Something peculiar to start your week – reader Mike Maximiliano caught two units of the rather amusingly named Daihatsu Thor in Melaka, wearing Selangor trade plates. Given the brand in question, these can only be the property of Perodua, and we can glean quite a bit about what the national carmaker is up to.
Unfortunately for those of you clamouring for a revived Kenari, this is not some prelude to a future small MPV. Unless Perodua completely changes the way it does things, a niche product like this one isn’t likely to be on the cards. No, it’s what’s under the bonnet that is of interest here.
You see, the Thor is available in Japan with a 1KR-VET 1.0 litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, making 98 PS and 140 Nm of torque and mated to a CVT. If that sounds familiar to you, that’s because it’s the exact same engine and transmission combination that is found on the new Daihatsu Rocky, which we know is going to form the basis for the upcoming D55L SUV.
D55L (rendered here) will be based on
This suggests that Perodua is testing the powertrain package for its own application – a suspicion that only grows stronger when you note the oil cooler wedged into the front bumper. To survive our climate, vehicles with CVTs are usually fitted with a transmission cooler when they are sold here, like the Nissan Teana and the Mitsubishi Lancer-based Proton Inspira. It’s also mounted high up, hinting of an SUV application.
All this is a sign that the company is serious about introducing the high-tech powertrain over here in the D55L, though it’s not exactly a shoo-in. Two other options are possible – Perodua could either use the Myvi‘s 2NR-FE 1.5 litre naturally-aspirated Dual VVT-i mill (paired with a four-speed automatic), or introduce the hybrid technology that it previewed at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS) last year.
Either way, the D55L will likely share much of its mechanicals – including the Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) – with the Rocky, as well as most of the body panels and interior. There will obviously be a few design tweaks here and there to differentiate it, much like those on the Aruz that distance it from its Daihatsu Terios and Toyota Rush siblings.
GALLERY: Daihatsu Rocky at Tokyo 2019
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
perodua Rusa 2020?
But Perodua is an association of manufacturers or suppliers with the purpose of maintaining prices at a high level and restricting competition which only Perodua is only wanted itself to be at the top which is very selfish, highly offensive, snobbish, awful and disrespectful to other car brands. Lastly don’t buy Perodua and also hopefully Perodua sales will keep on dropping
Agree with you bro. No more perodua!
Kudos to our regular game changing cybertrooper Mario! Spending his time in here posting as well as liking and disliking others comments until 400+ times. We all should learn from him. He isn’t lazy, lembab, lepak and doesn’t need any help from the kerajaan to work as a Proton cybertrooper.
Something wrong with you friend. Kejap tuduh mario, kejap tuduh john, kejap tuduh mak ko hijau. Aduuuhhh! Cukuplah dgn tuduhan xbtul ni….
You talk about other people but yourself furiously downvoting 357 times onther? Cerminkan yourself before you talk
20K people every month want more new peroduas
Even if Perodua is a quite company, Perodua is always innovating and testing new game changing technologies. Such an amazing national carmaker!
Perodua only objective is to give bad, outdated cars to our people and take all the money back to Japan. They are so dishonest.
incoming all new Perodua Juara.
Mario, please respect all car brands. Let’s have a healthy discussion on this blog.
Not only that, Poodua also very disrespectful to carbuyers by eliminating manual transmission in their lineup (firstly Myvi 1.5 and now Axai) and worst, their mangkuk hayun belacan engineer also eliminating an engine temperature gauge in place of cheap idiot light that cost 20 sen, and when you ask for one, you will get insulted with their SA with long list of insulting language (most common word you will get is Lu Bodoh or Bangang punya orang, apasal mau manual).
Mario, pls do not upvote comments that you like and downvote comments that you dislike. this is a blog where we readers can have different opinions.
And yet you spend yr Saturdays & Sundays upvoting yr own comments and downvoting others. You should look into the mirror, bro.
Well dude. Sad to tell u dude, the more u say dont buy perodua, the more and more people buying perodua. U may cry baby looking at year to date sales data next month. Or yesterday pos, sales Jan-Nov. Sorry dude, perodua sold 200k+ cars already now, nobody can help u. Perodua are best selling cars in Msia. What can i say is, on way u go perodua. Since ur butthurt u may sit in bucket of cold ice water.
I so so want this perodua rocky. Come to papa.
Looking at Raize and Rocky size, 1.0 turbo can say ok for it. Or perodua can make 2 option for customer, low spec d55l wif 1.5 engine and high spec d55l wif new 1.0 turbo engine.
Why are they still testing normal engines? Where is the hybrid that was promised to us? Back in 2003, Perodua CEO confirmed they will start to sell Kenari Hybrid and ever since I had been waiting and waiting until today 16 years later and I still don’t see it anywhere. Whatever Produa does is gameover for me.
The economics probably didn’t work out, and still hasn’t. They might not be able to lower the price that they deem to be acceptable, and the gov support for it has ended.
A 1.0 turbo with cvt would be quite economical to buy and keep, at no significant cost for Perodua to build. Hybrids need an additional assembly section to fit the electric batteryand wiring. I’m guessing a hybrid equivalent would be about 5% more expensive if (and it’s a big IF) the sales are encouraging to warrant the production scale necessary to cover the cost of an extra assembly line, logistics, and professional workforce.
Sounds a lot like Proton with their empty promises. End up got sold to China coz they ran out of promises to promise the rakyat.
Becos nobody want to use hybrid car last 16 years. Everyone prefer non hybrid engine that time, thats y perodua dont make it into production. Kenari itself is already fuel saving car. U only dreaming cave man.
Game over for you, but game changing for 20K new owners every month!
I miss Perodua Kenari.
I also missed it. That was when Perodua made good cars, not they are all poor quality and outdated, specially their soft body shell.
rekon Daihatsu Thor sell Rm139k. rebadge as P2 Tuah replacement kenari Rm49k.
Bro of Proton Juara.
P2 Rocky AV 1.0 litre turbocharged RM59K.
forget the SUV, just rebadge this…. replacing Kenari
drove side by side in seremban last friday. small car, may be new kenari. cute.
bayu may seems attractive but as long as its name called poroton i dont buy it. siou gaman
wow. A Perodua with 2 auto sliding doors? I’m sold.
u loses 4 hp but gain 6nm of torque compared to the myvi’s 1.5 litre engine….
myvi’s engine already has the economy of scale , reliable and cheaper , and people won’t complain either since spare parts is everywhere….
However , if this new powertrain is lighter , more fun & responsive , and much much more economical
then theres a good reason Perodua might make the switch
Maybe this is the answer since the occupants are all Jepunis and ride in a convoy join by VIOS also. https://paultan.org/2019/11/07/toyota-5-continents-drive-pitstops-in-malaysia-rd-staff-experience-different-cultures-to-make-better-cars/
I think it would be a big hit in malaysia.. so cute look jumbo.. i really love the design. Hope the perodua engineers can go with small displacement engine but torque and power as well maintaining its fuel efficiency perhaps just like ford’s 1 litre ecoboost engine
Saw one in the city last week, white coloured with a Rimau plate. Must be a parallel import. Looks kind of funny but I guess to each his own…
Malaysia version sure no turbo!!
P2 should just use a bigger version of Thor with the new CVT and Turbo engine to replace the Alza.
ugly as fuuuuuuu
Honestly, I’d much rather have this than the Ativa…