New Daihatsu small SUV @ Tokyo - future Toyota SUV?

[spwolf]

The Daihatsu DN Trec is a compact SUV, and small SUVs are currently very popular everywhere outside of Japan. The Honda HR-V is the default choice in Malaysia, and there’s the Mazda CX-3 for those willing to sacrifice space/practicality for design and dynamics. The Toyota C-HR, while not yet launched, has been drawing in big crowds touring the nation.

The showcar is proposed with a 1.2 litre hybrid powertrain with a 1.0 litre turbo motor as an option. In his show opening speech, Daihatsu’s president Soichiro Okudaira mentioned hybrid and electric powertrains as part of Daihatsu’s future plans – that’s something new for the carmaker, which already makes some of the cleanest and fuel efficient cars around.

https://paultan.org/2017/10/25/tokyo-2017-daihatsu-dn-trec-peroduas-new-suv/

- Toyota has rolled in Daihatsu to the Toyota Corp. (was independent before)
- Toyota Rush small SUV was shared with Dahatsu before.
- Size is 4m - Yaris sized.
- Toyota is currently missing many sizes for SUVs in Europe:
1. Yaris size which is this.
2. Between C-HR and Rav4, which is Prius SUV
3. Larger than Rav4? Maybe Highlander is coming, new version will have 300h (we know this already)?
4. 1.0l Turbo started sales earlier this year, maybe it will come to other Toyota models?
5. 1.2l hybrid would be usable for Aygo too. Aygo sells around 100k, and together with tripplets from PSA around 300k per year.

6. Toyota also needs smaller than this SUV, like Suzuki Ignis (this is Aygo sized):

7. Dont think I am crazy, VW empire started selling 8-9 new small SUVs around Europe this year, with more to come next. VW will have 15+ SUVs in Europe under different brands, and all Rav4 sized or smaller.

 

[Joaquin Ruhi]

No, you're not crazy at all. I like this Daihatsu DN Trec. It has the Toyota RAV4/C-HR nose minus the latter's polarizing over-the-top side sculpturing. Although I've never been a crossover/SUV fan, I always had a soft spot for the small RWD platform Daihatsu Terios/Toyota Rush SUV twins. They were the basis for at least 2 or 3 oddball but intriguing small sporty car concepts thrown together by hardcore enthusiast Toyota engineers in their spare time. Alas, Terios/Rush sales have already been discontinued in Japan and Indonesia, and its days are probably numbered. Much as I like this DN Trec, a production version would probably be just another FWD-based crossover. And, yes, I could definitely see a Toyota-badged version of this. Whether this would be built on TNGA-B or DNGA (yes, the Daihatsu New Global Architecture is a thing) remains to be seen.

 

[spwolf]

No, you're not crazy at all. I like this Daihatsu DN Trec. It has the Toyota RAV4/C-HR nose minus the latter's polarizing over-the-top side sculpturing. Although I've never been a crossover/SUV fan, I always had a soft spot for the small RWD platform Daihatsu Terios/Toyota Rush SUV twins. They were the basis for at least 2 or 3 oddball but intriguing small sporty car concepts thrown together by hardcore enthusiast Toyota engineers in their spare time. Alas, Terios/Rush sales have already been discontinued in Japan and Indonesia, and its days are probably numbered. Much as I like this DN Trec, a production version would probably be just another FWD-based crossover. And, yes, I could definitely see a Toyota-badged version of this. Whether this would be built on TNGA-B or DNGA (yes, the Daihatsu New Global Architecture is a thing) remains to be seen.

This is too small for current TNGA versions and one designed for Yaris is still 2 years out, so I wonder if it is going to be DNGA too.... certainly engines - 1.2l hybrid and 1.0 KR turbo seem to be destined for Toyota's too.... 1.2l hybrid is likely a new 1.2l NR engine hybrid from Toyota too.

 

[spwolf]

Toyota's D'Angelo, South American boss said that he would like to see it in SA and that it would be under Toyota brand under that case .

 

[ssun30]

Toyota's low displacement engine lineup is a mess, and it looks like the mess is not going to be cleaned up in the immediate future. Logically, they only need three ICEs to power 90% of the cars they produce.

 

[mmcartalk]

I wish Toyota had introduced this to the U.S. market instead the (roughly) same-sized C-HR. I'm not a fan of the C-HR at all...either its interior/exterior looks or quality of the materials used for trim and hardware. Plus, one of the samples I looked at had a significant assembly-goof inside from the factory....a sprung/misaligned dash-panel partially covered the engine start/stop button and prevented its use. I tried, several times, to re-align it myself, but the clips on the panel just wouldn't hold.