The Daihatsu Taft is a nameplate used since 1974 for three different off-road oriented vehicles. The first was a small four-wheel-drive model of the 1970s, the second a rebadged Rugger sold in Indonesia, and the third a crossover-styled kei car that returned to the name in 2020.
Daihatsu Taft at a glance
| Maker | Daihatsu, Japan |
|---|---|
| Nameplate used since | 1974 |
| First model | Taft F10, 1974–1984 |
| Second model | Taft F70, Indonesia, 1984–2007 |
| Third model | Taft LA900, since 2020 |
| First model type | mini off-road vehicle |
| Second model basis | rebadged Daihatsu Rugger |
| Third model type | crossover-styled kei car |
Based on one source; the English article is a short nameplate list.
History of the Daihatsu Taft
The F10
The original Taft, the F10, was a mini off-road vehicle built from 1974 to 1984. It was a small four-wheel-drive car in the same spirit as the period’s other light utility vehicles: compact, simple and intended for work as much as for transport.
The Indonesian F70
The second use of the name was the Taft F70, a rebadged Daihatsu Rugger sold in Indonesia from 1984 to 2007. The Rugger was a larger off-roader than the original Taft, and in Indonesia it carried the older name. Production there lasted more than two decades.
The return in 2020
In 2020 Daihatsu brought the Taft name back on the LA900, a crossover-styled kei car. Unlike the earlier off-roaders it is a small road car with the styling cues of an SUV, following the same idea as the Daihatsu Naked two decades earlier.
Design and features
- Three vehicles, one name: a 1970s off-roader, a Rugger-based 4×4 and a modern kei crossover.
- Off-road origins: the first two Tafts were built for rough use.
- Modern kei crossover: the LA900 of 2020 is a road car with SUV styling.
Daihatsu Taft versions
- Taft F10 (1974–1984): the original mini off-road vehicle.
- Taft F70 (1984–2007): a rebadged Rugger for Indonesia.
- Taft LA900 (since 2020): a crossover-styled kei car.
The Taft is one of the off-road branches of the Daihatsu collection, together with the Feroza, while the Naked was the earlier road car with off-road styling.
Sources
- Daihatsu Taft, English Wikipedia: the three models and their dates
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