Subaru Rex (A201F)

Back in the 70s, Subaru made a kei car called the Rex and it lasted for three generations until it was replaced by the Vivio. Now, Subaru revived the Rex, and this time, this is not a kei car. It's a compact SUV that is essentially a rebadged version of today's Daihatsu Rocky.

2023 Subaru Rex

2023 Subaru Rex interior

Priced at 1,820,000 Japanese Yen plus additional costs, the new Subaru Rex has nothing in common with the kei car of the same name from a long time ago. It's just a modern-day Daihatsu Rocky with a Subaru badge on it, meaning for those who want a Daihatsu Rocky but their nearest dealership is a Subaru dealership, this could be their chance.

With its RAV4-esque interior, Kia-esque steering wheel, dashboard similar to the Audi A1, dramatic and functional instrumental panel, and spacing for five people, it seems that the Subaru Rex of the Reiwa era really is like the Daihatsu Rocky of the Reiwa era. It works just like the real thing but there's one catch to this Subaru-fied Daihatsu Rocky as some observers figured out.

Unlike the Daihatsu Rocky and Toyota Raize equivalents, the new Subaru Rex is offered only in front-wheel-drive and a standard WA-VE 1.2L three-cylinder 12-valve DOHC engine that produces 87PS of power, 113Nm of torque, and when mated to a CVT gearbox with a 7-speed manual mode, it has a 20.7kmpl of fuel economy based on WLTC Mode standards. Good enough for some trips to a mom-and-pop shop.

Like the two compact SUVs it was based on, the Subaru Rex is packed with Smart Assist consisting of Advanced Safety Assist, Driving Assist, Parking Assist, and Headlamp Assist features. Safer than sorry, they said.

Two variants, one powertrain available. This is what the new Subaru Rex sums up really good and while it lacks something from the Daihatsu Rocky and Toyota Raize equivalents, it feels enough to drive one on a daily basis. So, if you want a Daihatsu Rocky but their nearest dealership is a Subaru dealership the Rex could be your answer.

Photo: Subaru Corporation

Daihatsu Rocky HEV / Toyota Raize Hybrid

Daihatsu's compact crossover, the Rocky, along with its Toyota Raize equivalent, received their first-ever hybrid variants featuring Daihatsu's first purpose-built hybrid system that promises to be a game-changer on Japanese roads unless some wire-wearing ASEAN car smugglers are hearing about this. Why does Daihatsu's first hybrid system matters to these crossovers? Let's find out.

2022 Daihatsu Rocky HEV

2022 Toyota Raize Hybrid

Priced at 2,116,000 Japanese Yen plus additional costs or 2,163,000 Yen if you are in a Toyota dealership, the hybrid variants of the Daihatsu Rocky and Toyota Raize crossovers featured a specially-developed hybrid powertrain that some say works just like the one from the Nissan Kicks e-Power.

While the exterior design remains the same as the normal one, albeit the Rocky one features a unique front face to differentiate it from the normal one, the similar interior features a specially-made instrumental panel that checks out the progress of its hybrid system.

The hybrid powertrain features a new 1.2L WA-VEX petrol engine that generates the electric motor, which is broadly similar to the Nissan Kicks e-Power of course, capable of getting through low and medium speeds and suitable for driving around town. Because the battery that generates the said powertrain is positioned under the rear seat cushion, the passenger space and boot space is identical to the normal equivalents.

Thanks to this powertrain and the fact that it is offered exclusively in front-wheel-drive, the fuel economy of the hybrid variants is at 28kmpl based on the WLTC Mode standards, the highest in the compact SUV class.

The Rocky and Raize hybrid variants come with the new S-PDL that allows comfortable acceleration and deceleration by putting your foot on and off the accelerator pedal. It can be engaged in either Normal Mode or Eco Mode according to driving conditions.

Like the normal variants, the hybrid variants do come with an improved Smart Assist advanced driving aids featuring a new stereo camera first applied on the Taft, collision warning function and collision avoidance support braking function support pedestrian detection at night, and the sign recognition function for maximum speed and stop sign, giving them a total of 19 safety features, the most for a Daihatsu-made vehicle. Also, the electronic parking brake and the Cornering Trace Assist is now standard for expensive variants.

