Daihatsu Charade (1987- 2000) Car Review

If youÕre shopping for a secondhand supermini, you probably havenÕt considered DaihatsuÕs Charade. Like most small car buyers, youÕve probably set your sights on a mainstream model such as a Ford Fiesta or a Vauxhall Corsa. However, if your priorities are quality and value for money, a Daihatsu Charade might be worth tracking down. The Charade started life as a rather uninspiring looking hatchback (offered in three and five-door form) with lacklustre 1.0 and 1.3-litre engines. These were replaced in 1993 by altogether more modern machines. This expanded range included 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6-litre hatchbacks and a 1.5-litre saloon. They were better equipped and offered buyers greater value for money. Though now almost completely replaced by the smaller one-litre Sirion, the Charade remains an affordable supermini alternative and makes sense as a good second-hand buy.

History
While the earliest Charades (1987-1989 CX and the hot-hatch GTti models) are practical and affordable vehicles, post-1990 cars are a far better bet. From September of that year even the entry-level 1.0 CX added power assisted steering to its already comprehensive list of standard equipment. Creature comforts on both variants included electric door mirrors, an internal fuel filler and boot release switches as well as a good quality stereo.
Later that year, the range was extended to include a 1.0-litre, five-door turbodiesel CX version. Then, in 1991, this trio was joined by another variant, a 1.3-litre petrol-engined five-door hatch that was available in three different trim levels: CX, CXi and GXi.
However, the newer the Charade the better and the revised 1993 line-up is superior to anything that came before it. It includes an economy version (the 1.3 petrol GSe), plus a trio of three and five-door hatches with a single point fuel injected version of the 1.3-litre engine. There was also a luxury 1.5-litre variant called the GLXi SE (which boasted air conditioning and metallic paint) and a flagship 1.6 GSXi three-door hatch.
In 1996, the whole range was given a makeover and gained cheeky front end styling that singled it out from a number of more anonymous-looking competitors. These models are also longer and much roomier than their predecessors. ThereÕs more leg space for both front and rear-seat passengers, while greater glass area and careful changes to the interior have given the cabin a more airy, less claustrophobic feel. Luggage space is improved, too.
Three-door models were dropped after a couple of years and, at the end of 1999, the 1.5-litre saloon and the automatic and anti-lock brake options were deleted. The range continued as a single 1.3-litre LXi SE hatchback with generous equipment including dual airbags, central locking and electric windows and mirrors. This model was deleted at the end of 2000.

Opinion
As already mentioned, equipment levels are better than average. Standard features of the revised 1993-on cars include a rear wash/wipe, a heated rear window and a removable stereo. All have side impact beams in the doors for added safety. (A driverÕs airbag became a cost option in 1996 and standard on later cars while the latest LXi SE has a passenger Ôbag as well.)
Further up the scale, the 1.3 LXi five-door comes with power steering, electric mirrors and a rev counter. Move up to the GLXi and Daihatsu has added electric windows and central locking as well as extra speakers for the stereo.

Cost
Prices for the earliest 90G Charades start very low and you can bag a 1993K 1.3 CXi for £,400. Our money would go on the new 1.3-litre Charade, though. Prices for these start only slightly higher at £600 for a 1994L GSe. A mid-range LXi that was first registered in 1995 should cost around £700. If you prefer the nearly new option, expect to pay between £1,400 and £1,600 for a 2000V model of either the 1.3 hatch or the 1.5 saloon.

Problems?
Rust can be a problem on older models, as can worn engines, particularly on the complex GTti version, which weÕd advise buying only with a full service history. There are far less worries on post-93 cars which have proved generally reliable and durable.

Parts
(Approx for a 1.3-litre 1993 model excl VAT) A clutch assembly will be around £130 and brake pads for the front and rear are around £40. An alternator should be close to £200 and a radiator around £110.
A replacement headlamp is close to £100, a full exhaust system excluding the catalyst will be around £190, and a starter motor can be up to £170.

Road
Under the bonnet of the last generation of hatchbacks thereÕs a choice between 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6-litre power. However, youÕre far more likely to end up behind the wheel of one of the most popular mid-range 1.3 cars.
This is no hardship though, as it is one of the most refined engines in its class. Indeed, tests showed that the Charade's interior noise levels at 50mph are equal to those of Nissan Micra at just 30mph. The other emphasis with these powerplants is fuel economy: the LXi model, for example, is capable of over 60 miles to the gallon. Around town, it can average 43mpg.
Fuel economy was even a priority on the automatic version, which uses a sophisticated electronically-controlled four-speed system codenamed `ESAT`. Left in `auto` mode, the computer selects gear change points to maximise fuel efficiency. Should you need swift acceleration, though, simply plant your foot hard down on the throttle and the transmission switches to `power` mode.
Overall
Often overlooked and under-rated, the Charade is a capable and durable supermini that is certain to appeal to anyone buying a secondhand car with their head as well as their heart.

