1996 Honda Acty Fire Truck Is Today’s Bring a Trailer Auction Pick

• This 1996 Honda Acty Crawler fire truck was imported from Japan last year, and it still includes the equipment rack, flashing lights, and siren system.
• A tiny 656-cc three-cylinder engine sends 37.5 horsepower to 12-inch front wheels and rear tracks via a four-speed manual transaxle.
• With five days before the Bring a Trailer auction ends on Tuesday, February 28, bidding is currently at $11,500.

In America, fire trucks are gigantic beasts that can hold up to 1500 gallons of water and carry ladders that can stretch around 100 feet long. But Japan’s narrow streets require unique solutions, leading to cute rescue vehicles like this 1996 Honda Acty Crawler that is up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos.

The Honda Acty is a long-running work truck sold in Japan’s kei class, a designation for miniature vehicles that fit within diminutive dimensions and are powered by engines with a maximum capacity of 660 cc. The Crawler was a quirky variation of the Acty with the rear wheels replaced by treads wrapped around two axles and was built on special order for five years in the 1990s.

This Acty Crawler, modified for fire service, comes in red with gold graphics and a unique badge on the nose. The bed features bench seating, chrome handles, and racks for mounting firefighting equipment, while the siren and emergency lighting are still attached to the roof of the cabin. The 12-inch wheels are shod in narrow 145-width rubber up front, with a spare underneath the bed and four extra wheels included if you want to replace the rear tracks.

The tiny fire truck is motivated by a 656-cc inline-three mounted ahead of the rear axle. The 37.5 horsepower is routed through a four-speed manual transaxle with ultralow forward and reverse gears. A rear locking differential and a Real Time four-wheel-drive system help the little Crawler scoot around, and front disc and rear drum brakes are used to slow the Acty.

The interior is simple, with gray cloth seats, rubber floor mats, a heater, and a factory stereo system, along with the controls for the siren and flashing lights. The selling dealer imported the vehicle into the U.S. in December 2022, and the odometer shows 3600 kilometers or approximately 2237 miles. You probably won’t be rushing to any emergencies in the Acty Crawler—and certainly won’t want to take it onto an American highway—but the adorable fire truck will definitely help you stand out at your local Cars and Coffee meet. Bidding currently sits at $11,500 with five days remaining on the auction.

Associate News Editor

Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.