Set to bow in Tokyo, Suzuki’s Mighty Deck concept is as small as it is practical

Suzuki hasn’t sold a car in the United States for nearly three years, but it’s alive and doing relatively well abroad, notably in its home country of Japan. One of the three concepts that the company will reveal at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show is a funky, pocket-sized pickup called Mighty Deck.

The Mighty Deck stretches just 133 inches from bumper to bumper, 57 inches from side to side and 60 inches tall. These dimensions make it one of the smallest pickups on the planet. They also mean that, if built, the Mighty Deck will be classified as a kei car in Japan, a special category of nanoscopic cars, trucks and vans that are eligible for tax breaks.

The Mighty Deck features a clean, uncluttered dashboard with a two-spoke steering wheel, a minimalist center console and a thin screen that runs the infotainment system. Wood trim on top of the dash gives the cockpit an unusually elegant look.

The back end can be arranged in a variety of ways, a setup that’s reminiscent of the defunct Chevrolet Avalanche. In its standard configuration, the Mighty Deck is a two-seater pickup with a small bed that’s accessed via an even smaller tailgate. The separation between the passenger compartment and the bed can be removed when the driver needs to carry longer items. Finally, the bed floor can be raised by a few inches in order to clear up a lockable trunk.

Power comes from a turbocharged three-cylinder engine that is mounted transversally and bolted to an automatic transmission. Full technical and performance specifications haven’t been announced yet, but kei car regulations dictate the Mighty Deck’s three-cylinder can’t make more than 63 horsepower.

Suzuki hasn’t revealed what the future has in store for the Mighty Deck concept. However, the company sold a similar-looking truck called Mighty Boy in the 1980s, so executives might be plotting a return to the tiny truck segment. If it does get the proverbial green light for production, the Mighty Deck will most likely not be sold outside of its home country due to its tiny size.