By CLAIRE EVANS.

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Daihatsu YRV (2001 Ð to 2005) Car Review

DaihatsuÕs ÔYoung Recreational VehicleÕ may not have had the nation scrambling for their chequebooks the first time around, but that doesnÕt mean it isnÕt a sound used purchase. With a weak reputation to fall back on, demand isnÕt huge, yet youÕre buying into a manufacturer with a superb reputation for reliability and innovation. Think of it as a cut-price Toyota Yaris and you wonÕt be too far off the mark.

History
The YRV was introduced to the British public at the 2000 Birmingham Motor Show and was instantly viewed as just another in a long line of tiny Daihatsu oddities. The Cuore and Sirion models hadnÕt made much impact on domestic sales figures and although the YRV seemed an entire generation forward in terms of styling and build, few reckoned it would capture the publicÕs imagination.
And so it has proved. Two models were initially available, a standard trim base model and an upspec Premium trim level. These were followed in summer 2001 by the F-Speed which boasted a trick semi-automatic version and the 4Trak which, as its name suggests, was fitted with all-wheel drive. Perhaps realising that the aggressively priced Citroen Saxo was capturing the spoils in this market sector, Daihatsu released the Radical and Radical2 versions of the YRV, value models that lowered the entry price to YRV ownership to an accessible £7,995. All models were powered by the same 86bhp 1.3-litre engine until the YRV Turbo arrived with a 130bhp turbocharged version of that powerplant. The last YRVs were sold in 2005 once the model range had been replaced by a new Sirion.

Opinion
Viewed from the front, the YRV could be nothing but Japanese. The slightly self-conscious detailing and twin-tracheotomy intakes either side of the numberplate are certainly more Tokyo than Turin, although the effect isnÕt altogether unattractive. From the side, the story gets more confusing. Borrowing elements of standard supermini design and adding the slightest dash of micro-MPV makes the YRV slightly uneasy on the eye. The overall effect is of a hall-of-mirrors VW Polo with some Toyota Yaris Verso genes thrown into the mix somewhere.
The signature styling touch is the Ôdouble-wedgeÕ design applied to the side doors. Whereas most cars have a clearly defined Ôbelt lineÕ, in other words the line marked by the bottom of the side windows, the YRV junks this styling tradition. Instead it opts for two big windows which cant upwards at the bottoms. Distinctive, certainly, but does it work aesthetically? The juryÕs still out on that one. What is a deft touch is the addition of an optional ÔpanoramaÕ fixed glass roof, which has the effect of making the windscreen look as if it arcs back into the roof.
Seven YRV models are available, six of which are powered by that 86bhp 1.3-litre engine from part-owners Toyota, based on the unit fitted to the Yaris. Entry-level and Premium models based on a five-speed manual gearbox are most commonplace, but the more interesting variants are the four-wheel drive 4Trak and the YRV F-Speed. This range-topping version offers a Formula One-inspired steering wheel gear change, based on a conventional four-speed automatic gearbox. This system is operated with Ô+Õ and Ô-Ô buttons mounted on the arms of the steering wheels. To enable the system, a dashboard switch must be flicked, else the system reverts to operation via the standard floor-mounted gear lever. If the system is anything like other ÔTiptronic-styleÕ gearboxes, it will allow for zippy downchanges and the added reassurance of keeping both hands on the wheel. Should you wish to cut costs, the Radical and Radical2 models offer pared down fun. The Turbo130 also offers a version of the sequential automatic gearbox, this time allied to a punchy 130bhp engine.
From your position behind the wheel, the interior tries to appeal to Euro-tastes, but falls short in terms of plastics quality and a slight lack of a cohesive design theme. The dimple effect fascia and door trims are almost up to VW standards, but the aluminium-effect display panel is not carried off with any great conviction. Despite this, the YRV impresses with its tally of standard equipment. Some of the clever packaging ideas that were trialed on DaihatsuÕs mini-MPVs have found their way into the YRV. High-mounted rear seas that offer 150mm of sliding adjustment are fitted, and these seats can also be folded into an entirely flat position by virtue of boasting removable cushions. Models from standard trim upwards boast body coloured bumpers, mirrors and door handles, as well as central locking, electric door mirrors, electric windows all round and a driving seat height adjuster. The Premium manual and F-Speed models also add air conditioning, remote keyless entry, electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) and alloy wheels as standard as well as the optional panorama glass roof. The 4Trak features an uprated stereo system and bigger wheels and tyres.

By ANDY ENRIGHT.