The little truck that could: The Honda Acty is imported, 'dirt cheap' and fits in hard-to-get-to places, including barns

Alamy photo via The Economist

In their searches for the best farming vehicle, some farmers have found a novel solution: a Honda Acty, also known as a "Kei" truck, reports The Economist. "A couple of years ago, Jake Morgan, a farmer, realized he needed a new vehicle to get around. . . . He was looking at 'side-by-sides'—an off-road utility vehicle. But that costs around $30,000. . . . [Then] he saw a YouTube comment that said something like, 'Why don’t you just get a minitruck instead?' That is a tiny four-wheel drive pickup truck, mostly made in Japan to take advantage of laws there that tax smaller vehicles less.. . . . Within a few months, he picked up a 1997 Honda Acty, having spent a total of just $2,000 on importing it."

How does that work? "Kei trucks were never intended for sale in America. Most are right-hand drive, and they do not always have airbags or other safety features required in new cars," The Economist reports. The bulk is imported under a rule that allows non-compliant vehicles that are older than 25 years to be brought into America, a carve-out intended originally for collectible vintage cars. . . . They fill a niche American manufacturers are failing to. Todd Gatto, one of the owners of Any Imports in New York, says that he has sold over 300 to local businesses in the past few years." Gatto told The Economist, “We bought five of them to start, and we sold them all within seven days. . . . Buyers include farmers, but also building contractors, a deli and Legoland, the theme park. . . . A lot of commercial businesses see the use of these over an $85,000 F250."

Part of a Kei's appeal is their simple design. "The trucks are easy to modify and repair," The Economist reports. "In northern Wisconsin and Minnesota, people fit them out with tracks to drive on ice in winter. . . . As the demand grows, some worry that the loopholes that allow their import and use might be closed. Dealers increasingly report trouble getting the vehicles registered for road use. . . . Safety concerns are part of the reason."

Meanwhile, many farmers like Morgan remain "delighted" with their Kei purchases. The Economist repoirts, "Not only is it 'dirt cheap,' but the Acty is less than five feet wide, and so can get into tight spaces a normal pickup cannot, like Morgan’s barn. And unlike a side-by-side, it can also be driven legally on local roads. . . . Not long after importing his first, he sold it and bought another. The new one is even better—it has air conditioning and a button which activates a dumper." Morgan said, “They’re amazingly useful."