Scion returns with kei truck
The gist
Toyota announced Scion is back, led by a U.S.-built kei truck called the KEI-01, due in 2027.
It launches as a 25-mph fleet-only vehicle, so most buyers can't get one yet.
How it unfolded
- 2025Scion's return and Toyota's Freedom Lab division were teased with a UTV concept at the 2025 SEMA show, with long-travel suspension and a turbo 2.4-liter hybrid powertrain from the Tacoma TRD Pro.
- End of 2025President Trump said kei cars in Japan are cute and that his administration was clearing the way for them to come to the U.S.
- Nov 10, 2026Toyota announced Scion is back, unveiling the U.S.-built KEI-01 kei truck at joint press conferences in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, and Frisco, Texas.
Key terms
- kei truck
- A small Japanese pickup truck built to meet the keijidōsha light-vehicle size class, also called a kei truck or keitora.
- UTV
- A utility terrain vehicle is a side-by-side off-road vehicle with at least two seats in a roll cage and four wheels.
- SEMA show
- An annual automotive trade show in Las Vegas focused on specialty aftermarket equipment and modified vehicles.
Source: Wikipedia