Scoop: Daihatsu plans to launch Suzuki Jimny rival by end of 2021, to be called Rugger?

The Suzuki Jimny is a lovable and capable off-roader and Daihatsu wants a piece of that action. According to a scoop by Best Car Web, Daihatsu is planning its own boxy off-roader which could debut in December 2021.

While Daihatsu hasn't produced a direct rival to the Jimny, it did produce the original Rocky back in the late eighties and early nineties that rivalled the Suzuki Vitara. Malaysians might recognise it as the Feroza.

However, with the name revived on the donor car for the Perodua D55L, Daihatsu could be calling this upcoming SUV, the Rugger.

Just like the Rocky and Taft, the Rugger nameplate is carried over from an older Daihatsu model. Some sites have mistakenly called it the ‘Lager’ and that’s because the Japanese spelling for the Rugger (ラガー) is similar to the malt beverage.

Based on the rendering, the Rugger would look as boxy as its chief rival but at the same time looking surprisingly adorable. The boxy design is shared with the Taft and the larger SUV is expected to measure in at 3,395 mm long, 1,495 mm wide, and 1,700 mm tall.

Daihatsu plans to compliment the Rugger with the Taft and while the latter is a kei car that looks like an off-roader, the Rugger will be given proper 4WD capabilities. According to the scoop, the plan is to utilise the same Dynamic Control 4WD system from the 4WD variant of the Japanese-spec Rocky.

While the Suzuki Jimny is also available with a rear-wheel drive set-up in certain variants, Daihatsu might adopt a conventional front-wheel drive set-up for some variants of the Rugger. It could also be built on the DNGA platform just like the Rocky.

So, what are your thoughts on Daihatsu’s upcoming Suzuki Jimny rival? Do you picture it wearing a Perodua badge?