Daihatsu Hijet Daihatsu Hijet S38/S40
Daihatsu Hijet (Daihatsu Hijet S38/S40) was built from 1971 to 1981, as a Van; Pickup truck. Powertrain: 356 cc ZM two-stroke I2; 547 cc AB20 OHC I2. Layout: mid-engine, rear-wheel drive. Size: 2,995 x 1,295 x 1,615 mm (L x W x H).
Composed from the specifications below, so it states nothing the specs do not. The picture illustrates the body shape, not this car; a photograph is added when a licence-safe one exists.
Overview
In September 1971, the fourth generation Hijet appeared, with all-new sheetmetal, initially available only as a truck. The engine remained the ZM 360 cc two-stroke two-cylinder, while the rear suspension reverted to a live, leaf-sprung unit. In February 1972, a new Van was presented, originally marketed as the "Slide Van" as it now featured sliding doors on both sides in addition to a top-hinged tailgate. In September 1974, the front clip and rear bumper underwent light changes to accommodate full-size yellow license plates (hitherto, kei cars had been equipped with smaller plates than normal).
Source: the English Wikipedia article on this model, CC BY-SA 4.0. Text may be shortened; read the full article for the complete text.
Not yet sourced for this model. Used prices swing with year, mileage, grade and country, so we publish a market range only when it comes with a named source and a date, and never an estimate. For a live figure, use the landed-cost tool with the price on the auction sheet.
Against the other pickup / truck models in this database (50 with this body type). Computed from the dimensions in the specifications, so it changes as the database grows.
- 200 mm below the median of 3,195 mm, and shorter than 81% of the 37 other pickup / truck models in this database.
- 100 mm below the median of 1,395 mm, and narrower than 92% of the 38 other pickup / truck models in this database.
- about the same as the median of 1,623 mm, and lower than 72% of the 18 other pickup / truck models in this database.
- 205 mm below the median of 1,885 mm, and shorter than 97% of the 32 other pickup / truck models in this database.
Who it suits
- Families, groups and shuttle work: the people-carrier body is built around seating and access.
- Work and haulage: a truck body is chosen for its load bed and payload.
Check before you buy
- Inspect for corrosion at sills, floor, subframes and suspension mounts, and replace perishable rubber (hoses, bushes, boots) at import.
- Read the auction sheet grade and notes, and verify the odometer against service and inspection records. How to read an auction sheet
- Run a history check (accidents, flood, mileage) before you bid. History check guide
- Import age rules: this generation already qualifies in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia. Confirm the rule for your exact vehicle with customs before buying. Landed-cost calculator
General guidance for this type of vehicle, worked out from its body, powertrain and age. It is not a finding about this particular model; use an inspection and the auction sheet for the car you are actually buying.
Worked out from this generation's production years and each country's age rule. Rules also depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.
Other generations of the Hijet
- Series L35 (pickup) and L36 (van) · 1960 - 1966
- Daihatsu Hijet S35 (truck), S36 (van) · 1964-1968
- Daihatsu Hijet S37 · 1968-1972
- Daihatsu Hijet Wide 55 · 1977- 1981
- Sixth generation (S65, S70) · 1981-1986; 1984-2002 (China); 1982-1992 (Indonesia)
- Seventh generation (S80/81/82/83/85/88/89) · 1986-1994 (Japan); 1986-1995 (Indonesia); 1992-2002 (South Korea)
- Eighth generation (S100, S110, S120, S130) · 1994 - 1999
- Ninth generation (S200, S210, S220) · 1999-2014 (truck); 1999-2004 (van)
- Tenth generation (S320, S321, S330, S331, S500, S510) · 2014-present (truck); 2004-2021 (van); 2016 - 2019 (Hi-Max)
- Eleventh generation (S700, S710) · 2021 - present (van)
More from Daihatsu · all Daihatsu models
- Hijet Cargo · 2026 - present
- Move (Seventh generation) · 2025-present
- Move Canbus (Second generation) · 2022-present
- Atrai (6th generation (S700V/S700W/S710V/S710W/S781V)) · 2021 - present
- Taft · 2020 - present
- Tanto (Fourth generation) · 2019 - present
Can I import a Daihatsu Hijet (Daihatsu Hijet S38/S40) from Japan?
By production year alone, Daihatsu Hijet (Daihatsu Hijet S38/S40) is inside the age window for United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia. Rules depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.
What powers the Daihatsu Hijet (Daihatsu Hijet S38/S40)?
Per its encyclopedia infobox, engine: 356 cc ZM two-stroke I2; 547 cc AB20 OHC I2.
How big is the Daihatsu Hijet (Daihatsu Hijet S38/S40)?
2,995 mm long and 1,295 mm wide and 1,615 mm tall, on a 1,680 mm wheelbase (Van; Pickup truck). For container loading, use the container packer.
Answered from this page's own data, not from outside claims. See the sources below.
- en.wikipedia.org (retrieved 2026-10-19)
Confidence: single-source (Wikipedia infobox). Specifications differ by market, trim and model year; the auction sheet or the vehicle's registration document is the final word on a particular car.
- Complete guide · 12 minImport a Kei Truck, Car or Van from Japan: Rules by Country (2026)What counts as a kei car, truck or van, how to import one step by step, and what the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Kenya say about age limits, with every rule tied to its regulator and the date we checked it.
- Guide · 8 minWhy Japan Built Kei Cars: The History of the Tiny-Car ClassKei cars aren't tiny by accident. They're tiny by law — a 1949 government class designed to put postwar Japan on wheels. How the rules created one of the world's most distinctive car cultures.
- Guide · 8 minKei Truck Import Guide: Which US States Allow Them in 2026Kei truck imports tripled in five years. Which US states actually allow them in 2026, how the 25-year rule applies, and what they really cost to land.