Spectacular trucks. I've owned mine for four years. 26 - 30 MPGs in the city. Carries 2,200 lbs in the bed... up steep inclines. 4WD Hi / Lo. Locking hubs. Narrow for getting into tight spaces. Has an 80's vibe to it although it's a 1995 model Liteace. Got it with 12k miles on it. No mechanical problems yet and always starts right up and glugs on down the road. Not very fast but a great cruiser to work andd around town with the torque and great MPGs. It's very unique and not many left on the road here in Japan anymore. Wish they still made these trucks or something like them.
I’m from Canada but I grew up in Sri Lanka, and these Town/Lite/Hi Aces were everywhere! These are everyday vehicles in Asia and my mom had this exact spec 90’ TownAce 4WD Van with a high roof, manual and a 2 tone paint job in the 90’s. Then she bought a Hiace Super GL in the early 2000’s and drove it up until we moved to Canada.
Bangladeshi here.. I'm considering to buy this exact same model or generation because I don't like the looks of the next generation trucks. But cannot find any 4WD configuration
My father had this exact Toyota, but it had a 5k engine and ran on gasoline. What a beast, highly reliable, minimal cost on fuel, maintenance, and so on. Won't think twice if I have a chance to own one for myself
Couple of things I believe: -That "choke" is actually an emergency engine shut-down. -That type of bed is common also on agricultural trailers. It's not only to make a flatbed, but also to allow for side unloading.
There's a semi-local (45 minute drive) dealership near me that sells a bunch of these weird RHD Kei pickup trucks. Toyota, Nissan, Daihatsu, Suzuki, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Honda that I know of. Apparently all 3 sides of the bed fold down to turn them into flatbeds. I've been in a Mitsubishi RHD Kei pickup before (can't remember the model) and being a stocky guy, I could barely fit. They are strictly made for average built people.
In my country, these type of trucks are very common. You are right that these are made for certain type of people. Since people in my country are not that tall or obese so these trucks are suitable here.
This is what my 1996 4WD Daihatsu Hijet wants to be when it grows up. Nice user experience review but I'd have loved to have had some data - MPG, bed size, cargo weight, ground clearance, etc.
Great review, and kudos to Steve for keeping a 33 year old vehicle in such great shape. I've seen these brawny cousins of Kei trucks on the carfromjapan web page for years...its neat to see such an excellent example in the U.S. :)
An all gate bed is super brilliant! I have also always wanted to drive one of these. There are a few of them kicking around Portland where I live, and I get so jealous every time I see them.
Cool truck and the 5 on the tree is unique. If you need a cheap truck to go to the hardware store this would be a cool choice. Unlike a kei you don't feel like you're wearing the truck. These are usually in good condition and relatively inexpensive. You could buy this and be cool or a rusty American truck. Of course, the American truck is easier to get parts for and no one will do a double take... Imagine this with a lift and some truck tires. It's incredible how broad Japanese carmakers are in their home market. They cover every slice of the roadgoing market. It's like when the Big Three made tiny hatchbacks and truck tractors but with even more specialized vehicles.
0:21 - Once again, thank you for pronouncing diesel correctly, Zack! I wish more people would pronounce diesel like this instead of their own ways (I DON'T CARE WHERE THEY ARE FROM).
that's a pretty common sight in the Philippines back in the late 90's to early 2000's along with the Passenger Van version.. but the 1.5L Petrol Engine Version is just better! Bulletproof Engine, can do 25-35MPG's, it can still move even if you put 1.5 tons of stuff at the back
I grew up in the Caribbean. Lots of vehicles back in the day had 4 and 5 speed gearboxes column shift…mostly Nissan/Datsun and Toyota trucks n vans. Some Mazdas and older British cars had em too
Lite Ace or Town Ace are quite common in South East Asia. They are not even JDM imports but are built by Toyota or Daihatsu factories there. Next step up you got the HiAce truck or van, and various LCF or Low Cab Forward small trucks the Isuzu Elf and the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter. These trucks do compete with traditional pickups but these pickups, like the Toyota Hilux, the Mitsubishi L200, the Isuzu DMax and even the Ford Ranger (turbodiesel) are priced remarkably low compared to US pickups and are not imported to the US either. The Ford Ranger in Asia isnt the same Ford Ranger in the US. There's also various Chinese pickups with turbodiesels like GWM and Foton, so overall in Asia you have a very lively, richly varied, and highly competitive utility truck market.
The 1989 Toyota Townace really reminds me of a really old Volkswagon Jetta GS. 1989 Toyota Townace really looks like the other one that is a right hand drive.
A lot of Japanese vehicles didn't get imported to the US because they didn't meet regulations. Most didn't have airbags when the US required them. Most would have failed crash safety tests. These small trucks are ideal for farms, but nothing more.
