1998 Daihatsu Hijet Van#BUC56799

Here is a 1998 Daihatsu Hijet Van, finished in Blue, imported from Japan and offered by Bucks Mini Trucks.

Powertrain on this Hijet Van

This Hijet Van carries the EF: a 660cc engine. The EF family powered Daihatsu's kei vehicles for well over a decade, and its longevity is a reasonable proxy for how sound the basic design was. The 660cc engine drives through a 5-speed manual gearbox.

Odometer and specification — Hijet Van

Odometer at listing is 73500 km; the paperwork gives a condition of used. The full model code on the Japanese paperwork is V-S110V.

About the 1998 Daihatsu Hijet

860kg empty means a Hijet can go places on soft ground that would leave ruts under anything heavier. Trade-spec Hijets were overwhelmingly white; this one is recorded as Blue. The Hijet has been in continuous production since November 1960, which makes it the oldest surviving kei nameplate — and in 2021 it took a Good Design Long Life Design Award, a first for Daihatsu.

Recorded measurements — Hijet Van

Recorded dimensions are 330cm long, 140cm wide and 186cm tall. It is on file with a kerb weight of 860kg, a rated load capacity of 350kg and 8.59m³ of measured cargo volume. The Japanese paperwork lists this 1998 Hijet Van as Kei van, Vans with 4 seats. That is 350kg of payload on a 860kg vehicle, a load-to-weight ratio most full-size pickups do not come close to.

Import and ownership — 1998 Daihatsu Hijet Van

Four-wheel drive in a van body is an unusual combination outside Japan, and it is the reason these get used well past the end of the pavement. A 1998 build date puts this one well past the 25-year federal import threshold.