A kei truck listing will tell you it is a Honda Acty. That is true of a vehicle built in 1988 and of one built in 2009, with three different engines and two completely different chassis between them. The chassis code is the part that actually identifies what you are looking at, and once you can read it, half the questions people ask us answer themselves.
This page is a reference rather than an argument. The left-hand side of every table — what a code denotes, when it was built, what engine it carries — is settled model-line fact. The right-hand side is read out of our own database when you load the page: how many vehicles carrying that code are on our lot right now, which model years they are, and what drivetrain each one's paperwork records. Nothing on the right is typed in by hand, so nothing here can quietly go stale.
As things stand, 723 of the 949 vehicles we hold arrived with a documented chassis code, covering 122 distinct codes between them. That is an unusual amount of recorded detail for a segment where most listings say “Honda Acty, 4WD” and stop, and it is the only reason the counts below exist at all.
How a chassis code is built
Every manufacturer uses its own scheme and none of them published a key, but the schemes share a shape: a letter group for the model family, digits for the generation and the drivetrain, and a trailing letter for the body style.
Daihatsu's Hijet shows it most clearly, because four of its codes are in common circulation and you can read the pattern straight off them. In S100P, S110P, S200P and S210P, the second digit is the generation — 1 for the 1994–1999 truck, 2 for the 1999–2004 one. The third digit is the drive: 0 for two-wheel, 1 for four. The trailing letter is the body, P for the flat-bed truck and V for the van. S110V is therefore the van version of the four-wheel-drive 1990s Hijet, and it reads that way without anyone having to tell you.
Honda uses letters where Daihatsu uses digits: HA for the Acty truck, HH for the Acty van, HM for the Vamos, each followed by a number that steps up a generation at a time. Suzuki pairs DC51T with DD51T, Subaru pairs KS3 with KS4 and TT1 with TT2, Mitsubishi pairs U41T with U42T. Five different alphabets, one idea.
The idea is this: within a pair, the higher code is the four-wheel-drive one. HA3 and HA4, HA6 and HA7, KS3 and KS4, TT1 and TT2, U41T and U42T, DC51T and DD51T, S200P and S210P. It is not an odd-and-even rule — Honda's third-generation Acty runs HA6 for two-wheel drive and HA7 for four, inverting the parity of the generation before it — but the ordering within the pair holds throughout.
The paired-code rule, checked against the lot
That is the single most useful thing a buyer can know about these codes, so it is worth testing rather than asserting. Taking every vehicle on our lot whose chassis code appears in the table below and whose listing separately records a drivetrain, the drive implied by the code matches the drive on the listing in 594 of 601 cases.
The handful of disagreements are far more likely to be transcription errors in a listing than factory oddities, and we would rather show you the count than quietly round it to "always". Treat the rule as a very strong prior and the transfer lever in the cab as the proof.
The codes, and what we hold
Codes are grouped by model line. The Built column is the production span of that code as a model-line fact. Years held is the span of the examples actually on our lot, and it is narrower in every row, because the 25-year import rule closes off the recent end of each one — several of these codes stayed in production for a decade past the newest example we are allowed to bring in.
