by That Car Guy
It was the dawn of the present-day SUVs, say around 1990. The Ford Explorer and Mazda Navajo were brand new. The huge Chevy Suburban and Blazer
had been with us for some time, but their uses were still somewhat
commercial, or they made great work vehicles. The word "craze" did not
apply to those behemoths, but when SUVs became mid-sized, their sales
took off like rockets!
At the same time, the Suzuki Samurai was on the outs because, like Mayberry's Otis Campbell, it had a reputation for being a little "tipsy". Yet there seemed to be a market for a compact SUV, especially for thrifty folks like yours truly.
Enter Daihatsu. The name "Daihatsu" is a combination of the first kanji for "Osaka", and the first kanji of the word "engine manufacture". When put together, they are pronounced "dai hatsu". With only two vehicles in its American lineup (1988-1992), Daihatsu struggled to keep up with the established brands. They only offered the compact Charade and Rocky. The Charade was a car, and a bit "plain" at best.
The Rocky was a small SUV that, had it been a bit more refined, could have been a big hit in our market. Comparing the Rocky to the more-familiar Samurai just seems natural here.
I had the pleasure of keeping a new Rocky for a few days as a test
vehicle back then. In addition to highway driving, I took it off-road
on some farms, but nothing real serious. My attitude was to return the
vehicles in as good of shape as I received them, if not better. So
forging streams and jumping dirt mounds was out of the question.
The Rocky had the tight, well-built feel of all Asian vehicles of the time. All the pieces fit together well. If I had not been in need of a pickup truck with an open bed to tote smelly fossil fuels around in, the Rocky would have been a good candidate for my next vehicle.
Its styling was pleasant enough. The character lines all flowed together, door hinges were concealed, and the wheel arches and large tires were macho enough to say "rugged", but without being a Jeep poseur. The design looks clean today.
Like the Samurai, all Rockys were 2-doors with manual transmissions and 4-wheel-drive. The Rocky had a 5-speed; the Samurai had a 4-speed. Air conditioning was extra. They were both also some sort of open/convertible-type vehicle; the one I drove featured a hinged hard top over the front passengers. A soft canvas top covered the back, and a rear hardtop was an option.
The Rocky was JUST big enough to live with. I enjoyed the Samurai (aka SJ-410) that we rented in The Bahamas, where there were no interstates and the fastest speed limit was 45. But back here in the states, a little more mass is needed to feel safe above 55. If you've ever caught a wind gust while in a high-profile vehicle, you know what I mean. At least the Rocky felt adequate on the highways of Middle Tennessee.
The low sides of the Rocky were its lack of power and poor interior
design. With just 1.6 litres and 94 horsepower, doing burn-outs while
leaving the drive-in were impossible. Zero to 60 times were
"leisurely". Top speed? In one of these vehicles? Uh-uh, not while I'm
in it.
I'm not a big guy, but my right knee almost became sore from bumping the obtrusive radio/HVAC control housing. To live with a Rocky, some form of padding there would have been necessary. The radio was way too low to safely reach while driving; most newer vehicles have reversed this placement of the radio and A/C controls.
Our final
verdict of the Rocky was that it was a glorified Samurai, and maybe a
bit better planted on the road. Today, a new Rocky-type vehicle could
be a success. Just give it some decent power, a few comfort goodies,
and please remove that awful knee-knocker.
The first image is from Wikipedia, the second is from DougFreeze.com, and the third image is from Industriebedarf-hesse.de.
--That Car Guy (Chuck)
Well, honestly, I was kind of hopeful about the Rocky at first, only after I had experienced driving it first hand. For and SUV, it does lack power, and a bit half-hearted in climbs. It's almost the same as pushing it uphill. And yes, I've got some bruises on my knee because of that housing.
Posted by: Leisa Dreps | April 28, 2011 at 12:22 AM
Just as you've mentioned, if the Rocky was redesigned to become a comfortable all-purpose vehicle, it could be a great hit for the SUV fans out there. It needs more power too. Give it enough power and it can be the SUV that it's supposed to be.
Posted by: Junior Perrera | September 06, 2011 at 08:39 AM
Every car should have a great performance whether it was redesigned. That one will have an expected power if they are going to work on.
Posted by: lamborghini door hinge kits | February 11, 2012 at 09:29 AM
How inspiring to read such descriptive and well explained blog. I believe this car was made from high quality of materials.
Posted by: Vertical Door Hinge | March 30, 2012 at 03:01 PM
But the counterpoint is the resourcefulness of the children, desperate to gain an education
Posted by: compensation for whiplash injury | April 06, 2012 at 03:31 AM
Every car is good. We just need to make it better. That's my opinion.
Posted by: Air Intake Kits | May 13, 2012 at 06:22 PM
I知 not that much of a online reader to be honest but your blogs really nice, keep it up! I'll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back in the future. All the best
Posted by: chihuahua for sale indiana | September 27, 2013 at 10:44 AM
Excellent post. I used to be checking constantly this weblog and I'm inspired! Very helpful info specially the remaining phase :) I care for such information a lot. I was seeking this particular information for a very lengthy time. Thank you and best of luck.
Posted by: site | September 28, 2013 at 03:40 PM