The is a cab over microvan and kei truck produced and sold by the Japanese automaker Daihatsu since 1960. 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 microvans since 1960, over two decades before Toyota took control. "Hijet", when transliterated into Japanese, is very similar to "Midget", one of Daihatsu's other mini-trucks. According to Daihatsu, the name "Hijet" was created to imply that the vehicle offers higher performance than the Midget. The Hijet competes in Japan with the Honda Acty, Mitsubishi Minicab, Nissan Clipper, Subaru Sambar and Suzuki Carry. By November 2020, around 7.4 million Hijets had been sold in Japan. History The first Hijet received a 360 cc two-stroke engine, as was dictated by the kei car laws of the time. The Hijet's development has long followed the evolution of Japan's kei regulations, with an increase to 550 cc in 1976 and then 660 cc for 1990. Exterior dimensions also increased from to as the regulations changed over the years. Export versions have usually been slightly larger as bigger bumpers and sometimes wider bodies are fitted. During 1980, the two millionth Hijet was built. First generation (L35/L36) The first vehicle to bear the name Hijet from Daihatsu was a kei truck in November 1960, with the enclosed light van model following in May 1961. The first generation Hijet used a conventional front engine, rear-wheel-drive format with the driver sitting behind the engine, in a similar pickup fashion. The exterior dimensions and engine displacement were in compliance with "kei class" regulations in Japan at its introduction. The 356 cc engine produced , making for a top speed of , normal numbers for the class at the time. As a result, the ability to carry loads was very much reduced. In 1964, the Hijet received a facelift, replacing its body-colored grille with a more conventional chromed unit. A heavier duty model of the Hijet, the New-Line (L50P/L50V), arrived in January 1963. It was a half-metre () longer and could carry thanks to a larger, 800 cc engine with . Developed with an eye to export markets, this car did not meet the strict kei car standards of the time and sold only in small numbers. When the first generation Hijet was replaced in February 1966, the New-Line was