| Code | What it is | Built | Engine | In our stock | Years held | Drive, as recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S220G | Daihatsu Atrai Wagon, 2WD | 1999–2005 | EF 659cc 3-cyl | 1 | 1999 | 2WD 1 |
| S230G | Daihatsu Atrai Wagon, 4WD | 1999–2005 | EF 659cc 3-cyl | 2 | 2000 | 4WD 2 |
| S100V | Daihatsu Hijet Cargo, 2WD | 1994–1999 | EF 659cc 3-cyl | 1 | 1998 | 2WD 1 |
| S110V | Daihatsu Hijet Cargo, 4WD | 1994–1999 | EF 659cc 3-cyl | 2 | 1997–1998 | 4WD 1 · 2WD 1 |
| S82P | Daihatsu Hijet truck, 2WD | 1990–1994 | EF 659cc 3-cyl | 2 | 1991–1993 | 2WD 2 |
| S100P | Daihatsu Hijet truck, 2WD | 1994–1999 | EF 659cc 3-cyl | 6 | 1996–1998 | 2WD 6 |
| S200P | Daihatsu Hijet truck, 2WD | 1999–2004 | EF 659cc 3-cyl | 18 | 1999–2001 | 2WD 17 |
| S83P | Daihatsu Hijet truck, 4WD | 1990–1994 | EF 659cc 3-cyl | 3 | 1990–1993 | 4WD 3 |
| S110P | Daihatsu Hijet truck, 4WD | 1994–1999 | EF 659cc 3-cyl | 29 | 1994–1999 | 4WD 29 |
| S210P | Daihatsu Hijet truck, 4WD | 1999–2004 | EF 659cc 3-cyl | 29 | 1999–2001 | 4WD 29 |
| HA1 | Honda Acty truck, 2WD | 1988–1990 | E05A 547cc 3-cyl | 3 | 1988–1989 | 2WD 3 |
| HA3 | Honda Acty truck, 2WD | 1990–1999 | E07A 656cc 3-cyl | 26 | 1991–1998 | 4WD 1 · 2WD 25 |
| HA6 | Honda Acty truck, 2WD | 1999–2009 | E07Z 656cc 3-cyl | 11 | 1999–2001 | 2WD 11 |
| HA2 | Honda Acty truck, 4WD | 1988–1990 | E05A 547cc 3-cyl | 1 | 1989 | 4WD 1 |
| HA4 | Honda Acty truck, 4WD | 1990–1999 | E07A 656cc 3-cyl | 101 | 1990–1999 | 4WD 100 · 2WD 1 |
| HA7 | Honda Acty truck, 4WD | 1999–2009 | E07Z 656cc 3-cyl | 28 | 1999–2001 | 4WD 25 |
| HH5 | Honda Acty van / Street, 2WD | 1999 on | E07Z 656cc 3-cyl | 6 | 1999–2000 | 2WD 6 |
| HH6 | Honda Acty van / Street, 4WD | 1999 on | E07Z 656cc 3-cyl | 3 | 1999–2000 | 4WD 3 |
| HH3 | Honda Acty van, 2WD | 1990–1999 | E07A 656cc 3-cyl | 16 | 1990–1998 | 2WD 15 |
| HH4 | Honda Acty van, 4WD | 1990–1999 | E07A 656cc 3-cyl | 10 | 1994–1998 | 4WD 9 |
| HM1 | Honda Vamos, 2WD | 1999 on | E07Z 656cc 3-cyl | 4 | 1999–2000 | 2WD 4 |
| HM2 | Honda Vamos, 4WD | 1999 on | E07Z 656cc 3-cyl | 5 | 2000–2001 | 4WD 4 |
| PA1 | Honda Z, mid-engine kei SUV | 1998–2002 | E07Z 656cc 3-cyl | 3 | 1999–2000 | not recorded |
| U41T | Mitsubishi Minicab truck, 2WD | 1991–1999 | 3G83 657cc 3-cyl | 1 | 1996 | 2WD 1 |
| U61T | Mitsubishi Minicab truck, 2WD | 1999–2014 | 3G83 657cc 3-cyl | 1 | 2000 | not recorded |
| U42T | Mitsubishi Minicab truck, 4WD | 1991–1999 | 3G83 657cc 3-cyl | 39 | 1991–1998 | 4WD 38 |
| U62T | Mitsubishi Minicab truck, 4WD | 1999–2014 | 3G83 657cc 3-cyl | 18 | 1999–2000 | 4WD 18 |
| U41V | Mitsubishi Minicab van, 2WD | 1991–1999 | 3G83 657cc 3-cyl | 2 | 1993–1998 | 2WD 2 |
| U61V | Mitsubishi Minicab van, 2WD | 1999–2014 | 3G83 657cc 3-cyl | 1 | 1999 | 2WD 1 |