There is a 25% tax on imported trucks. They would be so expensive after importing that it wouldn't be worth it, and setting up a factory in the US wouldn't be worth it either. There have been some workarounds but the government has always been quick to put a stop to those.
I think a long serving Mitsubishi L300 has a similar transmission position, also a 5MT. I think there is also a 1.5 liter gas option similar to a box toyota kijang pickup/minivan.
it is odd that this type of truck never made it to the US. The bed configuration seems to add so much utility compared to the traditional US style pickup. I wonder if the chicken tax is to blame.
Also tradition and fuel prices, many people have massive trucks because what they COULD do not what they need to do. So this truck might be seen as useless
Coming from NZ, where the Hiace is dime a dozen, hearing someone call them a luxury van is so strange to me. Kei trucks are fairly common here, so seeing Americans go crazy over them is def a bit weird 😅
Spectacular trucks. I've owned mine for four years. 26 - 30 MPGs in the city. Carries 2,200 lbs in the bed... up steep inclines. 4WD Hi / Lo. Locking hubs. Narrow for getting into tight spaces. Has an 80's vibe to it although it's a 1995 model Liteace. Got it with 12k miles on it. No mechanical problems yet and always starts right up and glugs on down the road. Not very fast but a great cruiser to work andd around town with the torque and great MPGs. It's very unique and not many left on the road here in Japan anymore. Wish they still made these trucks or something like them.
I’m from Canada but I grew up in Sri Lanka, and these Town/Lite/Hi Aces were everywhere! These are everyday vehicles in Asia and my mom had this exact spec 90’ TownAce 4WD Van with a high roof, manual and a 2 tone paint job in the 90’s. Then she bought a Hiace Super GL in the early 2000’s and drove it up until we moved to Canada.
Finally, something affordable, simple, and durable !
This is an absolute vehicle for transportation in Asia ❤️🔥 thanks Jack for reviewing this 🙌🏼
❤️ From Bangladesh 🇧🇩
Bangladeshi here.. I'm considering to buy this exact same model or generation because I don't like the looks of the next generation trucks. But cannot find any 4WD configuration
My father had this exact Toyota, but it had a 5k engine and ran on gasoline. What a beast, highly reliable, minimal cost on fuel, maintenance, and so on. Won't think twice if I have a chance to own one for myself
THIS IS THE FUTURE, Thank you man, for reviewing !
Couple of things I believe: -That "choke" is actually an emergency engine shut-down. -That type of bed is common also on agricultural trailers. It's not only to make a flatbed, but also to allow for side unloading.
Instead of "Three on the tree", that's a "Five on the hive".
There's a semi-local (45 minute drive) dealership near me that sells a bunch of these weird RHD Kei pickup trucks. Toyota, Nissan, Daihatsu, Suzuki, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Honda that I know of. Apparently all 3 sides of the bed fold down to turn them into flatbeds. I've been in a Mitsubishi RHD Kei pickup before (can't remember the model) and being a stocky guy, I could barely fit. They are strictly made for average built people.
In my country, these type of trucks are very common. You are right that these are made for certain type of people. Since people in my country are not that tall or obese so these trucks are suitable here.
Would they have a Nissan stanza. They are starting to get hard to find in California.
Do you know the name of the dealer
Same mate. I am ludicrously tall and willowy and still don't fit well in keis
@@bitemyshinnymetalass1569 Kolenberg Motors in Duncan, BC, Canada
You're a very prolific poster! Thanks for the flood of content, it's amazing!
This is what my 1996 4WD Daihatsu Hijet wants to be when it grows up.
Nice user experience review but I'd have loved to have had some data - MPG, bed size, cargo weight, ground clearance, etc.
Zack! You never disappoint with Your selection of vehicles!
What a cool looking truck, that gear selector is on another level!
Great review, and kudos to Steve for keeping a 33 year old vehicle in such great shape. I've seen these brawny cousins of Kei trucks on the carfromjapan web page for years...its neat to see such an excellent example in the U.S. :)
An all gate bed is super brilliant! I have also always wanted to drive one of these. There are a few of them kicking around Portland where I live, and I get so jealous every time I see them.
Cool truck and the 5 on the tree is unique. If you need a cheap truck to go to the hardware store this would be a cool choice. Unlike a kei you don't feel like you're wearing the truck. These are usually in good condition and relatively inexpensive. You could buy this and be cool or a rusty American truck. Of course, the American truck is easier to get parts for and no one will do a double take... Imagine this with a lift and some truck tires.
It's incredible how broad Japanese carmakers are in their home market. They cover every slice of the roadgoing market. It's like when the Big Three made tiny hatchbacks and truck tractors but with even more specialized vehicles.
