Daihatsu Cuore (1997-2003) Car Review

Small is certainly beautiful when it comes to city cars. Daihatsu have heartily embraced the Ôless is moreÕ concept with the Cuore. While it may be the height of vogue in downtown Shinjuku, does the little Daihatsu cut it as a used buy here on the UKÕs pockmarked roads? If new sales are anything to go by, the answer is a resounding yes. The Citycar class is taking off, and with offerings like the Daewoo Matiz, Fiat Seicento and Vauxhall Agila to compete against, the Cuore has its work cut out. The Japanese have been, are, and probably always will be, the experts on miniaturisation. From personal stereos to cameras, the Japanese inability to be satisfied with a product until a minuscule version was available was bound to come round to cars. HereÕs how to track down a used Cuore.

History
The Cuore was borne out of JapanÕs stringent small car tax regulations which demand tiny dimensions in return for revenue rebates. It is this which sparked the manufacture of genuinely tiny cars, although the export success of these cars in foreign markets meant that they probably would have been developed without the existing legal framework. They all have one thing in common, and that is to European eyes, they look faintly odd. European rivals aimed to create more mainstream looks, which the Daihatsu Cuore aimed to replicate.
The Cuore was first offered for sale in the UK in summer 1997, and was launched in base (three-door) and Cuore+ (five-door) guise. The engine available was a tiny 847cc three-cylinder unit shared by the Daihatsu Move. In fact 65% of the Cuore and Move were common, and the Cuore was a more mainstream alternative for those who couldnÕt put up with the pointing, chuckling and general bafflement the Move generated.
In October 1997 limited numbers of the Cuore Avanzato TR-XX R4 were introduced. This was a citycar able to accelerate to 60mph in less time than it took to carefully enunciate its name. The specification of this model was, and remains to this day, almost unbelievable. A microscopic three-cylinder 659cc engine had a turbocharger and intercooler attached to it, with drive going through all four tiny wheels, like a Lilliputian Audi Quattro. An aggressive bodykit and alloy wheels completed the image. Unsurprisingly, the Avanzato was a touch avant-garde for British tastes and few were sold before it was quietly withdrawn in 1999.
April 1998 saw the launch of three limited edition models, the ÔStartÕ, ÔSÕ three-door and ÔSÕ five-door. The Cuore range received a freshening in December 1998 when new 1.0-litre three cylinder engines were introduced along with a slight lengthening of the chassis, changes to grille, lights, bumpers and specification levels. The same Cuore and Cuore+ range designations existed as before. It was early 2003 before the last of the Cuore models exited the dealersÕ showrooms.

Opinion
The Cuore is a city car that doesnÕt have people chuckling in mirth as it drives by, unlike its sibling, the Move. Its shape is tidy, rounded and slightly reminiscent of NissanÕs Micra. The wheelbase is relatively long, which helps with packaging. The packaging of people into its compact dimensions.
It's a little bigger than you might expect; the Japanese bureaucrats now permit their little ÔK-classÕ cars to be slightly longer and wider which has allowed the latest Cuore to grow in every area but height. Don't expect it to be a Fiesta - two big blokes up front will still rub shoulders - but against Eastern opposition and Western rivals like Fiat's Seicento, it feels relatively spacious.
Which is a bonus in a car thatÕs billed as the cheapest Japanese built new car on the market. As a used buy itÕs a good way to get nearly new for next to nothing. Though there's a choice of three or five doors, the dimensions of both body styles are identical - so don't go offering back seat space to any sumo wrestlers. Better to flatten the split-folding rear bench and make use of a decent amount of luggage room.
It's a pity you don't get this on the three-door base model. Still, there is quite a lot else for your cash. Twin front airbags, an engine immobiliser, a decent stereo, colour-keyed bumpers, a rev counter and a rear wash/wipe all come as standard on the 1.0 models, though curiously, there's no clock. The 1.0 Cuore+ does include this, along with electric windows and mirrors, central locking, a centre console with cupholders and a special impact release system which unlocks the doors in a collision.
There are a number of little touches not normally included on a car of this price; the height-adjustable front seatbelt mountings, the remote headlamp levelling, the twin vanity mirrors and the remote levers to open the rear hatch and fuel flap. Interior door bins and that clock are the only real omissions. Still, there's the option of a 3-speed automatic gearbox: you'd be surprised how rare this is in this sector.

By ANDY ENRIGHT.

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Daihatsu Cuore, Many Features Packed In One Small Vehicle

Since the year 1980, the world has already been introduced to the Daihatsu Cuore. This vehicle has constantly been in production since that year and until present, manufacture and production for this vehicle has still not halted. It runs under the Daihatsu brand and is classified and categorized as a hatchback. In Japan, which is the home country of the Daihatsu Cuore, this vehicle is known and marketed as the Daihatsu Mira. However, in other places around the world, this same vehicle is also known as Daihatsu Domino or the Daihatsu Charade.

The Daihatsu Cuore has been made available in two body style options which are both hatchbacks however the difference lies in the number of doors that it has. One holds three doors while another holds five. This vehicle from the 1980s actually replaced the Daihatsu Fellow when the latterÕs production was halted. The Daihatsu Cuore shares most of its components with other Daihatsu vehicles like the Daihatsu Leeza, the Daihatsu Move, the Daihatsu YRV, the Daihatsu Copen, the Daihatsu Terios, and the Daihatsu Opti. This vehicleÕs competition include the Suzuki Altoworks, the Mitsubishi Dangun ZZ, the Subaru Vivio, and the Suzuki Cervo.

The company markets the Daihatsu Cuore as a new variety and entry to the mini car segment and it claims that this vehicle would serve as an avenue for channeling changes to this category. The present version of the Daihatsu Cuore is more elegant and has a style that appeals greatly to the younger buyers. It has also been made available with a range of bright and vivid body color choices which comprise of Black Mica, Blue Mica Metallic, Champagne Metallic Opal, Lavender Metallic Opal, Red, Rose Metallic Opal, Silver Metallic, and White.

Despite the fact that the Daihatsu Cuore is a small car, one who would take a further look at the vehicle would know that this vehicle has a whole lot things to offer. In fact, in its segment, it is considered as the most spacious. It also comes with safety and comfort features that are of high quality. Daihatsu claims that the Daihatsu Cuore holds a very fine design compared to the rest of the vehicles in its class. As a petrol car, this vehicle delivers and performs with a fuel economy that is considered as the best in this category.

By Stacey Wilson.