970 arrived the funnyHonda Vamos open doorless cabover truck, with various seat and canvas top variations. It was based on the TN360 and 2,500 were built until 1973.
September, 1972 saw the introduction of theHonda Life Step Van, based on the Honda Life, a semi-front design with a rear rigid axle with leaf springs. AHonda Life Pickup was added in August, 1973. This is the only front-wheel-drive Kei class minivan/pickup ever made in Japan! The van remained available through 1975, the pickup was already deleted in October, 1974 with less than 1,500 made.
So came in September, 1977 the 3rd generation minitruck, now calledHonda TN Acty, with a wheelbase of 185 cm, length 319.5 cm, width 139.5 cm, engine 545 cc, same technical layout and bodies as before. In June, 1980 the first Honda full-front minivan was added with a rather angular styling. A high-roof version was added in February, 1981, as well as a less commercial version, the ActyStreet. Later models were also known asHonda Acty. By March, 1983 four-wheel-drive became available.
By May, 1988 arrived the4th generation Honda Acty and Honda Street, now with a wheelbase of 190 cm, truck and high-roof van only, a panel van was available, mediocre albeit neat styling. By 1990 (new regulations) the length became 325.5 cm for the truck and 329.5 cm for the van and the engine, still placed before the rear axle, grew to 656 cc. There was also an extra high-roof van with side windows in the roof and suited for carrying a disabled person in a wheelchair, calledHonda Acty Almas andHonda Street Almas.
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Then, in June, 1999 arrived the5th generation Honda Acty semi-front, wheelbase 242 cm, length 339.5 cm, width 147.5 cm, engine still 656 cc, styling quite neat, technical layout remained the same, high-roof van and truck, panel van available. A passenger car classified version (with normal roof) is also available, which adopted the old Honda Vamos name.
In about 1963 theHopestar OV was introduced as a pickup or truck with a wheelbase of 173 cm, and an underfloor engine of 356 cc, length 299 cm, width 128 cm, rigid rear axle with leaf springs. It was deleted in about 1968.
In about 1959 arrived theKurogane KB-360 pickup (hooded version with 2 seats on the deck available) and van with a wheelbase of 175 cm, a length of 299 cm and a width of 127.8 cm. The rather highly built engine was placed at the rear (coil springs) and had 356 cc.
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In April, 1969 Toyo Kogyo introduced theMazda Porter Cab with a wheelbase of 183.5 cm as a pickup or truck only, a rigid rear axle with leaf springs and a 359 cc engine, placed under the front seats. It featured a quite funny styling with round headlamps with round cadres, giving kind of a spectacles look. By March, 1977 the vehicle waswidened to 139.5 cm, and the length grew with 20 cm (to 319.5 cm), nearly all of which benefited to the deck length, as the wheelbase, quite unusual, was not changed. The engine grew to 546 cc, the (integral) pickup was deleted and the 'spectacles' were more rectangular now. The vehicle remained available until the late eighties. In the export it was known asMazda E360.
Then, in June, 1989 arrived theAutozam Scrum, a clone of the Suzuki Carry/Every as a truck and a van, the 543 cc engine became a 657 cc in March 1990.
Thesecond generation Autozam Scrum became available in October 1991, again a Carry/Every clone. A less commercial version was calledScrum Stand Off. The vehicle was renamedMazda Scrum in the autumn of 1997.
By January 1999 arrived the3rd generation Mazda Scrum, again as a truck and a van, joined in December, 1999 by a so-called wagon version. For details, see Suzuki.
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In August, 1966 Mitsubishi joined the Kei class minivan/truck market by introducing the Mitsubishi Minicab with a wheelbase of 179 cm as a pickup (by December, 1967 also available with 2 seats on the deck and a hood with windows), truck (December, 1966), and, by February, 1968 a van. The engine, placed under the front seats was 359 cc and the rear axle rigid with leaf springs. The styling was immature as usual in those days. By May, 1971 the van was renamedMitsubishi Minicab EL.
