In about 1959 there was the Kurogane KB mini pick-up (a hooded version with 2 seats on the deck available) with a wheelbase of 175 cm, a length of 299 cm and a width of 127.8 cm. The 356cc engine was placed in the rear.

In February, 1961 the Subaru Sambar with a 356cc rear engine was being produced. There was a swing axle with torsion bar springs at the rear, and the wheelbase was 167 cm.

In October, 1961, Suzuki Motor Co.,Ltd introduced the Suzulight Carry, a semi-front pickup with a wheelbase of 185 cm and a 359cc underfloor engine. It had rigid axles with leaf springs both front and rear.

Around 1961 the HopeStar OT pickup was introduced by the Hope Motor Company. They had been making 3–wheel trucks, so this was one of their first with 4 wheels. The truck had a wheelbase of 198 cm, and an underfloor engine of 356cc, length: 299 cm, width: 128 cm, and a rigid rear axle with leaf springs. They stopped producing it about 1968 when the Hope Motor Company was bought by Suzuki.

The first Honda 4-wheel vehicle was introduced in August, 1963 as the Honda T360, a semi-front truck or pickup with a wheelbase of 200 cm and a rear rigid axle with leaf springs. The underfloor engine was 354cc. In September, 1964 the Honda T500 was added with a 531cc engine and a length of 319 cm.

In April, 1964 Daihatsu introduced the Daihatsu Hi-Jet Cab with a wheelbase of 178 cm, a 356cc engine under the front seat and was available as a (low deck) pickup. There was a rigid axle with leaf springs at the rear. There was also the Daihatsu New-Line Cab as a pickup or truck with the wheelbase extended with 5 cm (about 2 in.), and a length of 321.5 cm (126.57" or 10.5') and a width of 134.5 cm (about 53" or 4.4'); the engine was 797cc.

In May, 1965, the Cony 360 Wide truck was introduced with a wheelbase of 168 cm, a rear rigid axle with leaf springs and an engine of 354cc, placed under the floor in the center. The look was considered modern, and the vehicle remained available until the early seventies.

Then in June, 1965 came the second generation Suzulight Carry mini truck which still carried the semi-front design. It had independent front suspension, and The wheel base was 187 cm, just 2 cm more than the 1961 model.

Also in 1965, the second generation Subaru Sambar was introduced, with the wheelbase enlarged from 167 cm to 175 cm.

In March, 1966 the first full-cab Suzuki Carry pickup was introduced with a wheelbase of 174.5 cm. By July, a hooded pickup with a seat in the rear deck was available. Early models had a 450cc 2–cylinder, 2–stroke engine mounted horizontally underneath the load area. The starter and generator were combined and mounted directly on the front of the crankshaft.

In August, 1966 Mitsubishi joined the Kei class truck market by introducing the Mitsubishi Minicab with a wheelbase of 179 cm. This cab-over style mini truck was powered by an air cooled, 2-stroke, 359cc engine placed under the front seats and the rear axle was rigid with leaf springs.

In October, 1967 came the cabover Honda TN360 with a wheelbase of 178 cm as a mini truck, the 354cc engine was now placed further to the rear and a DeDion rear axle with leaf springs was adopted. This vehicle was renamed in later years several times: Honda TNIII, the Honda TN-V and Honda TN-7 For the export market, the name remained the Honda TN360.

In May, 1968 Daihatsu introduced the second generation Daihatsu Hijet. The wheelbase was now only 168 cm (66"). Body styles and technical layout were the same as before, with the addition of a pickup available with 2 seats on the deck and a hood with windows. The export models were called Daihatsu 360 Cab.

In April, 1969 Toyo Kogyo introduced the Mazda Porter Cab with a wheelbase of 183.5 cm as a mini truck with a rigid rear axle, leaf springs and a 359cc engine which was placed under the front seats. It featured styling with round headlamps and round cadres, giving it kind of a spectacled–look.

In November, 1970 arrived the Honda Vamos – an open doorless cabover mini truck, with various seat and canvas top variations. It was based on the TN360 and 2,500 were built until 1973.

In June, 1971, Mitsubishi introduced its second generation mini truck; the Mitsubishi Minicab. The wheelbase was now 174 cm.

By September, 1971 the third generation Daihatsu Hijet mini truck with dimensions the same as earlier models was being produced. The vehicles looked much brighter than before, returning to round headlamp style. The export models were called the Daihatsu 360 Cab and the Daihatsu 550 Cab.

Shown here is Honda Life Pickupfrom 1973 with a trailer. It had a 356cc engine. This is the only front–wheel–drive Kei class mini truck made in Japan! Although it was really cute and spiffy, the model was removed from the product line in October, 1974 with less than 1,500 produced.

By April, 1976 Mitsubishi introduced their third generation Kei class vehicle, now called Mitsubishi Minicab 5 (471cc) with a wheelbase of 170 cm; the length was 305 cm.

In May, 1976 Suzuki's third generation mini truck with a 539cc engine was named the Suzuki Carry 55, but referred to as the Suzuki ST10 in the export market. Later that year, the vehicle was widened to 139.5 cm and the wheelbase lengthened to 184 cm (with extra length behind the front door); the length of the vehicle became 319.5 cm. The vehicle was now called Suzuki Carry Wide 550. In the export market, it was known as Suzuki ST20. This image is from the 2006 Tohoku Custom Truck Award. The man in this photo did a really fabulous job coifing this mini truck.

In March, 1977 the Mitsubishi Minicab Wide 55 (546cc) was widened from 129.5 cm to 139.5 cm, the wheelbase extended from its original 170 cm to 176 cm and the length became 319.5 cm.

