1997 Daihatsu Hijet Fire Truck on 2040-cars

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Toyota's Daihatsu unit halts all vehicle shipments over widespread safety cheating

TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday its subsidiary Daihatsu will suspend shipments of all its vehicles in and outside Japan in a damaging safety scandal after an investigation found improper testing involving 64 models. The safety test irregularities earlier this year prompted an independent panel investigation, which found widespread and systematic problems. Toyota, citing results of the panel, said its probe found 174 new cases of irregularities in safety test and other procedures in 25 test categories, in addition to the problems reported earlier. “We are sorry to have betrayed the trust of our customers,” Daihatsu President Soichiro Okudaira told a news conference Wednesday. He acknowledged the cheating on safety testing and procedures is tantamount to neglect of safety certificates. “We take it very seriously as the problem that has shaken the foundation of an automaker,” he said. A lawyer and a member of the probe team, Makoto Kaiami, who also attended the news conference, said workers under pressure to meet management demands for tight development deadline resorted to cheating, and that the management should take the blame. The issue first emerged in April when Daihatsu reported improper testing on the door lining. Problems in the side collision testing also surfaced in May, officials said. The problems were found in 64 models and three engines of vehicles, including 22 models and an engine sold by Toyota, the company said in a statement. The investigation also found that the problems involved some models for Mazda Motor Corp. and Subaru Corp. sold at home, as well Toyota and Daihatsu models sold abroad. Daihatsu is Toyota's unit specializing in small cars and trucks that are popular in Japan. Toyota expressed “sincere apologies.” "We believe in order to prevent recurrence, in addition to a review of certification operations, a fundamental reform is needed to revitalize Daihatsu as a company,” Toyota said. Toyota said it will take a significant effort, including a review of management and business operations as well as the organization and its structure, as well as mindset of employees and that the company will provide full support to revitalize Daihatsu. Daihatsu Safety crash test

Junkyard Gem: 1990 Daihatsu Rocky SX

The Daihatsu Motor Company, best-known for its popular kei cars and vans in Japan, made a short-lived attempt to sell highway vehicles in the United States. From the 1988 through 1992 model years, the Charade subcompact and Rocky mini-SUV could be purchased here, after which the brand packed up and went home. As you might imagine, the Charade is very rare and the Rocky nearly nonexistent today, but my junkyard searching never ceases and I find examples here and there. Here's a 1990 Rocky, found in a self-service yard near Denver, Colorado. The Rocky name was used mostly in Japan and North America, while the rest of the world knew this truck as the Feroza or Sportrak.   Its narrow track and light weight made the Rocky good for off-road use and the price tag was reasonable, but (as was also the case with the Suzuki Samurai) it didn't fare so well as an American highway commuter. The main reason Rocky sales never really took off here, though, was the never-heard-of-it manufacturer coupled with a nasty recession.   Toyota, which owned enough of Daihatsu to have veto power over business decisions in 1990, eventually took full control of the company in 2016. Today, Toyota rakes in the yen selling Daihatsu Hijet trucks around the world.   The 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine in the Rocky made 94 horsepower.   Both the Rocky and the Charade could be purchased with a four-speed automatic transmission, but most buyers opted for the cheaper and more fuel-efficient five-on-the-floor manual. In fact, I've found but a single slushbox Daihatsu in all my years of junkyard crawling.   This little truck trundled over just past 200,000 miles of asphalt and (presumably) mud, dirt, and snow during its 31 years. For a Daihatsu, that's very impressive.   But the resale value on a well-worn small truck with three pedals and badges from a mystery manufacturer isn't so great, so here it sits. As rare as Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster! In Japan, shrill cuteness sold Rockies. In Oz, the Feroza's off-road abilities kept it from being late to surfing appointments. As tough as Uncle Toby's Iron Men. The Feroza name was used in Europe as well. Intensely rad Dutch car shoppers could get the Feroza's canvas top in various 1980s early 1990s pastel colors, to match their leg warmers.

Suzuki and Daihatsu join Toyota electric vehicle venture

TOKYO — Suzuki Motor Corp and Daihatsu are joining a commercial electric vehicle coalition led by Toyota Motor Corp, the carmakers announced on Wednesday, helping the Japanese alliance expand its focus from trucks to smaller cars. The two automakers will each acquire a 10% stake in the joint venture, on par with Isuzu Motors and Hino Motors, while Toyota will hold a 60% stake, they said. "With Suzuki and Daihatsu joining the project and working together, we'll be able to expand our circle of cooperation to not only cover commercial vehicles but also mini vehicles," said Toyota President Akio Toyoda. "With this expansion, I believe that we'll be able to take one step closer to a better mobility society," Toyoda said. The move comes as Japanese automakers face growing competition from tech giants and other rivals making electric and driverless cars. Toyota, Isuzu and Hino launched the Commercial Japan Partnership Technologies Corporation in April to bolster their competitive edge in connected, commercial vehicles. Daihatsu's president Soichiro Okudaira said joining the pact and introducing connected, mini-commercial vehicles would allow data sharing, a major benefit for companies to provide better services to customers and improve logistics efficiency. (Reporting by Eimi Yamamitsu; Writing by Ritsuko Ando; Editing by Louise Heavens) Related Video: Green Suzuki Toyota Daihatsu Electric Akio Toyoda