In February 1990, The Washington Post published one of its earliest impressions of the Daihatsu Rocky — a moment that now feels like a small piece of history for our community. Automotive writer Warren Brown took a 1990 Rocky SE out for a drive in Las Vegas during the National Automobile Dealers Association meeting. Instead of sitting through speeches? He and USA Today’s James Healy chose the Rocky — and ended up getting lost in a landfill.

The article captures exactly what many Rocky owners love about these trucks. Even when Brown and Healy found themselves climbing rutted paths, powering through soft soil, and navigating harsh terrain around Sunrise Mountain, the little SE just kept going. Despite ending up far from the Spring Mountains, the Rocky turned the detour into an off-road adventure.

Brown highlighted several things that made a strong impression back in 1990:

Off-road capability

The Rocky SE’s gearing and suspension earned praise. It was — and still is — the only small SUV of its size equipped with an independent double-wishbone front suspension. The result? A surprisingly comfortable ride, even when the terrain wasn’t.

On-road manners

The reviewers were impressed with how nimble and easy to drive the Rocky felt in Las Vegas traffic. Paired with its 1.6-liter, 16-valve engine and five-speed manual gearbox, it handled daily driving better than expected for a compact 4×4.

Fuel economy

Nearly 28 MPG during mixed driving — something many modern SUVs still can’t match.

Public reaction

Wherever they went, people stopped to look. Even the crew at Terrible Herbst’s Car Wash gave it enthusiastic attention.

Weak points

Brown noted the absence of a compass and the lack of automatic locking hubs — but those were small complaints in an otherwise positive review.

Pricing (1990)

• Base price: $11,697
• As tested: $13,744 (including skid plates and off-road equipment)

His conclusion was simple:
The Rocky SE was a solid, capable, and well-built 4×4 — and a great value.

More than 35 years later, it’s fun to look back at how journalists saw these trucks when they were new. For many of us, the Rocky’s charm hasn’t changed.

Source: The Washington Post – “Spring Finds Rocky Tops,” Feb. 22, 1990