Tag Archives: Daihatsu

NEWS

Subaru Chiffon Try is a cute yet rugged kei-car for outdoor enthusiasts

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The Subaru Chiffon is a kei car based on the Daihatsu Tanto that has been available in the Japanese market since 2016.

Thanks to a growing interest in outdoor lifestyles, Subaru has now introduced a more rugged version of the Chiffon known as the Chiffon Try.

While the basic shape of the Chiffon remains unchanged, the Try version sports a more robust appearance brought about by a skid plate and black plastic accents on the front bumper, rear bumper, and sides.

Additionally, the car also comes equipped with roof rails. For colour options, there are 11 choices available, including five new colours: Black Mica Metallic/Lake Blue Metallic, Black Mica Metallic/Sand Beige Metallic, Black Mica Metallic/Forest Khaki Metallic, Lake Blue Metallic, and Forest Khaki Metallic.

Measuring approximately 3,395 mm in length, 1,475 mm in width, 1,755 mm in height, and with a wheelbase of 2,460 mm, the Chiffon Try is unmistakably compact.

However, egress and ingress is an easy affair due to the lack of B-pillars. Subaru coins this particular design as the “Miracle Open Door,” which also incorporates electric sliding doors for added convenience.

The interior design is not significantly different from the base version; however, as a variant tailored for outdoor activities, the Chiffon Try features water-resistant upholstery on all seats.

Additionally, the Chiffon Try offers a flexible seating configuration, allowing the front seats to slide back up to 540 mm. The front seats can also be fully reclined, enabling passengers to rest or to accommodate longer items like surfboards.

To maximise rear legroom or cargo space, the rear seats can also slide up to 240 mm.

Powering the Chiffon Try is a 660 cc three-cylinder engine that generates 52 PS and 60 Nm of torque. A CVT is responsible for delivering power to the front wheels, with an all-wheel-drive (AWD) version available for customers as an alternative.

Pricing in Japan starts at 1,665,000 yen (approximately RM48,171) for the 2WD version and 1,765,000 yen (approximately RM51,064) for the AWD version.

NEWS

Daihatsu announces leadership reshuffle following safety scandal

DAIHATSU Motor Co. Ltd, which has been embroiled in a safety test scandal since last year, has announced a new structure that will take over the company’s leadership effective March 1.

The new leadership structure will see Daihatsu’s current chairman, Sunao Matsubayashi, and its current president, Soichiro Okudaira, stepping down from their positions.

Matsubayashi will be replaced by Masahiro Inoue, who is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Toyota Motor Corporation in Latin America and the Caribbean, while Okudaira’s position will be taken over by Masanori Kuwata, the head of the Lexus International Co’s electrification promotion project.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Officer of Toyota Customer First Promotion, Keiko Yanagi, will replace Masahiro Yamamoto as a non-resident director of Daihatsu.

In a joint statement, Daihatsu and Toyota stated that they will implement comprehensive measures to prevent such manipulation from recurring and strive towards Daihatsu’s recovery.

“We would like to again offer our deepest apologies to our customers, suppliers, dealers, the communities in which our plants are located, and our many other stakeholders for the inconvenience and concern caused by the recent issue of certification irregularities.

“Although all plants of Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (Daihatsu) in Japan suspended operations following our announcements made on December 20, we were able to resume production and shipments of some vehicles as of yesterday,” the company said.

NEWS

Daihatsu safety scandal: UMW Toyota ensures transperancy and quality

IN light of recent developments surrounding the safety test at Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd (DMC), UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd (UMWT) has released a statement ensuring customers and the public that it is committed to transparency and accountability.

This follows the statement released by Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) highligthing a procedural irregularity in in the testing of models by DMC, impacting three models distributed by UMWT in Malaysia.

President of UMW Toyota Motor, Datuk Ravindran K. said, “We emphasise our dedication to maintaing the highest standards and quality in our vehicles. Rest assured, we are actively working to ensure that all our vehicles in Malaysia strictly adhere to the relevant regulations and rules.”

Ravindran stated that UMWT is also working closely with regulatory authorities to promptly and transparently address this matter, maintaining its commitment to delivering high-quality vehicles to the Malaysian market.

“We understand the importance of trust, and we we want to reinforce the confidence our customers place in us. Our dedication to customer satisfaction has always been and remains our top priority,” he added.

In a statement issued on December 20th, TMC stated that an investigation conducted by an independent third-party committee found new irregularities in 174 items within 25 test categories. This is in addition to the door lining irregularity in April and the side collision test irregularity in May.

These encompassed a total of 64 models and three engines of vehicles (total of models currently being produced, developed, or ceased in production), including 22 models and one engine being sold by Toyota. The affected Toyota models sold in Malaysia are the Rush, Veloz, and Yaris/Vios.

In light of this, TMC and DMC have temporarily suspended shipments of all affected models both in Japan and overseas.

NEWS

Daihatsu safety scandal: Perodua to conduct detailed assessments

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FOLLOWING the announcement by Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (DMC) today regarding the suspension of its models due to “procedural irregularities,” Perodua has also issued a response in relation to the independent audit committee report.

The “procedural irregularities” were conducted by DMC during vehicle safety tests on several original equipment manufacturers (OEM), which were announced early this morning.

The independent audit committee report, as announced by DMC, stated: “The inspection and tests confirm that all 174 irregularities identified by the independent audit committee meet the standards set by laws and regulations.”

Perodua is conducting a detailed assessment of the issue and is in discussions with the Malaysian authorities regarding the impact of these developments on its vehicles.

On April 28, 2023, DMC announced the occurrence of “procedural irregularities” during safety tests on vehicles in Japan. Following this announcement, DMC established an independent audit committee comprising legal and technical personnel.

“We apologize to our valued customers and the public for the concerns arising from this announcement,” stated today’s release by Perodua.

“Our intention is to provide assurance to our valued customers.

“We will share the results of these discussions with all our customers in the near future.”