0:21 - Once again, thank you for pronouncing diesel correctly, Zack! I wish more people would pronounce diesel like this instead of their own ways (I DON'T CARE WHERE THEY ARE FROM).
who cares....
It’s pronounced diezel and muzlim
that's a pretty common sight in the Philippines back in the late 90's to early 2000's
along with the Passenger Van version..
but the 1.5L Petrol Engine Version is just better!
Bulletproof Engine, can do 25-35MPG's, it can still move even if you put 1.5 tons of stuff at the back
It's definitely the first Toyota I've ever seen with the manual stick on the steering column. Or on the tree.
I grew up in the Caribbean. Lots of vehicles back in the day had 4 and 5 speed gearboxes column shift…mostly Nissan/Datsun and Toyota trucks n vans. Some Mazdas and older British cars had em too
Very cool truck. Though, I see myself interested in an auto variant - I really don’t trust my left hand enough to operate a manual.
I’d love to get a lil truck like this with a tipper bed. Would be so useful
This is a very clean truck 🚚 👌
2:48 The gauges are straight off early 90s kijang minivans!
I adore these trucks, I so wish we could have gotten these in the US. I have to get an import one at some point.
Plus the column shift on the left side would throw me off a bit,just so use to shifter on the right side.
I've always wondered if some vehicle somewhere had ore than three gears on the tree. I finally have my answer.
Lite Ace or Town Ace are quite common in South East Asia. They are not even JDM imports but are built by Toyota or Daihatsu factories there. Next step up you got the HiAce truck or van, and various LCF or Low Cab Forward small trucks the Isuzu Elf and the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter. These trucks do compete with traditional pickups but these pickups, like the Toyota Hilux, the Mitsubishi L200, the Isuzu DMax and even the Ford Ranger (turbodiesel) are priced remarkably low compared to US pickups and are not imported to the US either. The Ford Ranger in Asia isnt the same Ford Ranger in the US. There's also various Chinese pickups with turbodiesels like GWM and Foton, so overall in Asia you have a very lively, richly varied, and highly competitive utility truck market.
My dad drove one in the 90s in Ireland awesome vichele
Love the side opening bed! The five on the tree is a nice touch. All around very cool vehicle!
02:47 those spedometer are exactly the same toyota put in toyota kijang super in indonesia
The 1989 Toyota Townace really reminds me of a really old Volkswagon Jetta GS. 1989 Toyota Townace really looks like the other one that is a right hand drive.
There are loads of these in Philppines and anywhere in Asian Countries
A lot of Japanese vehicles didn't get imported to the US because they didn't meet regulations. Most didn't have airbags when the US required them. Most would have failed crash safety tests. These small trucks are ideal for farms, but nothing more.
There is a 25% tax on imported trucks. They would be so expensive after importing that it wouldn't be worth it, and setting up a factory in the US wouldn't be worth it either. There have been some workarounds but the government has always been quick to put a stop to those.
Steering wheel looks like my old 86 Camry, same blue too! Damn, 13" wheels? Stick some at least 17's 😁
Toyota is the #1 retailer in the world as they offer the most models of any auto manufacturer
I think a long serving Mitsubishi L300 has a similar transmission position, also a 5MT. I think there is also a 1.5 liter gas option similar to a box toyota kijang pickup/minivan.
such a cute lil toy would be been fun to have on the farm
these type of light truck is popular here in asia, the bloodline of the economy here.
Not joking, this is the perfect truck!!!!!!!!!!!
The big question are,
mpg?
Tow capacity?
Pay load?
This truck is so sick! It looks like one of the new mini versions of the Isuzu military trucks!
5 on the tree? Never knew such a thing existed.
Am in Tanzania I owned two of them really cool min truck
Seen a few of them in New Zealand, looks similar to the Honda acty
I actually have but these are neat!
Never heard of it before... Bet U Haven't seen it on Cars & Bids before😏😏
Anyways.. love those unusual JDM utility vehicles!! 👌👌
this is an pefect truck
it is odd that this type of truck never made it to the US. The bed configuration seems to add so much utility compared to the traditional US style pickup. I wonder if the chicken tax is to blame.
Also tradition and fuel prices, many people have massive trucks because what they COULD do not what they need to do. So this truck might be seen as useless
Did you film this out of country? I saw japanese characters on the plate
Was this available in auto?
Coming from NZ, where the Hiace is dime a dozen, hearing someone call them a luxury van is so strange to me. Kei trucks are fairly common here, so seeing Americans go crazy over them is def a bit weird 😅
I like it a lot
All american pickups should be cabover designs
woah didnt know a diesel even could have a choke .
Looks like something my dad would drive 💀
We have toyota townace van but we are in Srilanka .
todas son malas