Daihatsu
Daihatsu is a Japanese brand which has specialised in building small cars for many years. However, due to the strength of the Japanese Yen, Daihatsu is no longer importing cars to the UK, although some of the models reviewed below are still available new in dealers.
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Daihatsu Copen
The Daihatsu Copen looks like an Audi TT that has been shrunk in the wash. It has a folding metal hardtop too, so you can put down the roof when the sun comes out. However, with the top down, the tiny boot becomes even more miniscule and there’s extra flex in the body, which makes the whole car judder over bumps in the road. Power comes from a tiny 86bhp four-cylinder engine, but thanks to the Copen’s light weight, performance is still good. The Copen is well equipped at the price too.
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Daihatsu Materia
With its striking looks, Daihatsu’s Materia is a guaranteed head-turner. Its unusual box-shaped exterior also means that the Materia enjoys a spacious interior, with impressive levels of both leg and headroom. Good fun to drive, the Daihastu handles well in spite of its shape, but the trade-off is a ride which can feel firm over rough surfaces. There’s a good mix of petrol and diesel engines and expect competitive fuel consumption figures too.
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Daihatsu Sirion
Daihatu’s Sirion is a simple, basic supermini that has plenty of appeal. Its boxy styling means that it’s easy to squeeze through gaps in town traffic, while space is impressive on the inside too. There are three petrol engines to choose from. The 1.0-litre gives enough power to keep up with traffic in town and the 1.5-litre can be had with an automatic gearbox. The Sirion is very well built too, and comes with equipment like air conditioning and electric windows as standard across the range. The suspension is soft, which means extra body roll in corners, but that means that the Sirion remains comfortable on longer trips.
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Daihatsu Terios
The Terios is Daihastu’s small 4x4 and is also one of the cheapest off-roaders you can buy. It’s easy to drive and to see out of, thanks to the high driving position, but the suspension is very firm which makes for a bouncy ride. The 1.5-litre engine doesn’t have much power either, so progress is slow and noisy as the engine has to be worked hard, and the boxy design increases wind noise. That said, all models are well equipped, and the Terios does feature a spacious interior for its size, which is shorter than a VW Golf.
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