With the arrival of the hybrid variants of the Daihatsu Rocky and Toyota Raize, looks like the Nissan Kicks' luck just ran out because of the fuel economy these crossovers possess, especially the budget. Whether if you want a front-wheel-drive crossover fit for the trip to the mall with your friends or for work-related stuff in case of logistics and TNVS purposes, consider the hybrid variants of the Rocky and the Raize. They don't look as sharp as the Kicks but they're here to go through the extra mile from sunrise to sunset.

Photo: Toyota/Daihatsu

Daihatsu Rocky (A200S/210S) and Toyota Raize

There was once an unnamed Daihatsu crossover made a surprise appearance at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show that drew some attention from the crowd. No one knows what that crossover is, especially if its the production version of the DN-TREC Concept shown at the same venue two years ago, until now, Daihatsu called their newest crossover the Rocky, a name familiar to 90's kids everywhere, and in addition, Toyota borrowed one and called it the Raize.

2020 Daihatsu Rocky

2020 Toyota Raize

Cars like the Dodge Dart and the Porsche 718, some say, truly go down in history in what happens when carmakers revived famous names on models that are not meant to be and the Rocky is one of them. 

The original Rocky is a light off-roader that is known for going everywhere and not afraid to get things dirty. The reborn Rocky isn't because it's just another small crossover made in a world where crossovers are treated like superhero movies. Anyway, while the new Rocky has nothing in common with the Rocky from the early Heisei era, this and its Toyota Raize equivalent served as the replacements for the Be-Go and Rush mini SUVs and because they don the DNGA platform first applied on today's Daihatsu Tanto (Chiffon for Subarists), they promise to work like a normal car.

2020 Daihatsu Rocky

2020 Toyota Raize

More with that later on but first, let's observe the design because while it was influenced by the DN-TREC Concept Car two years ago, the Rocky and Raize carried over some of the concept car elements to make it somewhat appealing for the public. The styling is not so bad but by squinting your eyes further, there are some fishy stuff going on with the design process and believe it or not, they're almost styled like a mini-me RAV4 per se.

2020 Daihatsu Rocky interior

2020 Toyota Raize interior

Inside, the Rocky and Raize, despite its small sizing that is way smaller than the Be-Go and Rush it replaces, is still functional and comfortable for five people. From the steering wheel that looks like a Kia, the dashboard similar to the Audi A1, and the instrumental panel worth asking, not to mention the decent space at the back and some room for luggage (along with the secret compartment underneath it), these new JDM crossovers truly know how to make a statement about being practical vehicles for a living and whether if its good enough for family or friends, the Rocky and Raize is all about getting the job done with no explanations.

2020 Daihatsu Rocky

2020 Toyota Raize

The DNGA platform, first used on the latest-generation Tanto kei minivans, allows both the Rocky and the Raize to utilize a wide range of tech and features, not to mention the driving character lurking beneath their skin and thanks to this platform, the MacPherson struts in the front, torsion beam in the back, rack and pinion steering, and other chassis features, these crossovers feel like they're right on the city street rather than driving on a normal Sunday morning to Cabanatuan. 

They are front-wheel drive as standard but they can opt in for a 4WD drivetrain when things get down and dirty but with the Dynamic Torque Control inspired from today's RAV4 that makes it more lively. Because they have high ground clearance, the Rocky and the Raize are capable of driving through tarmac, gravel, and snow with no explanations whatsoever but because it doesn't have some clever stuff like what the Citroen C3 Aircross had, they're not born to be elephants. Sorry.

Under the hood, it's powered by a 1KR-VET 1.0L 3-cylinder turbo engine producing 98PS of power and 140Nm of torque and because it's mated with a CVT, fuel economy ranges to about 18.6km/L for front-wheel drive models and 17.4km/L for 4WD models based on WLTP standards.

For safety, the Rocky and the Raize can be fitted with the latest Smart Assist driving aids that will make driving life easy.

Should you buy one? The Daihatsu Rocky starts at 1,705,000 Japanese Yen while the Toyota Raize starts at 1,679,000 Japanese Yen, which are surprisingly cheaper to own than the Suzuki XBEE. So, there you are, ladies and gentlemen. The new Daihatsu Rocky, and its Toyota Raize equivalent, may not feel tough as the drivers hoped for and smaller than the Be-Go and Rush it replaces, but it has room, it has sprite, it has efficiency, it has tech, and it has value you can start from points A to Z with no explanations.

Photo: Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd/Toyota Motor Corporation