Daihatsu Rocky Reviews

It seems that even though we’re a few decades behind Europe (and a few ahead of North America), the forthcoming Toyota GR Yaris – with its turbocharged three-cylinder engine, promise of big performance and super-compact footprint – proves that the baby hot hatch is, indeed, a thing.

Global new-vehicle sales are on track to reach the 100-million mark in the next couple of years, with the Chinese market responsible for more than a quarter of that number.

Ewan Kennedy reviews the 1998, 2002 and 2004 Daihatsu Sirion as a used buy.

Boxy cars are back in vogue, if the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show is any guide. But how many will actually make it to showrooms?

Daihatsu's tiny Terios was never a huge seller in Australia, possibly because was considered too small for its tough-guy market segment, but did steady business from the time it went on sale here in 1997 until its withdrawal in 2005. Daihatsu is one of the world leaders in small-vehicle design and has long had a

Toyota-owned badge Daihatsu retired from our market in 2005, but a void in Toyota’s line-up could see some of the Daihatsu product return in the form of the small Terios SUV rebadged as a Toyota Rush.Toyota is keen to capitalise on a growing sub $25,000 compact SUV market segment. Sales are thriving, with a new Nissan Juke, Suzuki SX4, Holden Trax, Ford EcoSport and Fiat Panda all joining the Mitsubishi ASX in the search for a slice of the market. Toyota doesn’t currently have a competitor in this segment, with the bigger RAV4 starting at $28,490.But Toyota has an advantage in this rivalry: It owns Daihatsu – Japan’s oldest car manufacturer and small car specialist. The first generation Daihatsu Terios sold in Australia between 1997 and 2005, creating the same compact 5-door SUV segment that is now thriving. But the current model never made it to our shores due to Daihatsu’s local retirement.Toyota has successfully sold the Rush in overseas markets for over a decade, and the current model since its introduction in 2006. It is powered by an 80kW, 141Nm 1.5-litre VVT-I engine, featuring a five speed manual and four speed automatic. But unlike other cars in this segment, it has permanent four-wheel drive and a central differential lock, which combined with short overhangs, gives the Rush more offroad credibility than most of its competitors.However, a two wheel drive version is also on offer, for buyers who prefer the extra height and space but not the extra capability of a small SUV. With a kerb weight of just 1180kg for the four wheel drive model, the Rush is a relative lightweight, which should help keep running costs low.If Toyota Australia decides to tackle the compact SUV market with the Rush, it will be the first time a car manufactured by Daihatsu is sold in Australia since 2005. However, a new Rush is expected sometime next year, featuring improvements to power, safety and refinement. This means it’s likely Toyota Australia will wait until then to introduce the Rush into Australian showrooms. 

Datsun 1600Ok, so it’s officially known as the Nismo IDx concept but Nissan isn’t fooling anyone. Fans are going to call this the Datsun 1600 regardless of what badge is fitted. It even has a 1.6-litre engine (albeit turbocharged). It was designed by a team of 100 youngsters who grew up getting to know the Datsun 1600 -- a car that has been around since before they were born -- on video games. Here’s hoping the rear-drive Toyota 86 rival comes to market quicker than the Nissan GT-R, which took seven years to become a showroom reality.Nissan GT-R NismoYou could be forgiven for dismissing the latest Nissan GT-R as just another special edition, but that would be a big mistake. This one is the fastest and most powerful (441kW and 652Nm) version of “Godzilla” yet. The 0 to 100km/h times are yet to be published but there are rumours it’s as low as 2.5 seconds. Powered by massive, oversized turbochargers and with chassis input from the Wiliams F1 team, the GT-R Nismo can lap the Nurburgring is a staggeringly quick 7 minutes and 8 seconds.Honda FCEVIt’s 1997 all over again. Back then, Honda and Toyota were in a race to bring petrol-electric hybrid technology to the masses. Honda pipped Toyota to market but Toyota ended up producing a more successful hybrid system. Toyota has sold more than 5 million hybrid cars since. Now both brands are in a race to introduce hydrogen power to the masses, with a target of 2015. Honda has had a small number of hand-built Clarity fuel cell vehicles in customer hands since 2010, but this FCEV concept is a pointer to its replacement.Toyota FCVThis oddly shaped Toyota FCV sedan concept with its gaping mouth is the company’s play for the world’s first hydrogen car for the masses. Toyota says a production version of this concept will be in showrooms in 2015. Here’s hoping Toyota follows its tradition of toning down its concept cars by the time it makes full production.Daihatsu FC DeckIn Tokyo, small is big and big is small. That’s the case with the Daihatsu FC Deck, by far the coolest concept from the pint-sized car-makers. It looks like a shrunk semi trailer, or a candidate for a new show that could be called “Ice Rink Truckers”. It is, in fact, a cute way for Daihatsu to get customers familiar with the new design theme for its next generation of flat-nose vans. Which is a shame. Daihatsu should build it as is.This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling _______________________________________ 

