The Smol Suzuki Mighty Boy: For People Who Want a Pickup but Don’t Really Want a Pickup
Jane Lu
· 3 min read
The '80s was an amazing period in
motor vehicle history
, with unique models such as the Suzuki Mighty Boy. Suzuki marketed the Mighty Boy as a utility vehicle. However, its flatbed was only 600 mm in length, too small to haul anything substantial.Only Japan, Australia, and Cyprus residents got a chance to drive this “
pickup
,” as it was not sold beyond these borders. In fact, less than 3,000 units were imported out of Japan. Let's explore the Mighty Boy's features and power.
The Suzuki Mighty Boy was a Kei car
According to
TopSpeed,
a Kei car is a vehicle category in Japan that comprises the smallest highway-legal vehicles. The Suzuki Mighty Boy was a Kei car meant to transport a maximum of two people, with the flatbed serving aesthetic
purposes. It existed as a pickup version of the Suzuki Cervo, another Kei car.The exact number of cars produced is not publicly available, and many of the models were written off. However,
Motor1
estimates that 300 to 400 pieces are still roadworthy today. Many of these units are available in Japan, but a few have been spotted in Australia.How powerful is the Suzuki Mighty Boy?
A 543 cc, SOHC three-cylinder engine powers this Kei car. Motor1 explains that the engine has 31 horsepower and 32 lb-ft of torque. The engine powered the rear wheels with a T400 gearbox.
The engine was mated with a four- or five-speed manual or two-speed automatic transmission. Many of the models of the car still in operation have had changes in their engines to increase power and enhance their driving experience.
The Mighty Boy's original engine is relatively weak by today's standards. However, it is still regarded as a commercial vehicle and benefits from lower taxes on that class of automobiles. Suzuki never replaced the Mighty Boy after discontinuing the model, but the existing vehicles still have loads of enthusiastic lovers.
Design and performance of the model
The first generation of these models came with 10-inch wheels and had a grille with horizontal fins. These features were similar to those of the Cervo.
However, instead of using the rectangular headlights, the Mighty Boy went for cheaper round ones. Many believe the reason was to keep the costs low as the brand’s main selling point was having the cheapest cars on the market. The model also received a cheap dashboard, steering wheel, and seats, similar to those of the Alto Van.
The later versions received some unique seats but they were still similar to those of the Cervo CS/G, except they came with an embossed “Mighty Boy” logo.
The PSA-A trim was only available in four-speed manual transmission, while both the PS-QL and PS-L had bucket seats, a coupe-style rear deck cover, and chrome roof tie-down rails. Later, the automaker redesigned the mirrors and front grille. It also added 12-inch wheels and a five-speed manual gearbox.
The final redesign saw the vehicle getting increased power, a facelift, and new seats. However, according to the
Internet Archive
, it never got a turbo engine, likely to keep the costs down. This lot had the highest number of vehicles exported to other markets.The last vehicle was manufactured in January of 1988.
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