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Daihatsu Hijet
Manufacturer	Daihatsu
Also called	Daihatsu Atrai, Daihatsu Extol
Production	1960–present
Class	Kei car
Body style(s)	Van Pickup truck
Platform	Mid-engined, rear-wheel drive / four-wheel drive

The Daihatsu Hijet is a microvan and pickup truck produced by the Japanese automaker Daihatsu. Despite the similarities between the Hijet name and Toyota's naming scheme for its trucks and vans (Hiace and Hilux), the name "Hijet" has been in use for Daihatsu's kei trucks and vans since at least the 1970s, over two decades before Toyota took control. "Hijet", when transliterated into Japanese, is very similar to "Midget", one of Daihatsu's other mini-trucks.

Available engines for 2006 include the DVVT equipped 660 cc EF-VE, making 39 kW (52 hp) at 7000 rpm and 63 N·m (46 ft·lbf) of torque at 4000 rpm, and the 660 cc EF-SE, making 33 kW (44 hp) at 5900 rpm and 57 N·m (42 ft·lbf) of torque at 3600 rpm. The base model is mid-engine, rear drive, but four-wheel drive versions are available.

In Japan, a more luxury of Hijet is know as Daihatsu Atrai. Also powered by a 660 cc Turbo engine produce 64 bhp (48 kW).

Hijets sold outside Japan are available with 1.0 and 1.3-litre engines. The Hijet Maxx/Hijet Jumbo is a pick-up which are wider and have longer length. While Daihatsu Zebra a.k.a Daihatsu Citivan/Devan is a van based on Hijet Maxx is similar to Perodua Rusa. The Piaggio Porter is a licenced version manufactured in Italy.^[1] All of this variant are based on early version of Hijet with front wheel is below the front door(or engine below the front seat).

In 2007, Daihatsu Indonesia launch the new Daihatsu Gran Max which based on the newest Hijet(front wheel infront the door). It powered with 1300cc and 1500cc engine, wider and longer than the kei car based Hijet. The Gran Max is available in minivan style and pick-up.

In 2002, Daihatsu debuted the Hijet Cargo Hybrid concept, a hybrid van, in Japan using a 660 cc engine. The car is based on the existing non-hybrid Hijet Cargo. Daihatsu calls it a mild hybrid design. Its design (called Daihatsu Mild Hybrid System or DMHS based on Toyota hybrid technology) is quite different from many existing hybrid design where as the gas and electric powered components assembled as one unit. The electric motor sits between the gasoline powered engine and the transmission unit. The car is 30% more fuel efficient than its gas-powered counterpart.

The hybrid minicars (called FEV - Ultra Fuel Economy - and Atrai Hybrid-IV) made its debut in 2002 as a concept minicar.^[2] Its production was announced in October 2004 but as of May 2006 had not been released.

1. ^ http://www.xs4all.nl/~mjs/cabover.html
2. ^ http://www.daihatsu.com/annual/annual02.pdf

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Daihatsu Hijet

• Daihatsu webpage
• Spec. of the car
• Reviews from Hijet owners around the world
• Japanese Mini Truck