Then, in June, 1971 the second generation arrived as a truck only, initially calledMitsubishi Minicab EL, the following year it was renamedMitsubishi Minicab W. The wheelbase was now 174 cm and the boxy cab looked rather neat.
By April, 1976 arrived the third generation, now calledMitsubishi Minicab 5 (471 cc) with a wheelbase of 170 cm; the length was 305 cm for the truck and 306 cm for the van (this second van looked rather busy, it now had sliding side doors), the width remained 129.5 cm, rather strange so shortly before the new standards to come. So, in March, 1977 the vehicle, now calledMitsubishi Minicab Wide 55 (546 cc) waswidened to 139.5 cm, the wheelbase extended to 176 cm and the length for the truck became 319.5 cm, for the van 315.5 cm, extra 6 cm length after the front doors, a high-roof van became available in 1980, and four-wheel-drive in 1982. By 1981 the vehicle was renamed simply Mitsubishi Minicab again. In the export the vehicle was calledMitsubishi L100, the engine grew from 546 cc to 644 cc in 1981 and 783 cc in 1984. In China the vehicle is built asShenwei SYW 1010(X) and Wuling LZ 110, later calledWuling LZW 1010, which was also built as a minibus and a4-door double cab pickup (Wuling LZW 1010 SD); engines 644 cc or 797 cc. There has also been a 546 cc minibus (also high-roof), calledLiuzhou LZ 110.
The4th generation Mitsubishi Minicab came in June 1984 with a wheelbase of 178 cm, a high-roof cab truck became additionally available. The vehicle looked rather neat though the front wheelarch cutting was irregularly shaped. By 1990 the length became 326.5 cm for the van and 322.5 cm for the truck and the engine grew to 657 cc. A less commercial Mitsubishi MinicabBravo van was available. In the export the vehicle was again known as Mitsubishi L100 with 783 cc, a panel van was now available. In Indonesia in 1986 the body was widened to 147.5 cm, the wheelbase extended to 190 cm and the length to 345 cm (pick-up); the engine was 993 cc and it was known asMitsubishi Jetstar (minibus and pick-up), to be replaced in 1991 by the Suzuki-based Colt T120 SS. In China the vehicle is built asWuling LZW 6330/6430 (formerly calledWuling LZW 6320) minibus andWuling LZW 1010 with various suffixes as a van, a truck and a4-door double cab pickup, with the wheelbase extended to 201 cm and the length to 368 cm; a single cab truck with this wheelbase and a length of 350 cm is also available; engines 797 cc, 870 cc, 900 cc, 970 cc and 993 cc (843 cc and 1061 cc previously available). It is also built asShenwei SYW 1010A truck. In Taiwan, the vehicle was available with a 3-cylinder 796 cc engine, and with a 1061 cc engine asMitsubishi Varica minibus, van and truck with a wheelbase of 200 cm (extra length before the rear axle), length and width 370 cm and 147.5 cm respectively. By 2000, the engine became a 4-cylinder 1074 cc or 1198 cc, and the length varied from 385 to 396.5 cm. The earlier version was sold in China asWuling LZW 6370.
In January, 1991 arrived the5th generation Mitsubishi Minicab andMitsubishi Bravo (now available with 657 cc turbo engine), with a wheelbase of 192 cm for the van and 183 cm for the truck, a length of 329.5 cm and a width of 139.5 cm. The high-roof cab truck was no longer available, a panel van was. The van looked quite strange with a roof sloping downward while the waistline was going upward. By 1994 the Bravo got a 4-cylinder 659 cc engine and a live axle with coil springs at the rear. In 1997 arrived a retro version, called Bravo Route 66.
