(ABOVE) TK Yamada relaxes aboard "TinyTim," his 1992 Suzuki Carry, one of the "microtrucks" imported from Japan lately appearing on Hawaii's roads.
There's the mint-green 1995 Subaru Sambar nicknamed "Sue Brew" parked outside Honolulu Coffee Co.; Justin Park's 1994 Suzuki Carry shuttling between his businesses, Bar Maze and Bar Leather Apron; and TK Yamada's 1992 Suzuki Carry-a.k.a. "TinyTim"—carting pastries and coffee to his cafe, Try Coffee. Business owners in particular love the microtrucks for the way they can squeeze into Hawaii's old parking lots and tight spaces, and they're easier to load because the bed is lower than a standard pickup truck's and all the sides fold down.
But also: They're fun. "It's exhilarating to drive—the way you're seated above the front tires makes it feel like you're flying," Yamada says. Because the trucks are manufactured in Japan, the steering wheel is on the right, which leads to confusion and occasional hilarity. "Whenever I drive around with my friend's dog, and I'm on the right and the dog is on the left, it's fun hearing, 'Is that dog driving?!' as I cruise by people on the street."
“People are just like, ‘Oh my gosh, what is that? That’s so cute!’ Because Hawaii has such a strong connection to Japan, a lot of people have seen these cars in Japan, and they want to take a second look.”
Brandon Dobbs, who owns a 1995 Honda Acty microvan, which he says is perfect for camping because the back seats fold flat, gets stopped at least once a day when he's driving it. "People are just like, 'Oh my gosh, what is that? That's so cute!' Because Hawaii has such a strong connection to Japan, a lot of people have seen these cars in Japan, and they want to take a second look." Dobbs says his obsession with cars started with the movie Back to the Future. "Marty McFly's super awesome black Toyota pickup ... that was always the holy grail of trucks." But what about the DeLorean? "Yes, and the time machine, too," he says as an afterthought.
In early 2021, Dobbs started Pacific Import Vehicles, which specializes in bringing microvans and microtrucks to Hawaii. Business has jumped in the past year—he now fields about ten requests per month—and he just finished an interview with a Japanese morning show, "because people in Japan are becoming aware of Hawaii's fascination with these little trucks. They think it's funny we're so enamored with them."
