On the Horizon is a New Glarus 360 feature looking beyond today’s headlines at larger economic, demographic, technological and cultural changes that may eventually reach our community. The goal is not to predict the future, but to recognize consequential changes while they are still far enough away to prepare for them.

For someone outside New Glarus who needs to haul firewood, fencing supplies or a few bags of mulch, a new pickup truck can be an extraordinary amount of machinery — and money — for a modest job. That helps explain the growing American fascination with something at the opposite end of the automotive spectrum: the Japanese kei truck.

Barely 11 feet long, often equipped with four-wheel drive and generally powered by an engine no larger than 660 cubic centimeters, these miniature pickups have enclosed cabs, heaters and functional cargo beds. Models such as the Suzuki Carry, Daihatsu Hijet, Honda Acty and Subaru Sambar were built for Japanese roads and everyday work, not simply as recreational toys.

Their appeal comes at a time when American pickups have become larger, more elaborate and considerably more expensive. Kelley Blue Book reported that the average new full-size pickup sold for $67,573 in September 2026, compared with $50,562 for the average new vehicle. Of course, not everybody needs a heavy-duty towing package, a cavernous crew cab or a dashboard filled with screens to haul a load of garden supplies.

The movement is no longer confined to car enthusiasts. Reporting based on Japanese vehicle-export data put U.S. kei-truck imports at roughly 7,500 in 2024, about three times the level five years earlier. The number measures imports, not the total fleet on American roads, but it suggests that a once-obscure category is attracting substantial attention.