In January, 1999 came the6th generation Mitsubishi Minicab, now with a semi-front look as a van (low and high-roof; panel van available; wheelbase 239 cm, live rear axle with coil springs) and a truck (version with panels underneath available; wheelbase 220 cm, rigid rear axle with leaf springs), with acceptable looks. By April, 1999 arrived theMitsubishi Town Box(also called T-Box), a so-called wagon version with the 657 cc or the 659 cc turbo engine, live rear axle with coil springs, high-roof (or sunroof) only. In June, 1999 theMitsubishi Town Box Wide was added, which had a wider track and wheelarches only, length 360.5 cm, width 153.5 cm (compared to 339.5 cm and 139.5 cm respectively), 6 seats, normal roof, 1094 cc engine. Heavy bumpers and wheelarches make this vehicle look quite unattractive. In Malaysia this model is built asProton Juara since July, 2001 (length 366 cm).
Note: For details of the IndonesianMitsubishi Colt T 120, see Suzuki.
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In February, 1961 arrived theSubaru Sambar with a 356 cc rear engine, there was a swing axle with torsion bar springs at the rear, the wheelbase was 167 cm and a van was added in March, 1962. This was the first Kei class minivan among the main manufacturers, it had a rather dumb looking front end.
In January 1966 came thesecond generation Subaru Sambar, now with the wheelbase enlarged to 175 cm, a truck became available by March, 1967, and there was a panel van. Styling was typical for Kei minivans of those years. In about 1970 the rear swing axle was replaced by one with semi-trailing arms and torsion bar springs. In the export this vehicle was called laterSubaru 360.
Then in February, 1973 arrived thethird generation Subaru Sambar, now with a wheelbase of 173 cm, and side sliding doors, the styling was more mature, the pickup was deleted. In May, 1976 the engine grew to 490 cc and it was called Subaru Sambar 5, the vehicle was lengthened to 303.5 cm (truck also 310.5 cm) and the width became 134 cm (wider front bumper and truck deck). In the export it was still called Subaru 360, laterSubaru 500.
This generation Subaru Sambar waswidened to 139.5 cm by May, 1977; the wheelbase was now 182 cm (extra length behind the front door), the length 319.5 cm, the engine 544 cc. It was initially called Subaru Sambar 550. For the first time in the Kei industry a high-roof van was added in 1979. In 1980 came a 4-wheel-drive with a wheelbase of 180.5 cm. In the export the vehicle was known asSubaru 600.
In September 1982 came the4th generation Subaru Sambar, still with rear engine, the wheelbase was now 180.5 cm for all models. The styling was neat, rather square as typical in this period. The pickup was no longer available, a high-roof truck was. In Japan the van was now calledSubaru Sambar Try. A 544 cc supercharger engine became available later. A more passenger-car-likeSubaru Domingo high-roof van with 997 cc, later 1189 cc engines and coil springs at the rear was added in October, 1983. It had a length of 341/342.5 cm and a width of 143 cm. This vehicle would stay available well after the release of the next generation Sambar. In the export the engine became a 665 cc and the vehicle was calledSubaru 700 (length 322.5 cm). The larger versions were calledSubaru E10 andSubaru E12 respectively.
March, 1990 saw the introduction of the5th generation Subaru Sambar/Sambar Try, in time for the new regulations. So the length grew to 329.5 cm, the wheelbase to 188.5 cm while the engine became 658 cc; all models had now coil springs at the rear. The irregular window belt line made the vehicle look a bit complicated. By 1991, a less commercial van version arrived, called Subaru Sambar Try Dias. By 1992 the 'Try' suffix was deleted. In 1994 arrived a retro version, called Subaru Sambar (Dias) Classic (Dias with a blinded rear side window), in 1997 also as a truck. Only in June, 1994 arrived the Domingo based on this generation with a length of 352.5 cm and a width of 141.5 cm, 1189 cc. This vehicle was calledSubaru Libero in the export,Subaru Estratto in Taiwan.
In February, 1999 in time with the new regulations a semi-front end was added for safety reasons resulting in a length of 339.5 cm, while the body waswidened to 147.5 cm with a minor change in the panelling; the busy belt line was put straight. The Sambar Dias has its own front end as has the Sambar Dias Wagon Classic. The Domingo is no longer available.
