Daihatsu may return here as Toyota

Compact SUV Toyota Rush.

The Daihatsu mark owned by Toyota retired from our market in 2005, but the void in Toyota's lineup could see some Daihatsu products return in the form of a small Terios SUV rebadged as the Toyota Rush.

Toyota is looking to capitalize on the growing sub-$25,000 compact SUV market segment. Sales are booming new nissan juke, Suzuki SX4, Holden Traks, Ford EcoSport и Fiat Panda everyone joins Mitsubishi ASH in search of a piece of the market. Toyota currently has no competitors in this segment. big RAV4 starting at $28,490.

But Toyota has an advantage in this rivalry: it owns Daihatsu, Japan's oldest automaker and small car specialist. The first generation Daihatsu Terios was sold in Australia between 1997 and 2005, creating the same compact 5-door SUV segment that is now booming. But the current model never made it to our shores due to Daihatsu's retirement.

Toyota has been successfully selling the Rush in overseas markets for over a decade, and the current model has been since its introduction in 2006. It is equipped with an 80-liter VVT-I engine with 141 kW, 1.5 Nm, a five-speed manual transmission and a four-speed automatic transmission. But unlike other cars in this segment, it has permanent all-wheel drive and a locking center differential, which, combined with short overhangs, gives the Rush more off-road credibility than most of its competitors.

However, a two-wheel-drive version is also offered for buyers who prefer the extra height and space, but not the additional features of a small SUV. With a curb weight of just 1180kg for an all-wheel-drive model, the Rush is relatively light, which should help keep running costs down.

If Toyota Australia decides to enter the compact SUV market with the Rush, it will be the first time a Daihatsu-made vehicle has been sold in Australia since 2005. clarification. This means that Toyota Australia will likely wait until then to bring the Rush to Australian showrooms.