| U42V | Mitsubishi Minicab van, 4WD | 1991–1999 | 3G83 657cc 3-cyl | 1 | 1993 | 4WD 1 |
| H56A | Mitsubishi Pajero Mini, 4WD | 1994–1998 | 4A30 659cc 4-cyl | 2 | 1997–1998 | 4WD 2 |
| KS3 | Subaru Sambar truck, 2WD | 1990–1999 | EN07 658cc 4-cyl | 11 | 1991–1998 | 4WD 1 · 2WD 10 |
| TT1 | Subaru Sambar truck, 2WD | 1999–2012 | EN07 658cc 4-cyl | 8 | 1999–2001 | 2WD 8 |
| KS4 | Subaru Sambar truck, 4WD | 1990–1999 | EN07 658cc 4-cyl | 77 | 1990–1998 | 4WD 72 · 2WD 2 |
| TT2 | Subaru Sambar truck, 4WD | 1999–2012 | EN07 658cc 4-cyl | 32 | 1999–2001 | 4WD 30 |
| TV1 | Subaru Sambar van / Dias, 2WD | 1999–2012 | EN07 658cc 4-cyl | 4 | 1999–2001 | 2WD 4 |
| TV2 | Subaru Sambar van / Dias, 4WD | 1999–2012 | EN07 658cc 4-cyl | 3 | 1999–2000 | 4WD 3 |
| KV3 | Subaru Sambar van, 2WD | 1990–1999 | EN07 658cc 4-cyl | 7 | 1992–1998 | 2WD 7 |
| KV4 | Subaru Sambar van, 4WD | 1990–1999 | EN07 658cc 4-cyl | 8 | 1993–1998 | 4WD 8 |
| DC51T | Suzuki Carry truck, 2WD | 1991–1999 | F6A 657cc 3-cyl | 12 | 1993–1998 | 2WD 11 |
| DA52T | Suzuki Carry truck, 2WD | 1999–2002 | F6A 657cc 3-cyl | 8 | 1999–2001 | 2WD 8 |
| DB51T | Suzuki Carry truck, 4WD | 1990–1991 | F6A 657cc 3-cyl | 4 | 1990–1991 | 4WD 3 |
| DD51T | Suzuki Carry truck, 4WD | 1991–1999 | F6A 657cc 3-cyl | 38 | 1992–1999 | 4WD 33 · 2WD 1 |
| DB52T | Suzuki Carry truck, 4WD | 1999–2002 | F6A 657cc 3-cyl | 21 | 1999–2001 | 4WD 21 |
| DD51B | Suzuki Carry, dump body, 4WD | 1991–1999 | F6A 657cc 3-cyl | 8 | 1993–1998 | 4WD 8 |
| DA52W | Suzuki Every Wagon | 1999–2001 | F6A 657cc 3-cyl | 3 | 2000–2001 | 4WD 1 · 2WD 2 |
| DA52V | Suzuki Every van | 1999–2001 | F6A 657cc 3-cyl | 1 | 1999 | 2WD 1 |
| DE51V | Suzuki Every van, 2WD | 1991–1999 | F6A 657cc 3-cyl | 2 | 1991–1994 | 2WD 1 |
| DF51V | Suzuki Every van, 4WD | 1991–1999 | F6A 657cc 3-cyl | 1 | 1995 | 4WD 1 |
| JA22W | Suzuki Jimny, 4WD | 1995–1998 | K6A 658cc 3-cyl | 2 | 1995–1996 | 4WD 2 |
| JB23W | Suzuki Jimny, 4WD | 1998 on | K6A 658cc 3-cyl | 4 | 1999–2001 | 4WD 4 |
A further 94 vehicles on the lot carry 71 other chassis codes — mostly the non-kei JDM cars and vans we also import, plus a handful of kei variants too thin on the ground for us to describe with confidence. They are left out of the table rather than guessed at.
Counts are of vehicles currently listed as available and change as stock moves. “Drive, as recorded” reports what the individual listings say, not what the code implies — the two columns are deliberately independent so you can see where they disagree.
Engines
There are far fewer engines than there are chassis codes. Five families cover almost every kei commercial vehicle of the import-eligible period, and knowing which one is in front of you tells you more about parts supply than the badge does.
