It was introduced at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show as a vehicle based on the Move's "tall" body style, and followed by the Tanto Custom in July 2005.

The name "Tanto" is derived from Italian, Spanish and Portuguese word for "so much" or "a lot".

The Tanto FCHV (Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle) was introduced at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show.

Based on the Tanto Custom, the prototype vehicle adds a hydrogen tank and electric motors.

At the same time, the crossover-styled variant called Tanto FunCross was also added to the lineup.