In 1907, the Hatsudoki Seizo Company Ltd was established in Osaka, Japan, mostly by academics and engineers in order to produce engines domestically, instead of having to import them by first producing intake engines, then developing and manufacturing small diesel engines. This company was the foundation of the Daihatsu make, which has the longest history of any Japanese automobile manufacturer.
From engines, Daihatsu moved to manufacturing automobiles, starting with a compact three-wheeled vehicle, nicknamed Daihatsu, from combining Dai, the first Japanese character of the word Osaka, with Hatsu, the first character of the word for engines.
Following World War II, Daihatsu manufactured mini-vehicles and expanded into manufacturing compact cars. In 2016, Daihatsu became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Toyota, with both companies retaining their own brands and philosophies, to pool their resources in building small cars. If you are looking for a small car to suit your needs, here are two cars offered by Daihatsu:
The Daihatsu Charade
Daihatsu considers their Charade model to be a large compact car, compared to the smaller “kei” car that they offer. The cabin is spacious, when considering the size of the Daihatsu exterior. The upright seating position allows four adults to travel in comfort. The cabin is well built, and the dash layout is very simple to use.
The Daihatsu Rocky
The Daihatsu Rocky is an SUV that was meant to compete with other SUVs like the Suzuki Samurai. It is compact compared to other SUVs on the market, taking up less space than a Ford Fiesta, but with space for passengers and cargo. It is sought after now as smaller SUVs get harder to come by. If you are looking for a Daihatsu for sale, check out Kijiji Autos. Thanks to our large inventory, it’s easy to find a new and used Daihatsu for sale that will meet your needs.