| Engine | Displacement | Layout | Found in | In our stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E05A | 547cc | 3-cylinder SOHC | Honda Acty, pre-1990 550cc kei class | 4 |
| E07A | 656cc | 3-cylinder SOHC | Honda Acty and Vamos, 1990s | 163 |
| E07Z | 656cc | 3-cylinder SOHC | Honda Acty, Vamos and Z, 1999 on | 55 |
| F6A | 657cc | 3-cylinder | Suzuki Carry, Every and Jimny; also the Mazda Scrum | 123 |
| K6A | 658cc | 3-cylinder DOHC | Later Suzuki Carry, Every and Jimny | 6 |
| EN07 | 658cc | 4-cylinder | Subaru Sambar — the only four-cylinder in the class | 144 |
| EF series | 659cc | 3-cylinder | Daihatsu Hijet and Atrai; also the Toyota Pixis | 141 |
| KF | 658cc | 3-cylinder DOHC | Daihatsu Hijet and Atrai, 2005 on | 61 |
| 3G83 | 657cc | 3-cylinder | Mitsubishi Minicab and Town Box | 72 |
| 4A30 | 659cc | 4-cylinder DOHC | Mitsubishi Pajero Mini | 3 |
136 further vehicles record an engine this table cannot place. Most of those read only “660cc” — the class ceiling rather than a measured displacement — and the rest belong to the non-kei JDM cars and vans we also import.
Two things are worth drawing out of that table.
The first is the displacements. 660cc is the legal ceiling of the kei class, not a figure any of these engines actually displaces. Honda's E07A is 656cc, Suzuki's F6A 657cc, Mitsubishi's 3G83 657cc, Subaru's EN07 658cc, Daihatsu's EF series 659cc — all engineered to sit just under the line. A listing that says "660cc" is quoting the regulation. Ours do it too, often enough that the table above has to account for them.
The second is that the Subaru EN07 is the only four-cylinder here. Every other mainstream kei truck engine of the period is a three. Subaru also put it behind the rear axle rather than under the cab, which is why the Sambar feels and sounds different from everything it competed with, and why its load floor is flat. Whether that is worth paying for is a separate question, and the model comparison takes it on properly.
Reading the codes in practice
On the vehicle
The manufacturer's plate is riveted somewhere in the engine bay or under the seat base, and the chassis number on it begins with the code: S110P-063498, HA4-2073356, KS4-095422. The part before the dash is the code; the part after is the serial, which is how a specific vehicle is identified on export and customs paperwork.
On an auction sheet
Japanese auction sheets print the code in the model field, usually with the serial. They do not translate it, and the model name beside it is often abbreviated past the point of usefulness, so the code is the thing to read. If you are buying through an agent at auction rather than from stock, the code plus the serial is what you should be asking for and checking against the photographs.
On our listings
Every vehicle on our lot that arrived with a documented code carries it in the vehicle-details block on its own page, together with the full chassis number, the engine code and the recorded body type. Not every one has it: these are 25-to-35-year-old working vehicles and some reach us with incomplete documentation, which is a fact about the vehicles rather than something we would rather you did not notice. Where a code is missing from a listing, it is missing from our records too.
What a chassis code does not tell you
This is the part that gets people into trouble, so it is worth being blunt about.
A code identifies a model, a generation and a drivetrain. It says nothing whatsoever about the condition of the individual vehicle, the state of its chassis rails, how it was maintained, or what the odometer has done. Two HA4s of the same year can be twenty years apart in usable life. The code narrows the search; the photographs, the odometer and the inspection decide the purchase.
It also tells you nothing about performance. We hold recorded specifications — year, drivetrain, transmission, odometer, engine code, body type — because those are documented facts about each vehicle. We do not hold measured fuel economy, top speed or payload test data for any of them, and neither does anyone else selling these trucks. Where you see those numbers quoted confidently online, they are manufacturer figures from the 1990s or guesses.
And it certainly tells you nothing about registration. Importing a 25-year-old kei truck is legal in all fifty states; putting one on a public road is decided state by state, and several states — New York, where we are based, among them — will not register one at all. The state-by-state guide covers where things currently stand.
Using this to search
If you now know which code you want, the model pages are the fastest route into current stock: Honda Acty, Suzuki Carry, Daihatsu Hijet, Subaru Sambar, Mitsubishi Minicab, Suzuki Jimny. Filtering the whole lot by four-wheel drive or by dump body narrows it from the other direction.
If you want to know what any of this costs, the kei truck price index breaks our own asking prices down by model line, body, drivetrain and odometer, and the cost guide explains what moves them.
And if you are hunting one specific code and cannot see it listed, tell us which one. We know what is in the container pipeline as well as what is on the lot, and that is a question we can usually answer the same day.