The Daihatsu Rocky/ Toyota Raize twins will be getting a new hybrid engine when Daihatsu and Toyota introduce the facelift in Japan. The launch is scheduled for November 2021.

According to Japanese automotive source Mag X, Daihatsu will be including a ‘Smart Hybrid’ engine to sell alongside the existing 1.0-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine.

Although not much details of the new engine have been revealed yet, the report did note that Daihatsu’s Smart Hybrid system shares the same principals as Nissan’s e-Power. This means that the internal combusion engine (ICE) is not used to drive the car. Instead, the ICE functions as a generator to generate electricity to drive the electric motor, which drives the car.

From what we understand, the system is brand new and the Rocky/ Raize will most probably be the first to utilise the engine.

Other than the engine, the Rocky/ Raize will also be getting a few cosmetic refreshments for both inside and outside. Production of the facelifted Rocky/ Raize is expected to start in October 2021 before the launch in November.  

Closer to home, Perodua only just launched the Perodua Ativa in March 2021, so a facelift won’t be scheduled anytime soon. But if Perodua does decide to introduce the same Smart Hybrid engine in Malaysia, it would be the brand’s first hybrid.