1996 Daihatsu Hijet Twin Cam 4WD Kei Truck

This 1996 Hijet is the 4WD Twin Cam version — the trim Daihatsu buyers in Japan paid extra for back in the mid-90s, and the one that tends to disappear fastest off used lots over there. We've got this one at 34,650 miles, running a 5-speed manual and Daihatsu's twin-cam kei engine, which pulls noticeably harder off the line than the single-cam trucks you'll see priced the same or higher elsewhere.

Why the Twin Cam Hijet Has a Following

Daihatsu built the Hijet as a workhorse first, and the Twin Cam 4WD trim was their answer to buyers who wanted more than a flatbed on wheels. The dual overhead cam setup gives it a bit more top-end pull than the standard single-cam engine, and the 4WD system means you're not stopping to fuss with hubs when the ground turns soft. Parts and mechanical know-how for the Hijet are about as common as it gets in the kei truck world — shops that work on these have seen a hundred of them come through the door.

This particular truck comes with factory air conditioning, which matters more than people expect once summer hits — a lot of kei trucks this age shipped without it, or the compressor's long since given up. At 34,650 miles it's on the low side for a truck this age, and the 5-speed keeps you in charge of the twin-cam's power band instead of a tired automatic hunting for gears. We go through these trucks before they leave Japan and again once they land stateside, checking the drivetrain, brakes, and the bed for the rust that tends to eat at these from the inside out.

• Hauling mulch, gravel, or firewood around a property
• Getting feed and equipment to the back of a farm or ranch
• Tight-lot work on landscaping and small job sites
• Running between barns, greenhouses, or outbuildings
• A second truck for a small business that doesn't need a full-size pickup

A truck like this earns its keep on private property, at a hunting camp, or on a small acreage where a full-size pickup is overkill for the job and a headache to turn around. The bed's narrow, but the 4WD and light curb weight mean it gets into places a regular truck won't, and won't tear up soft ground doing it.

We deliver this Hijet door-to-door anywhere in the lower 48, and the whole purchase runs on a straightforward bank transfer — no dealer add-ons. At $4,500 for a 4WD twin-cam with A/C and mileage this low, it's priced to move. Reach out and we'll walk you through the paperwork and get a delivery window set up.