Japan · Original Japanese petrol model · August 1974

Daihatsu Taft F10

The first Taft squeezed a two-range four-wheel-drive system into a body only 3.32 metres long, making a tiny but serious trail machine.

Off-road vehicles

Exterior · Photo shows representative-same-generation-year-and-model-code-unverified. Commons verifies a 1977 Daihatsu Taft, but not the F10 code, engine or trim. It is plainly labeled as a later first-generation representative and is not captioned as a 1974 F10.
1977 Daihatsu Taft — later first-generation representative · Kzaral; Commons crop and alteration by Mr.choppers · CC BY 2.0

Auction-based estimated value

Research pending

A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.

Joyride shows this gap instead of substituting an asking price, unsold bid or mismatched special vehicle.

A place in vehicle history

More than a set of wheels.

Daihatsu began marketing the Taft in Japan in August 1974. The original F10 used a 958 cc petrol four, four-speed manual gearbox and switchable four-wheel drive on a short 2,025 mm wheelbase. Indonesian F10 sales began later, in 1976, so this profile is explicitly the Japanese launch car rather than an Indonesian-market version.

Look a little closer.

The name was explained as Tough and Almighty Four-wheel Touring vehicle—a very large promise for a 3.32-metre machine.

Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.

Small outside, real 4WD underneath

The Taft was larger than a kei car but much smaller than most off-roaders. A short wheelbase, narrow body, live axles and 16-inch tyres made it easy to place on tight tracks while retaining genuine part-time four-wheel drive.

Source: GAZOO catalog · 1974 Daihatsu Taft ↗

Japan 1974 is not Indonesia 1976

Daihatsu's company chronology records Japanese marketing from August 1974. Daihatsu Indonesia identifies the F10 there from 1976, so Joyride keeps those market launch dates separate rather than presenting one as universal.

Source: Daihatsu · main products history ↗

Where these facts come from

Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed September 30, 2026.

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