Toyota-Daihatsu Planning to Launch Suzuki Jimny Rival by Late 2021

According to a fresh media report, Toyota’s low-cost car brand - Daihatsu is planning to introduce an all-new off-road SUV, which will compete against the likes of Suzuki Jimny. The upcoming off-roader will join the company’s new active light SUV, the Daihatsu Taft, which rivals with the likes of Suzuki Hustler. The carmaker also offers a sub-4-meter compact-SUV named as Daihatsu Rocky. The all-new off-road SUV is expected to have more sturdy and rugged d looks. Recent reports suggest that the upcoming SUV will be based on Daihatsu’s new-gen DNGA platform to boats of supreme on-road comfort. It will also get a 4WD system, which is Rocky’s “Dynamic Control 4WD”. One can also expect the automaker to offer an electronically-controlled 4WD system. The exterior of the SUV will have a boxy design to continue with the true-blue SUV aesthetics.

It will also feature muscular wheel arches and larger diameter tyres. The upcoming SUV is expected to be named as Daihatsu Larger. The off-roader is likely to be powered by a 1.0-litre three-pot turbo petrol mill, which is capable of shredding out 98 Bhp of peak power and 140 Nm of max torque. Transmission duties will be done by either a 6-speed MT or a CVT. This is the same power plant which does duties in Daihatsu Rocky and Toyota Raize as well. The Japanese automaker Toyota has also planned to bring its DNGA platform to the Indian market. The carmaker will use this platform to build an all-new mid-size SUV, which will rival with the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and Nissan Kicks. Moreover, the automaker has also planned to introduce a new compact MPV, which will sit below the Toyota Innova Crysta in the automaker’s stable.

Recently, Toyota has introduced the new facelifted version of Fortuner in the Indian market. The SUV is now also offered in the Legender trim, which is also sold in several Asian markets. The price of the top-spec diesel variant has now increased by around Rs 3 lakh. The new 2021 Toyota Fortuner is offered at a starting price of Rs 29.98 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the base trim and goes all the way up to Rs 37.58 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the top-spec model. However, the pre-facelift model of the SUV was priced between Rs 28.66 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) to Rs 34.43 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).