TL;DR
Get business pricing on garage and car supplies
- Business-only prices and quantity discounts
- Tax-exempt purchasing
- Multiple users, one account, clear invoices
Toyota is reviving Scion as “Scion by Toyota” and plans to introduce the KEI-01, a small kei truck, to the U.S. market through a limited fleet pilot beginning in late 2027. The truck is described as a rebadged Toyota Pixis based on the Daihatsu Hijet Jumbo Cab, and its low-speed certification limits where it can be driven. Toyota has not announced a general retail launch or confirmed whether a left-hand-drive version will be offered.
Toyota is reviving Scion as “Scion by Toyota” and plans to bring the KEI-01 kei truck to the United States in a limited fleet pilot beginning in late 2027. The announcement marks Scion’s return as a mobility and vehicle-concept program, but the truck is not being announced as a broadly available consumer model.
Toyota describes the revived brand as a “freedom lab” focused on exploring mobility through design, vehicle concepts and features. Its first planned production vehicle under the program is the KEI-01, a compact utility truck. The Autopian reports that it is based on the Toyota Pixis, itself a rebadged Daihatsu Hijet Jumbo Cab. Toyota is expected to use its existing manufacturing infrastructure in Indiana for the U.S. program; the available announcement does not clarify what work will take place there.
The KEI-01 is described as having a 660cc engine and CVT, four-wheel drive, a three-way fold-down bed and standard heating and air conditioning. Reported dimensions are about five feet wide and 11 feet long, with a stated 600-pound payload that includes cargo and passengers. Those specifications suggest potential utility for farms, warehouses and other controlled or low-speed work settings, rather than conventional highway commuting.
The truck has been certified to meet U.S. low-speed vehicle standards, according to the report. Under those standards, it has a top speed below 25 mph and may be driven only on roads with posted limits below 35 mph. Toyota’s initial plan is a low-volume fleet pilot; any expansion would depend on the program’s performance and feedback from owners, and no broader rollout has been announced.
A Fleet Truck, Not a Retail Relaunch
The distinction between a fleet pilot and a consumer launch sets expectations for what Scion’s return means. People hoping to buy a tiny truck from a local Toyota dealer may not be able to do so when the pilot begins. Toyota has not disclosed whether the vehicles will be sold, leased or otherwise supplied to participating fleets, nor which organizations or regions will be included.
The vehicle’s low-speed classification also defines its practical reach. It is not suited to roads where traffic moves at typical urban or highway speeds, but it could serve sites and routes where a small footprint, cargo bed and four-wheel drive are useful. If Toyota moves beyond the pilot, the program could provide a manufacturer-backed option in a niche currently served in the U.S. by independently distributed mini trucks, as The Autopian notes. That possibility remains conditional, not a confirmed retail plan.
Products Worth Considering
Innova 5610 OBD2 Bidirectional Scan Tool
Milwaukee M12 FUEL 12V 1/4-Inch Hex Impact Driver Kit
NOCO Boost GB150 3000A 12V Lithium Jump Starter
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Scion’s New Role at Toyota
Toyota launched Scion in 2003 as a marque aimed at younger buyers, with affordable cars and a distinctive design and marketing approach. The Autopian reports that more than half of new Scion buyers were under 35 and that the tC had an average buyer age of 29. Scion sales peaked in 2006 before falling, and Toyota discontinued the brand in 2016 after years of financial difficulty.
The new “Scion by Toyota” is presented differently from that former passenger-car lineup. Toyota’s initial program pairs the KEI-01 with two mobility concepts: the SxS Concept, an off-road side-by-side shown at the 2025 SEMA Show, and the BXE Concept, aimed at outdoor personal mobility. The SxS remains a concept, with no public-sale plan reported. The KEI-01 is the program’s stated production vehicle, although its first planned availability is limited to fleet use.
““freedom lab””
— Toyota, describing the revived program
Retail Access and Truck Details
Several practical details have not been announced. Toyota has not identified pilot customers, locations, pricing or fleet order terms, and it has not said whether individual buyers will be able to obtain the truck. The reported images appear to show a right-hand-drive vehicle, but Toyota has not confirmed whether the U.S. version will retain that layout or whether a left-hand-drive model is planned.
The available material also does not establish the truck’s final U.S. specifications, including how the stated payload is allocated between occupants and cargo, or what modifications may be made for the pilot. Toyota says any broader availability could depend on performance and owner feedback; no decision or schedule for expansion has been disclosed.
Pilot Plans Before Broader Sales
The next stated milestone is the late-2027 fleet pilot. Toyota’s announcements or further program details should clarify which fleets can participate, where the KEI-01 will operate, and how the vehicles will be supplied. The pilot’s performance and feedback are the conditions cited for any possible expansion.
Until Toyota announces a wider sales plan, the KEI-01 should be understood as a limited-use fleet vehicle, not a confirmed option for ordinary retail customers. The other Scion-associated vehicles do not change that status: the SxS and BXE are concepts, and no public-sale timetable for either has been reported.
Key Questions
Is Scion returning as a regular car brand?
Toyota is reviving it as “Scion by Toyota,” a program it describes as a “freedom lab” for mobility design, concepts and features. The announcement does not describe a return to Scion’s former passenger-car lineup.
Can consumers buy the KEI-01?
Not under the initial plan described so far. Toyota’s first step is a low-volume fleet pilot planned for late 2027. It has not announced retail availability.
How fast can the KEI-01 go, and where can it be driven?
The report says the truck is certified as a low-speed vehicle, with a top speed below 25 mph, and may be driven only on roads with posted limits below 35 mph. It is not a conventional highway vehicle.
Will the U.S. model have a steering wheel on the left?
Toyota has not confirmed a left-hand-drive version. The initial images appear to show a right-hand-drive vehicle, but that does not establish the final U.S. configuration.
Source: theautopian.com