By March, 1977 the Mazda Porter Cab was widened 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 546cc, the (integral) pickup was deleted and the 'spectacled-look' became more rectangular. The vehicle remained available until the late eighties. In the export it was known as Mazda E360.

In 1977 the Suzuki ST20K was released. The "K" referred to the "trucklike" nature of the vehicle, in that it had 3 drop sides as opposed to the utility version which had only a tailgate and formed sides. It had a 3 cylinder 550cc water–cooled 2–stroke engine and a carrying capacity of 500 kg (1102 lb).

In September, 1977 the 3rd generation minitruck, now called Honda TN Acty, with a wheelbase of 185 cm, length 319.5 cm, width 139.5 cm, engine 545cc, same technical layout and bodies as before.

The 4th generation Suzuki Carry came in March, 1979 with the same dimensions, as earlier models, however, the engine was now positioned under the front seat. The styling was now matured with larger side windows. In the Autumn of 1980 a 4-stroke OHC 543cc engine was added, and in mid–1981 they added four-wheel-drive with a wheelbase of 185 cm.

1981 saw the introduction of the 5th generation Daihatsu Hijet which now finally received a matured appearance. The wheelbase was now 182 cm (roughly 6'), and by 1983 an interesting extended cab (30 cm or about 1 foot) high–roof truck, called the Jumbo, the first and only in the Kei vehicle industry. This vehicle looked very balanced with a 164 cm (64.5") deck (roughly half of the length of the vehicle). By 1982 a four-wheel-drive version arrived with a wheelbase 181.5 cm (almost 6'), the high-profile tire versions were called the Climber (such versions with 2WD and a non-slip differential lock adapted this name later).

The 4th generation Mitsubishi Minicab came in 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 657cc. A less commercial Mitsubishi Minicab Bravo van was available. In the export the vehicle was again known as Mitsubishi L100 with 783 cc, a panel van was now available.

The 5th generation Suzuki Carry arrived in 1985 with the same dimensions, technical layout, body style and engine as the previous generation. The styling was such that it featured an irregularly–shaped front wheel opening.

In 1986 came the 6th generation Daihatsu Hijet. The wheelbase was now 181 cm (about 6'). Engine and body styles remained the same with a supercharger now available in the truck. The Jumbo cab was now extended with 28 cm (11"), resulting in a deck length of 166 cm (65"), grown to 170 cm (66") by 1990 with the implementation of the new Kei vehicle regulations. At this time the engine became 659cc and the length 329.5 cm (roughly 129"). In the export market, the vehicles were now called the Hijet as well (993cc). From 1992 the vehicle was also built in Italy (also with a 1.2 diesel engine), as well as Innocenti Porter, and Piaggio Porter with a 1269cc 4-valve engine and a 1371cc diesel engine.

In Indonesia the body was widened and extended in 1986 and known as Mitsubishi Jet Star to be replaced in 1991 by the Suzuki-based Colt T120 SS. In China the vehicle is built as Wuling LZW 6330 (formerly called Wuling LZW 6320) minibus and Wuling LZW 1010 with various suffixes as a van, a truck and a 4-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 797cc, 870cc, 900cc, 970cc and 993cc (843cc and 1061cc previously available). It is also built as Shenwei SYW 1010A truck. In Taiwan, the vehicle was available with a 3-cylinder 796cc engine, and with a 1061cc engine as Mitsubishi 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 May, 1988 arrived the 4th generation Honda Acty, now with a wheelbase of 190 cm. By 1990 (new regulations) the length became 325.5 cm, still placed before the rear axle, grew to 656cc.

In January, 1991 arrived the 5th generation Mitsubishi Minicab with a wheelbase 183 cm, a length of 329.5 cm and a width of 139.5 cm. The high-roof cab truck was no longer available.

The second generation Autozam Scrum became available in 1991, again a Carry clone. A less commercial version was called Scrum Stand Off. The vehicle was renamed Mazda Scrum in the autumn of 1997.

By 1991, the Suzuki Carry mini truck was redesigned and enlarged in Indonesia. The length: 370 cm and the width: 149.5 cm, the engine 970 cc. The mini truck was known as Suzuki Carry Futura, later called Suzuki Futura with the wheelbase extended to 197 cm, length 387.5 cm, width 157 cm and an engine of 1590cc (initially 1360cc), also as Mitsubishi Colt T 120 SS with a 1343cc engine (length 372 cm).

In Japan, in October, 1991 the 6th generation Suzuki Carry was released and the technical layout for the truck remained the same as before. The wheelbase of the truck was now 185.5 cm, the length 329.5 cm.

The Daihatsu Hijet Jumbo cab has been around at least since 1983, and is extended 28.5 cm (just over 11") and the deck length is 199 cm (78.3"), which is 5 cm (~2") longer than for the regular cab truck, as the cab extension is mounted after the cab back having been removed, while the deck is extended forward well into the cab underneath. Due to the fact that both front and rear cab extensions are attached rather than integral, the balanced looks of the previous generation Jumbo could not be maintained though the cab and truck part lengths are almost equal.

By January, 1994 the 7th generation Daihatsu Hijet arrived with a wheelbase of 190 cm (about 75"). The deck of the Deck Van was now 92.5 cm (36.5") long and 128.5 cm (50.5") wide. The Daihatsu Atrai, now accompanied by the Atrai Legrand received a live rear axle with coil springs. By 1997 the Atrai Classic arrived with a retro front.

In January, 1999 came the 6th generation Mitsubishi Minicab, a truck with panels underneath available, a wheelbase of 220 cm, rigid rear axle with leaf springs.