Discover Toyota Gazoo Racing’s daring mid‑engine kei‑truck concept revealed at Tokyo Auto Salon – see the quirky design now!
At the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon, Toyota Gazoo Racing turned heads—not with a sleek sports car, but with an eye‑catching reinterpretation of a tiny Japanese pickup, the Daihatsu Hijet. The result is a bold, mid‑engine kei‑truck concept that looks more like a miniature rally rig than a practical workhorse.
What the Concept Is (and Isn’t)
The showcase vehicle is fundamentally a Daihatsu Hijet chassis that has been radically re‑engineered. Toyota shifted the power‑plant to the rear of a two‑seat cabin, squeezed the passenger space, and turned the cargo box into a stylised platform that serves almost no functional purpose. In Toyota’s own words, it qualifies as a “mid‑engine vehicle” despite retaining the unmistakable silhouette of a mini‑truck.
Design Highlights
- Engine Placement: The three‑cylinder engine sits behind the driver and passenger, offering a true centre‑of‑gravity feel that’s rare in the kei‑class.
- Strip‑Down Cabin: The cabin is stripped to the essentials, with a lightweight roll‑cage and track‑ready racing seats.
- Sport‑Focused Wheels: Wide, low‑profile tyres and large‑diameter wheels replace the usual compact wheels, hinting at performance intent.
- Protective Frame: A robust chassis frame and external crash‑structure elements emphasize safety in a rally‑style context.
Why Toyota Chose This Unusual Path
The concept isn’t about horsepower numbers or production plans. Toyota presented it as a playful experiment within its motorsport ecosystem, involving both the Gazoo Racing division and its Daihatsu partner. The message is clear: the company is willing to explore unconventional layouts, even “silly” ones, to spark fresh ideas for future small‑displacement performance cars.
Speculations and Reality Check
Details such as engine output, drivetrain configuration, or real‑world drivability were deliberately omitted. It’s uncertain whether the prototype is fully functional or simply a static mock‑up. The presence of racing‑grade components, however, suggests that Toyota intended at least a limited on‑track demonstration.
What This Means for Enthusiasts
Fans expecting a conventional sports‑car concept may feel a tinge of disappointment, but those attuned to Toyota’s experimental DNA will recognise the strategic value. The company has a history of using the Tokyo Auto Salon as a sandbox for bold ideas that may never reach showrooms but influence future engineering directions.
In short, the mid‑engine kei‑truck is less a product launch and more a statement of creative freedom—an invitation to imagine a world where tiny Japanese pickups can also be rally‑ready thrill machines.