Toyota is resuscitating the Scion name, though the brand that re-emerges will be unrecognizable from the one that vanished ten years ago. The automaker has put a face on its new experimental mobility venture with the official introduction of Scion by Toyota. It will make its debut with the KEI-01, a small four-wheel-drive utility truck in the vein of the kei trucks so popular in Japan. Set for a U.S. arrival in the latter half of 2027, the new model ushers in an unforeseen chapter for a nameplate Toyota put to rest in 2016.
In events held at the same time in Michigan and Texas, the company has positioned the reborn Scion as a vehicle for it to try out unconventional designs and fresh ways of thinking about mobility. Where the original Scion was all about putting affordable compacts in front of younger buyers, the new iteration will put the onus on utility, adventure and experimental concepts.
Two more have been revealed under the Scion by Toyota banner: the SxS Concept, a hybrid off-roader with high performance, and the BKE Concept which takes a different tack on compact personal mobility. All three are a preview of what Toyota has in store for Scion’s second act.
Scion Returns With the 2027 KEI-01 Mini Truck
The headline act is the Scion by Toyota KEI-01, an ultra-compact utility truck that makes the practicality of a Japanese kei truck available to Americans. Such tiny pickups have won over a faithful following with their size, versatility and the fact they can do the job without being a full-size truck.
The KEI-01 is no different in principle. A 660cc three-cylinder engine and a continuously variable transmission come standard with four-wheel drive. Toyota has not put numbers to the horsepower or torque because raw performance is not the objective. The intent is to give businesses, farms and campuses a means of transportation that is both efficient and economical, where a regular pickup would be too much. In keeping with the tradition of kei trucks, right-hand drive is a feature of the KEI-01, something uncommon in the U.S. market.
There is a caveat. Built to meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 500 for low-speed vehicles, the KEI-01 will be capped at 25 mph. So it is not going to stand in for a Tacoma or any other compact pickup. Its legal operating range is confined to private property, industrial sites and those public roads where local rules allow low-speed vehicles.
Nonetheless, the KEI-01 may well occupy a void left by conventional American pickups. As trucks get bigger and more expensive, a vehicle that is easy to handle and puts practicality before towing power could find an audience. Toyota promises useful cargo space and the ability to see a number of tasks through, but has yet to put forward payload ratings or a price tag.
For now the New Scion Will Be for Fleet Customers
Enthusiasts may be looking for a crop of new and quirky affordable cars with the return of Scion, but Toyota is being measured with the KEI-01.
It will not be put on the shelf as a normal retail offering at first. A limited-volume fleet pilot program will be the initial avenue for the truck, with sales done by select dealerships acting as Scion by Toyota outlets. This will let the company see how the vehicle is used in the field and gauge demand from such customers as municipalities, universities, delivery firms, ranchers and small business owners.
A wider release to the retail public is a possibility down the road if the market warrants it, but nothing is set in stone.
As for manufacturing, the KEI-01 will be made in this country. Toyota has put $34 million into the Indiana plant to create some 50 jobs and put in place the assembly and logistics infrastructure for production to start there in the second half of 2027. It is a curious choice for a truck with Japanese roots, but it speaks to the potential Toyota sees in making the vehicle locally instead of importing it. Scion SxS Concept Has in Excess of 300 Horsepower
While the KEI-01 is the first vehicle to be put in front of customers, Toyota has bigger ideas for Scion than just a small work truck.
The Scion SxS Concept, which made its debut at the 2025 SEMA Show, is a case in point. The North American engineering team at Toyota has put together this side-by-side concept with an altogether different sensibility, pairing a high-output hybrid powertrain with off-road mettle.
Beneath the compact body lies a turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid that puts out over 300 hp. For a lightweight recreational off-roader it is no small matter and places the SxS Concept in the high-performance ranks. According to Toyota, the machine can do everything from technical rock crawling to high-speed desert runs, aided by a good deal of suspension articulation and a footprint meant to be easy to maneuver.
There is also a Silent Mode of operation that lets the vehicle run on electric power. A means of getting around trails and the like without the noise of the gasoline engine.
Toyota will not say if the SxS Concept is going into production but says it will continue to develop and evaluate the possibility of offering it to enthusiasts. Were it to be produced, it would put Toyota in a segment held by more specialized off-road brands and afford the company a chance to put its hybrid tech to show outside of the usual passenger cars.
Scion BKE Concept: A Different Kind of Mobility
The BKE Concept is the third of the new Scion vehicles and is something of an experiment in personal transportation.
Toyota touts the BKE as a compact and adaptable mobility concept for utility and outdoor recreation as well as self-expression. But unlike with the KEI-01 or SxS, there are no detailed specs to be had from the company on matters of performance or what a production version might look like. It is a study in how Scion can go beyond the conventional, not a confirmed model.
Why Toyota Is Reviving Scion?
When Scion was first put on the market in the U.S. in 2003, it was Toyota’s way of courting younger buyers with affordable, characterful vehicles and unorthodox marketing. The boxy xB, the FR-S and the sporty tC gave the brand a personality distinct from the rest of the Toyota range and an emphasis on letting the buyer put his own stamp on it with accessories.
An ardent following notwithstanding, the brand was done away with in 2016 and some of its models were folded into the Toyota lineup.
The new Scion is all about that experimental side of things again, but on a wider scale. It is less an entry-level marque and more what Toyota terms a “freedom lab” for its engineers and designers to put forward ideas that don’t belong in the standard product line. From small commercial vehicles to new types of personal transport. It is a far cry from the original formula, yet the individuality is still there.
Sale Date for the New Scion KEI-01?
Production of the Scion by Toyota KEI-01 is set to start in Indiana in the latter part of 2027. First up will be a limited sales program for fleet use.
As for pricing or when one might be available at retail, Toyota has not said. Nor has it given a launch date for the SxS and BKE concepts.
Those who thought the return of Scion would mean another sports car on the cheap along the lines of the FR-S may be taken aback. Launching with a diminutive four-wheel-drive pickup is perhaps more intriguing than merely reusing an old name. In an era of ever larger and more complex trucks, the KEI-01 is the antithesis. With a 25-mph top speed it is a niche item, but its size and utility could suit a customer who has no need for a conventional pickup.
Whether Scion will move into the mainstream is another question. For the moment, the KEI-01 is an unorthodox way for Toyota to try out some of the notions that don’t fit in the existing lineup.
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