選び方

Which Kei Is Right For You?

Truck, van, or Jimny? They're all rad — but each shines for a different kind of Hawaiʻi life. Here's the honest breakdown so you pick right the first time.

Need to haul stuff?

Dirt, mulch, coolers, boards, feed — anything you can throw in an open bed.

→ Kei Truck

Need dry, lockable space + seats?

Boards, tools, kids, and the occasional camp night on the west side.

→ Kei Van

Need highway + trails?

Cross-island drives, Saddle Road, back-country hunting, daily-drive it too.

→ Suzuki Jimny

軽トラック

Kei Truck

The island workhorse. Small footprint, huge attitude.

Seats: 2 (crew cab: 4 tight)
Cargo: Flatbed, ~1,100 lb payload
Drivetrain: 2WD or selectable 4WD + low range
Typical budget: $8k–$14k landed, typical

Best for

Farms, ranches and lo‘i work
Landscapers, surfboard shapers, food trucks
Beach town errands and dump runs
Property caretakers on estates & resorts

Strengths

Flatbed dumps and drops — haul dirt, mulch, coolers, boards
Selectable 4WD and low range on most trims
Turns around anywhere — driveways, single-lane roads, trails
Sips fuel. Parts and mechanics easy to find in Hawaiʻi

Trade-offs

Two seats only (some crew cabs seat 4 tight)
Open bed — cargo needs tarping in rain
Hawaiʻi caps use to roads posted 35 mph or lower (see note below)

Road use: Hawaiʻi classifies Kei trucks as low-speed vehicles — legal on roads posted 35 mph or lower. No H-1, H-2, H-3 or highways over 35 mph.

軽バン

Kei Van

Enclosed cargo, real seating, camper-ready. The Swiss Army knife.

Seats: 4
Cargo: Enclosed, seats fold flat
Drivetrain: 2WD or selectable 4WD (model dependent)
Typical budget: $8k–$13k landed, typical

Best for

Surf & dive crews — boards inside, out of the sun
Small businesses needing lockable, dry cargo
Micro-campers and weekend van-life builds
Beach town families wanting 4 seats + gear

Strengths

Enclosed and lockable — protects tools and boards from sun, salt, rain
Rear seats fold flat for a queen-ish sleeping platform
4 real seats plus cargo
AC on most, better weather sealing than the truck

Trade-offs

No open bed — can't dump dirt or haul tall loads
Ground clearance lower than the truck or Jimny
Smaller engine — not built for sustained freeway pace

Road use: Full highway legal in Hawaiʻi — registers as a standard passenger vehicle with no 35 mph cap.

ジムニー

Suzuki Jimny

Tiny legend. Full highway-legal 4x4 that goes where trucks can't.

Seats: 4
Cargo: Small rear area, fold-flat seats
Drivetrain: Part-time 4WD + low range (ladder frame)
Typical budget: $12k–$22k landed, typical

Best for

Trail, hunting and back-road exploring on any island
Daily driver you also want to take up Saddle Road or Kahekili
Anyone who needs highway access (H-1, H-2, H-3, Pali, etc.)
Collectors and enthusiasts — values are climbing

Strengths

Real ladder-frame 4x4 with low range — punches way above its size
Full highway-legal in Hawaiʻi (not restricted to 35 mph roads)
Iconic looks — nothing else drives like a Jimny
Holds value better than almost anything in the segment

Trade-offs

Tiny cargo area — not a hauler
Short wheelbase — bouncy on rough pavement
Higher entry price than trucks or vans

Road use: Full highway legal in Hawaiʻi — registers as a standard passenger vehicle with no 35 mph cap.

Side by side

	Kei Truck	Kei Van	Jimny
Best use	Farm / hauling	Cargo + seats + camper	Trails + highway
Seats	2 (or 4 crew)	4	4
Cargo	Open flatbed	Enclosed, lockable	Small rear area
4WD + low range	Most trims	Some trims	Standard
Highway legal (HI)	No — 35 mph cap	Yes	Yes
Typical landed price	$8k–$14k	$8k–$13k	$12k–$22k

重要事項

The 35 mph rule — straight talk

Hawaiʻi registers Kei trucks as low-speed vehicles (LSVs). They're fully legal to own, register, insure and drive — but only on roads posted 35 mph or lower. That means no H-1, H-2, H-3, no Pali or Likelike, no expressways.

Kei vans and the Suzuki Jimny register as regular passenger vehicles — no 35 mph cap, full highway access.

For a huge slice of island life — Haleiwa, Waimanalo, Hanalei, Hawi, Paia, upcountry Maui, farm parcels, resort properties, most surf towns — the 35 mph limit is a non-issue anyway. But if your daily drive is going to include the freeway, go with a van or a Jimny.

Every vehicle we sell also needs to pass Hawaiʻi's annual safety inspection. We handle that before delivery so it's plated, inspected, and ready to drive.

Still not sure? 🤙

Tell us how you'll use it — beach, farm, business, trail — and we'll steer you right. No hard sell, ever.

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