Daihatsu Coo dead ringer for Scion bB
This week Daihatsu launched a new minivehicle in Japan named the Coo. The five-passenger box looks like a Scion xB with more expressive exterior styling. In fact, it's almost a dead ringer for Scion's concept bB that's supposed to portend the next gen xB.
The Coo features front- or all-wheel drive mated to either a 92-hp 1.3L engine or 109-hp 1.5L engine. It's also loaded with electronic safety nannies like stability control and ABS with electronic brake-force distribution. Pricing for the Coo will range from $11,500 to $15,500 in Japan, which is the only market in which the vehicle will be sold. Daihatsu expects to build about 1,000 units per month.
[Source: WorldCarFans]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
simon 11:11AM (5/13/2006)
Daihatsu is owned by Toyota. Coo and Bb are the same vehicle.
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Ebm14 11:15AM (5/13/2006)
Simon, I was just about to say that.
Anyway, they should export this to the U.S.
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Ren 11:46AM (5/13/2006)
Oh no, it's a conspiracy! Daihatsu is owned by Toyota and sells several cars that are identical to other Toyotas such as the Altia/Camry, Boon/Passo, Bego/Rush and Taurus/Sable.
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Scionowner 11:54AM (5/13/2006)
It's a Toyota bB, not a Scion bB.
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MadeinDetroit 12:01PM (5/13/2006)
Keep America Beautiful. Please don?t import that thing here.
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Clarence 12:15PM (5/13/2006)
Is anyone here old enough to see that this thing has the nuance look of a mid to late-thirties American car? A bit like the 39-42 Willys sedan?
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bhtooefr 12:32PM (5/13/2006)
#3 Ren: "Taurus/Sable"
Umm, that's Ford and Mercury. Not anything Toyota or Daihatsu.
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Name that loon 1:01PM (5/13/2006)
Is this re-badginging? Naw!!!!!Toyota would never do anything like that. That thing is so fugly it hurts my feelings, it kinda looks like volkswagon in need of an enema.
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Tim J 1:01PM (5/13/2006)
#5. Its just as bad as the Chevy HHR.
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Corey W. 1:11PM (5/13/2006)
D@mn Badge Engineering!!!
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Tom Design 1:33PM (5/13/2006)
Ewwwww...there really aren't any kind design things to say. I'm sure they're kind to their mothers?
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david 1:35PM (5/13/2006)
truly uuuuuuuugly. is someone from japan playing a practical joke on buyers? uuuuuuuuuuuugly.
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Dr. Woo 2:09PM (5/13/2006)
It does remind me of the HHR...
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gbh 2:17PM (5/13/2006)
They may be ugly to the American eye, in the American context. Personally, not my bag either, but I don't find them quite as hideous as some.
If you were to go to Japan, you might better understand why these cars look the way they do. They have to.
Most urban areas make the Las Vegas strip appear dimly lit and visually boring. The streets are so tight and packed, that you will only get a glance of a part of a car. Generally, you get to see the whole car only if it's parked.
These cars have about 1 second to make an impression. When you're fighting with more flashing lights and neon than Times Square, you have to be extreme to stand out.
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far jr 3:09PM (5/13/2006)
It does look much better in burgundy with the Scion grille. Not my cup of tea, but even though I despise the styling, it is different enough to stand out in ANY crowd. This is definitely badge engineering, however it is OK because Dihatsu pulled out of the US market several years ago I believe. Same idea as the Saturn Sky selling in Europe as an Opel...I have no problem with that either.
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Carlos 3:27PM (5/13/2006)
In Japan, Toyota's a lot like GM is (was) here. 40% of the home market, TONS of models that are very similar to each other, some badge engineering with Daihatsu.
Daihatsu specializes in kei-cars (microcars), so Toyota lets them have all the tiny cars and those don't get rebadged as Toyotas. But Toyota does give them some larger cars to help out.
I'm all for reskinned cars (xA/xB), or for rebadging in other countries (so each market has one version of a car), but this seems pointless. I do hope Scion gets this one though. I wouldn't drive one, but it livens up the commute to see something other than a generic pickup/SUV/family sedan.
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bhtooefr 3:29PM (5/13/2006)
The problem arises when Daihatsu, which is most definitely in the Japanese market, is selling a badgineered version of the Toyota bB, which is selling in the Japanese market. ;)
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Tom Design 3:31PM (5/13/2006)
I do see the HHR, Cruiser profile, definitely, the panel truck look. But the miniscule tires, and the Asian slanted eye smiley face just is too high school art school for me to consider serious design.
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WillDaThrill 3:50PM (5/13/2006)
Stability control? Is that 109hp econobox gonna go that fast?
Export it her fore what? So we can have another set of boxcar willie posters running around the streets with these ugly ass cars?
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AIDE class dropout 5:13PM (5/13/2006)
"the Asian slanted eye smiley face"
Heh, your critique is too high school art school short bus school for me to consider seriously. Thanks for the laugh though.
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