Toyota resurrects Scion with Kei mini car, a Trump favorite

Toyota is bringing back the Scion brand, but it's not what you think.

Recall the millennial-coded Scion sub-brand offered distinct vehicles like a sport two- door (now the 86) and cube-like xB, before it was sunsetted back in 2021. Now Toyota has something else in mind for the reboot — a mini Kei car.

Scion by Toyota (a new brand built around "curiosity, possibility and the freedom to explore mobility in new ways") dubbed its first vehicle the KEI-01, an "ultra-compact" utility truck with a two-seat cab and flat bed, that will arrive in the US in the second half of 2027.

Designed to meet applicable low-speed vehicle (LSV) federal safety requirements, the KEI-01 is equipped with a 660cc three-cylinder engine, a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and four-wheel drive (4WD), promising an affordable and capable mini package.

Kei trucks are ubiquitous in Japan, where small business owners, construction workers, and even farmers use them for small and medium haul-type tasks. Some even use them to transport pets around town.

LSV-type vehicles are gaining popularity in the US - look at the Fiat Topolino. Toyota also has its sights set on this ultra-compact pickup market, where upstarts like Slate are looking to operate, though the Slate is a regular, highway-ready vehicle.

The KEI-01 already has a fan in President Trump. After a visit to Japan, Trump said on a Truth Social po st in January, "I have just approved TINY CARS to be built in America. These cars of the very near future are inexpensive, safe, fuel-efficient and, quite simply, AMAZING!!! START BUILDING THEM NOW!"

Trump will likely also be pleased to hear Toyota will build the vehicles in the US at its plant in Indiana, with a new $34 million investment supporting 50 new jobs.

While it's not the biggest splash, it speaks to the fact that making these tiny vehicles may not require massive capital expenditures.

Toyota showcased two additional vehicles in the Scion brand portfolio — the SxS Concept and the BKE Concept — an off-road-style dune buggy and a portable minibike, respectively.

Toyota says the three vehicles explore new ideas in "utility, adventure, capability and personal expression." They also could tap a market Toyota does not operate in, and could be lucrative too.

Pras Subramanian is the lead auto reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram .