For those who know the Daihatsu Copen, our headline might have been a bit of a head scratcher. The little convertible has always been a kei car, so what do we mean by ‘remains’? Well, Daihatsu did toy with the idea of making the next-generation Copen a little bit bigger, a little bit more like the Mazda MX-5. Two years ago, we showed you the Daihatsu Vision Copen from the 2023 Japan Mobility Show, and we described the showcar as a ‘proper compact sports car now’. Three reasons were cited – a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout (FR, first two generations were FF), a larger 1.3-litre engine (twice the kei car 660cc limit) and a larger footprint that’s just 80 mm shorter and 40 mm narrower than the ND MX-5. The Vision Copen’s lack of overhangs meant that its maximised wheelbase of 2,415 mm was actually 105 mm longer than the Mazda’s. The K-Open of the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, while still a concept, is another step closer to the eventual production third-generation Copen. It retains all that was good about the Vision Copen, but with details refined and made more realistic. Also back to reality is the kei car brief. The K-Open has shrunk in size from the Vision Copen – at 3,395 mm long and 1,475 mm wide, the latest showcar is a fair bit smaller than its predecessor and ducks just under the 3.4m x 1.48m size boundary for kei cars. The new wheelbase of 2,265 mm is 150 mm shorter than the previous proposal. “Its small size lets you experience light comfort of open-air driving and the fun of front-engine, rear-wheel-drive driving performance up close. It delivers the unique excitement of mini vehicles to many people, not just a select few,” Daihatsu says, confirming that the FR layout remains as it “delivers even more enjoyable driving performance”. Shape and looks wise, the trademark Copen look with round lights at both ends from the Mk1 and the the Mk2’s Cero version has been retained, but there are some details that differ from the 2023 Vision Copen. The VC had round LED rings as lights, with two projectors in the upper half – the latter is now part of the LED ring DRL, with a single eye beneath. The same layout is repeated for the back, in red. The biggest difference is that the grille in the VC has been deleted for the K-Open, which has a lower grille below the number plate (yellow for kei car, another hint) instead. Flanking it are vertical LED light bars. The same look is mirrored at the rear, which is typically Copen. At the back, the K-Open gets a single central exhaust pipe over the VC, but loses the earlier proposal’s slim spoiler. D-Sport might be able to help with that. Lastly, the vent on the front wings have changed – they’re now vertical items. Like the VC, the K-Open uses a Daihatsu script logo instead of the D mark. Inside, it’s the same minimalist cockpit design, with details refined and more production-ready. I love the classic-looking manual gear knob, and there’s even a base that mimics the classic black rubber gear boot. The fabric door pulls in place of handles go well with the pared-down look. No mention of the roof, but the VC had an electric roof called Active Top, like the Mk2. No word on the engine too, but if the K-Open remains a kei car, it means that Daihatsu has put to bed the idea of a larger engine to go with the Vision Copen’s larger size. The VC was proposed with a 1.3-litre engine that’s carbon neutral (CN) fuel compatible. A 660 cc three-cylinder turbo is the kei car norm. Next to the K-Open at JMS is a red Mk2 Copen Coupe with its engine bay and underbody on display. This is a pre-production study vehicle built with the spirit of ‘make it, ride it, test it’ “We are particular about the size of the kei car and pursue the joy of driving through lightweight, low centre of gravity and optimal weight distribution,” Daihatsu said. If the K-Open is previewing the next-gen Copen’s design, this prototype previews the new FR layout with. At first glance, there’s no engine as the ‘slant engine’ is set so low – it looks like they’re dead serious in lowering the centre of gravity. Now, the Copen isn’t famous as a enthusiast driving machine (most serious car guys would go for the Honda S660, RIP, and MX-5) but that could change with the highest ranking car guy in the automotive industry now in charge of the Copen’s dynamics. He’s none other than Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda. At the Toyota Group’s JMS 2025 presentation, Toyoda was named Daihatsu’s’ ‘Master Driver’ (replete with a DMC business card) and Morizo himself will be the one driving, and breaking, the little roadster. They might have abandoned the idea of a MX-5 rival in terms of size and power, but the next-gen Copen is set to be a fun little FR roadster. I can’t wait! GALLERY: Daihatsu K-Open at JMS 2025 GALLERY: Daihatsu Vision Copen at JMS 2023 Compare prices between different insurer providers to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services. Many payment method supported and you can pay with instalment using Grab PayLater or Shopee SPayLater.
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