Daihatsu is reportedly working on a Suzuki Jimny rival

The Suzuki Jimny may soon have some stiff competition as Daihatsu is reportedly cooking up a rival SUV.

Japanese publication Best Car suggests the new model is based on the Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) platform which is found under the Taft model, a boxy five-door kei car designed to meet size restrictions.

That means it probably won’t feature a ladder-frame chassis like the Jimny, nor is it expected to come with four-wheel drive. So it won’t be a fully-fledged off-roader by any means.

Best Car did say the rugged new Taft will at least be compatible with “rough roads”, but its focus is ultimately on the tarmac.

The model is also said to feature a “wild design” and have a minimum ground clearance of 200mm.

If you aren’t already aware, Suzuki sells a smaller version of its iconic four-wheel drive in Japan compared to the model you’d find here in New Zealand.

In Japan, the Jimny is offered as a kei car with a 658cc turbocharged three-cylinder alongside the regular 1.5-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder variant.

The kei car also features a narrower body thanks to a lack of widened wheel arches, making it the perfect rival to whatever Daihatsu may be cooking up.