I am not sure how well a genuine Kei (i.e 660cc) truck would respond to having 350kg dumped on the back.
As it happens, the payload of a kei truck is 350kg!. But, you need to be aware that this hasn't much to do with GVW minus kerb weight, it is simply the figure decided upon (for whatever reason) as the maximum payload to fit into the taxation class of kei truck or van (in much the same way 64bhp has been decided the maximum allowable power). A Bedford Rascal dropside pickup has a payload of around 500kg, a (UK market) Suzuki Carry and my own Piaggio Porter is around 650kg. In fact for mainland European markets there were two GVW versions of the "standard" (as opposed to the Maxi with twin rear wheels) Porter, 1.5t and 1.7t, with the payload of the latter being as much as 850kg. so there will be no problem with 350kg.
Engine wise, with kei trucks vans and cars, while there is a maximum of 64bhp allowed, that is on vehicles with turbo engine. N/a is going to have roughly 55-58bhp, not a huge difference, but the extra torque of a turbo would be most welcome. Unfortunately, it isn't that easy at all to find out if a prospective purchase has a turbo or not. But with a turbo engine, given the dimensions and proportions, 64bhp is plenty!. My Piaggio Porter has a 1.3 Daihatsu engine which makes 64bhp and it is happiest between an indicated 55-65mph (I'd guess actual speed to be around 5mph lower), but that has more to do with revs than stability though as it is very low geared.
Staying on stability, not half as bad as I thought it might be**, in fact along with it being amusingly nippy, it is actually good fun to hustle along twisty country roads. Its narrowness means you can play with your lines at will while staying on your side of the road!. That brings me on to something else though, the ground clearance. AFAIK no kei trucks have extra ground clearance from the factory, this is done by simple and fairly rudimentary lift kits. I watched a video by Johnny Smith* reviewing a kei truck (imported by the same outfit that was bringing in Lada Niva's before the Ukraine war!) and they do the suspension lift in the UK (If memory serves, there was two height options). Point is, while the suspension lift may be handy for your flooded lanes, it will inevitably have a detrimental effect on the handling and stability of a vehicle which is already quite tall for its size along with being very narrow and having a very short wheelbase. In short, I'd be thinking very carefully about whether you actually need the extra clearance (high level air intake and vertical exhaust up the back of the cab perhaps?).
Another thing to be aware of if you are anything over average height is the cab space. My Porter has the standard cab and I fit well enough at 5'9" and size 8 feet, but anyone more than about an inch or two taller would probably struggle. Yes, you do get pickups with an extended cab (and higher roof), but that isn't going to help in the footwell if you have size 10 + feet, and it isn't going to help with the narrowness if you are of a bigger build!.
The safety aspect is something I pondered a lot when I fist got the Porter, but not so much now. Yes, it is never that far from the back of my mind, and I may feel different after a particularly close shave, but for the time being I've accepted it for what it is. I've been using it for a while now including over one winter and don't fear particularly for my safety while driving. A couple of things I think about are, (1) I have only been in one serious accident, a chap coming towards me lost control of his Rover Metro on a corner and hit the front of my 1987 Vauxhall Nova (sideways). He died later but myself and my Mother walked away with some whiplash. (2) Being as small and narrow as it is, (assuming you have your wits about you) you have a fairly decent chance of either avoiding a full on accident or turning it into a glancing blow.
Would a 1.3 Suzuki Carry, for example, make more sense.
With regards to the (UK) Suzuki Carry vs an imported kei truck. The youngest UK Carry is going to be 2006 and they do rust, so the problem is going to be finding one in decent condition. They do have a bit more power, a 1.3 with 77bhp if memory serves, but otherwise the only benefit I see in choosing one over an imported kei truck (which has never seen a salty road) would possibly be parts availability. That might be an issue if you prang it and have to get body panels, but you should be able to order a service kit easy enough via an importer (I got for the Porter not too long ago from Knightcott Motors, very helpful chap, and very chatty!)
I love those Kei cars/trucks but other than as a city car they are a toy.
Nonsense!. Most 4x4 kei trucks in the UK are bought by farmers and large estates, and are much more "serious" (most have high and low range) vehicles than the majority of SUV's in the UK. In Japan, they use kei trucks as fire trucks in small villages because they can get to places bigger fire trucks can't. Even outwith town and cities, they really aren't much of a problem once you get past the mentality that seems to affect most UK drivers, "I can't be going any slower than other traffic, otherwise I'll die"!
*watch (said Johnny Smith video, it is quite long but worth a look if you are thinking about a kei truck)
**But as a window cleaner, I won't be out in winds gusting to more than about 35-40mph. And I did have a Suzuki ST90 van (predecessor to the Supercarry/Rascal) in my youth and was terrified driving across the Kessock bridge just outside Inverness on a windy day!
Edited by badbusdriver on 15/03/2024 at 09:16
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