In October, 1961 arrived theSuzulight Carry semi-front pickup with a wheelbase of 185 cm and a 359 cc engine, placed under the front seat. It had rigid axles with leaf springs both front and rear. By July, 1962 arrived a van and in November, 1964 a truck. In the export it was also known asSuzulight (360) FB.
In June, 1965 came thesecond generation Suzulight Carry pickup and truck, again a semi-front design, now with a wheelbase of 187 cm and independent front suspension. In January, 1966 became a van available, as well as a 4-seat pickup with an extra seat in the rear deck. This vehicle would remain available through 1970. In the export the vehicle was known asSuzuki 360 (L20).
Then came in March, 1966 the first full-cabSuzuki Carry pickup with a wheelbase of 174.5 cm, next to the Suzulight Carry. By July, 1966 came a hooded pickup with a seat in the rear deck. In January, 1967 arrived a truck, and in March, 1968 a van. The 359 cc engine was placed underfloor and the rear axle was rigid with leaf springs. The styling was rather appealing though immature. In the export the vehicle was known asSuzuki 360 (L30/L31).
In July, 1969 arrived the Giugiaro-designedsecond generation Suzuki Carry as a pickup and truck, with the van following in November, 1969. Dimensions and layout remained the same as before, the styling was more modern, with a questionable cut-off roof back end for the van.
So, thethird generation Suzuki Carry was released in December 1972, body styles and layout remained the same, the much more appealing van now had sliding doors. In the export the vehicle was known asSuzuki L50 orSuzuki L51 (truck); by 1975 asSuzuki L60 orSuzuki L61 with a 446 cc engine. In May, 1976 the engine became a 539 cc, the name Suzuki Carry 55, this vehicle was calledSuzuki ST10 in the export. By September, 1976 (Van: November, 1976) the vehicle waswidened to 139.5 cm and the wheelbase lengthened to 184 cm (extra length behind the front door); the length of the vehicle became 315.5 cm for the van and 319.5 cm for the truck and pickup. The vehicle was now calledSuzuki Carry Wide 550. In the export this vehicle was known asSuzuki ST20; by 1977 came theSuzuki ST80 with a 797 cc 4-cylinder OHC engine. In China, the vehicle was built asJilin JL 1010 pickup and4-door double cab pickup, as well asJilin JL 6320/6330/6360 minibus (formerly known asJilin JL 110) and van, both also available with high-roof. An interesting model was the8-passenger high-roof minibus with the wheelbase stretched to 214.5 cm (extra length and narrow window behind the front door), a length of 345.3 cm, andwidened to 154.5 cm. The engines were 796 cc 3-cylinder, 797 cc and 970 cc. Anhui Huaihai built theFeihu HH110 andFeihu HH111, also as a4-door double cab.
In Indonesia the Suzuki Carry as a minibus and truck was redesigned and enlarged by 1991; the length is 370 cm and the width 149.5 cm, the engine 970 cc. In the same style, both minibus and truck are built asSuzuki Carry Futura, later calledSuzuki Futura with the wheelbase extended to 197 cm, length 387.5 cm, width 157 cm and an engine of 1590 cc (initially 1360 cc), also asMitsubishi Colt T 120 SS with a 1343 cc engine (length 372 cm).
In Japan, in September, 1991 arrived the interesting6th generation Suzuki Carry and Every. The wheelbase of the truck was now 185.5 cm, the length of course 329.5 cm; the technical layout for the truck remained the same as before, though the engine was moved mid-ship. The van (Every and Carry) saw the engine moved backward just in front of the rear axle which was now a coil-sprung De Dion (rigid with 4 axle joints); the wheelbase was 200 cm and the styling was very attractive overall. In late 1997 a retro front version arrived, known asSuzuki Every C.
Details ofToyota Sparky to be found at Daihatsu.