GoKawiilToyota revives Scion brand with Kei-01 mini pickup built in Indiana
Toyota will launch the Scion Kei-01, a compact Kei-style pickup truck, in the second half of 2027, reviving the Scion sub-brand it retired years ago. The truck will be built at Toyota's Princeton, Indiana plant following a $34 million investment to add new assembly operations, creating roughly 50 jobs. It uses a 660cc three-cylinder engine with CVT and selectable four-wheel drive, and is classified as a low-speed vehicle limited to 25 mph.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The move suggests Toyota sees a commercial niche for ultra-compact utility vehicles among fleet buyers like farmers, universities, and delivery services rather than typical consumers. Reviving Scion could also test whether there's appetite for reintroducing smaller, quirkier vehicle formats to the US market. Its low-speed classification likely allows Toyota to sidestep the stricter safety and emissions rules that have historically kept Kei trucks out of America.
- Scion brand returns after years of dormancy with the Kei-01 pickup.
- Production begins in Princeton, Indiana, backed by a $34 million investment and ~50 new jobs.
- Initial sales target fleet and commercial buyers, not general consumers, with a 25 mph speed cap.
Source: techspot.com — Kishalaya Kundu, 2026-11-11
Published there as: “Toyota is reviving Scion with a tiny Kei pickup built in Indiana”
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