By Lou Cataldo
Pickup trucks are one of the most popular types of vehicle in the US. Although they are commonly used as family haulers and daily commuters today, they originally started out as work vehicles, hauling construction materials and goods around work sites and farms.
Today, someone who is shopping for a pickup truck for commercial use could also opt for something a little more left-field: a kei truck. These tiny Japanese vehicles are a part of the wider kei car family; they are often imported to the US to be used for work purposes, thanks to their small dimensions and ability to squeeze into any space. One kei truck model that’s especially popular in the US is the Honda Acty, so let’s take a closer look at this little-known Honda’s history and features.
The Third-Generation Honda Acty: A Pocket-Sized Pickup Truck
| Honda Acty (3rd Gen) Specs | |
| Engine | 656 cc inline-three |
| Horsepower | 52 hp |
| Torque | 45 lb-ft |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual, 3/4-speed automatic |
The Honda Acty is a kei truck model that has been around for nearly 50 years. Its third generation, introduced in 1999, is the most recent one to be eligible for import to the US. If you’re looking for a no-frills, practical, small work vehicle, the Acty may be a great choice for you.
Although the third-gen Acty was available in both van and truck form, the vehicles imported to the US mostly belong to the latter group.
This truck is powered by a three-cylinder engine, just 656 cc in size. This engine is part of Honda’s E0 family, found in several of the brand’s kei cars. E0 engines were used for a very long time, with some so-powered examples remaining in production as late as 2020. Today, however, they have mostly been replaced by another engine group, the “P” series.
The Acty’s output was initially 45 hp, but later went up to 52 hp and 45 lb-ft of torque. Transmission options included a three-speed automatic, four-speed automatic, and five-speed manual.
The Acty offers several advantages over a more traditional pickup truck. It can transport around 750 lbs of cargo, but requires far less fuel and maintenance than most trucks. Insurance costs are likely to be much lower as well. This is largely due to its legal status: kei trucks are typically only allowed on private property, which means the standards of maintenance and the insurance requirements are far less stringent than for vehicles used on public roads.
The Honda Acty On The Market Today
As the earliest examples of the third-gen Honda Acty became eligible for import last year, a few of these vehicles are now available on the used market, an ideal opportunity for buyers who don’t want to go through the hassle of importing a vehicle themselves. Prices range between $5,000 and $6,000, depending on the vehicle’s mileage, maintenance record, and overall condition.
The second-gen model is slightly cheaper and easier to find, as it has been eligible for import for a few years longer. For this generation, prices range between around $3,000 and $7,000. Prices do tend to soar a little for those with rarer and more useful specifications, for example, dump truck models. These regularly sell for north of $10,000, as do well-modified examples, which are tailored more specifically to off-road driving. Generally speaking though, if a nice standard Acty is what you're looking for in ready to go, servicable condition, $5,000 should be enough.
The Acty's Origins And Early Generations
Although the third generation is the most popular in the US, the Acty has been around since long before 1999, tracing its origins back to the mid-70s. The first generation of the model was introduced in 1977; two years later, a van version joined the lineup as well. The first-gen Acty was powered by a 545-cc two-cylinder engine, which produced just 28 hp and 30 lb-ft of torque. Transmission options included a four- or five-speed manual as well as a three-speed “Hondamatic”, Honda’s first semi-automatic transmission. The Hondamatic was offered a little later, from 1982 onwards.
Unlike its successors, the first-generation Acty was sold in a few export markets around the world, mainly the UK and Australia. It was never sold in the US, although of course it is now eligible for import due to its age.
After just over a decade of production, the Acty introduced a second generation in 1988. This version introduced the E0-series engines to the model, which would also be used in the third-gen version. Initially, power came from a 547-cc three-cylinder unit, which produced 34 hp and 33 lb-ft of torque. In 1990, however, the engine was changed to a 656-cc unit (closely related to the one used in the third-gen Acty), which produced 37 hp and 40 lb-ft of torque. Transmission options remained unchanged from the previous generation.
The second-gen Acty underwent a few design changes over the course of its lifespan. The 1990 facelift did not just upgrade the engine, it also changed the design of the headlights: the Acty truck, which originally had round headlights, received the same rectangular headlights as the van version (dubbed the “Street”). The Street remained in production a little longer than its pickup truck counterpart, continuing to be sold until 2001. The Acty, on the other hand, was replaced by the third-gen version in May 1999.
Sources: Honda, Suzuki
Read the full article on CarBuzz
This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.
