1988 DAIHATSU Rocky Wagon 2.8L Turbo D (102 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Daihatsu enlarged the Rocky range with the addition of the Wagon version, which fixed the problem with the rear passengers’ headroom.

With its small size and flat sides, the Rocky was a nimble off-road vehicle that could easily cut through a forest where larger vehicles could get stuck between trees. It could also fit well into the European parking spaces without the fear that the tail or the wide over-fenders would remain outside. But it had a real problem with the interior space.

Daihatsu tried to make its way into the U.S. market with the Rocky. It started from the same wedged shape Feroza, but it changed the front fascia. Unlike its European cousin, the Rocky featured smaller, rectangular, headlights and its flat grille was slightly taller. Its widened wheel-arches followed an angular design. Daihatsu’s designers sculptured a line that crossed the car from headlights to taillights to make the car look slightly better than a box on wheels. The owner could have removed the rear side of the greenhouse and leave in the garage. It was somewhat taller than the front side of the cabin.

The interior followed the same boxy design with flat areas and straight angles. Its slim dashboard featured a binocular-style instrument cluster in front of the driver and an additional set of gauges above the center stack. Thanks to the raised roof above the rear seats, it now provided enough headroom for the rear passengers but still minimal legroom. Its trunk was about the same size as its regular-bodied Rocky but taller.

Under the hood, the Rocky Wagon featured a Toyota-sourced 2.0-liter engine for the U.S. market. For other countries, Daihatsu offered the Wagon with a 2.8-liter diesel or turbo-diesel as well.