The Daihatsu Copen was always about being super-cute rather than super-quick. And that formula will continue as Daihatsu unveils five concepts under the Kopen (with a K) name as successors to one of Japan’s smallest sports cars. All five concepts will appear at the Tokyo motor show later this month, with the version that draws the strongest response potentially bound for the production line. The similarity of the Kopen concepts with the 2011 D-X concept also suggests development for the Copen is in the advanced stages, with only the surface design to be finalised. The Copen is a halo model for Daihatsu, which specializes in small cars, so it’s important for the brand to nail an appealing design. The Copen was also one of the last Daihatsus sold in Australia before Japan’s oldest car manufacturer was removed from our market in 2007 by parent company Toyota. It continued to sell overseas until production ceased earlier this year, making a replacement model imminent. When it launched in 2003, the Copen combined a 0.66-litre four cylinder turbo engine into a light body on a diminutive footprint. Its 50kW and 100Nm were enough to power the small sports car, but not enough to break any records. A folding aluminium roof and a low centre of gravity and curved bodywork made this a popular cheap car in many markets worldwide - especially in its home market of Japan. The Kopen concepts stick to this formula, although the concept cars rely on a CVT automatic transmission (very popular in Japan) instead of the manual setup that was available in Australia. But the diminutive turbo engine, folding metal roof and toy car feel remain. The sports roadster concept will coincide with the Tokyo show unveiling of Honda’s S660 – another similarly sized roadster. Although there is a small chance we’ll see the latter in Australia, it’s unlikely Toyota will consider reviving the new Copen in our market.  

Daihatsu Sirion is a well-built Japanese car with an excellent reputation for reliability and low running costs. It wasn’t as successful as big brother Daihatsu Charade.So there are some bargains in Daihatsu Sirions as they are regarded as orphans and have suffered in resale value because of this. Despite this they can be kept on the road with a minimum of expense if you choose a good one and look after it correctly.A new Daihatsu Sirion released in April 2002 was more of a facelift, and although longer and given a freshened face, did not offer anything different in the way of drivetrain. For that we had to wait until the all-new Sirion launched here 2005 -- infortunately not long before Daihatsu exited the Australian market altogether. It was substantially bigger than the first-generation model that was launched in Australia in 1998. There’s decent interior room and a boot that can handle a fair amount of luggage. The older models are smaller and probably best left to couples and singles, but the 2005 model can work as a family car if the children are in their pre-teen stage.Daihatsu Sirion is well equipped, coming with air conditioning, a four-speaker CD stereo, power door mirrors, lap-sash safety belts in all five seats and dual airbags. A model worth chasing down is the Sirion Sport, with alloy wheels, a front body kit that includes foglights, a sportier design of rear lights, colour-coded door handles and ABS brakes it provides a lot of small car for a pretty reasonable price.The first series Daihatsu Sirion used an interesting three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine of the type the Japanese marque had made famous for many years. It continued with the larger model of 2002, but in the 2005 Sirion power came from a more conventional four-cylinder, twin-cam unit displacing 1.3 litres. The latter produced a relatively modest 64 kilowatts, but variable valve timing meant it has strong torque throughout most of the rev range, peaking at 120 Nm at a reasonably low 3200 rpm.Transmission choices are five-speed manual and four-speed automatics. Autos don’t take as much out of the performance as you might expect as the Sirion is relatively light. But our gearbox of choice would be the manual unless you’re doing a lot of commuting in traffic. The manual’s gearshift is light and easy so it’s not a hardship to do your own shifting.Handling is competent without being in any way exciting – definitely not a car for the enthusiast. There’s a reasonably neutral feel at everyday road speeds, but understeer comes in too early. A good set of tyres can give it a better feel and provide grip.Daihatsu has been controlled by Toyota since the early 2000s after getting into financial trouble. Toyota Australian stocks spare parts for most models younger than about 10 years. Check with your local dealer and/or check out parts recyclers in your neighbourhood.As it’s a relatively small car the Sirion doesn’t have a lot of underbonnet space so can be annoying to work on. Workshop manuals are available and are recommended. Don’t tackle any safety related items unless you’re an expert.Insurance costs are generally towards the bottom end of the scale and we don’t know of any major company that charges extra for the Sirion Sport, probably because it’s a dress-up variant not a real sporty design.WHAT TO LOOK FORLook for sun damage on the dash top and rear shelf. Check for tears in the seats and damage to floor and boot mats.Rust is rare but if it does get a hold it can run through very quickly due to the light construction of the Sirion. Look in the lower body areas, as well as the doors and hatchback. The corners of these panels are usually the first to suffer. Check the floor of the cabin and the boot for rust. Repairs there can be expensive.Look for signs of crash repairs, minor repairs correctly executed are to be expected in older cars that spend a lot of time in city/suburban driving, but if you think a Sirion has been in a major crash have it inspected by a professional as sub-standard cars can be dangerous.The engine should start quickly even when cold and should have a relatively smooth idle from start-up. Four-cylinder engines are smoother than the threes.Check there is no smoke from the exhaust tailpipe when the engine is accelerated hard after idling for a while. Gearchanges should all be light and easy, with the clutch taking very little effort to operate.If the gearbox baulks or crunches when you do a fast change down, there could be expensive troubles. The third to second change is usually the first to suffer. If the clutch is heavy or sticks during its movement it could be due for an overhaul.Drive the car at low speed with the steering on full lock in one direction and then the other and listen for a clicking sound of worn universal joints.CAR BUYING TIPBuying an ‘orphan’, a car that’s no longer imported, can save you money. But do your homework on parts and knowledgeable mechanics before getting in too deep. 

And the VE Commodore was given just three stars. The latest Used Car Safety Ratings, taken from Monash University's Accident Research Centre (MUARC) crash survey awarded five stars to the Camry and Aurion on models built from 2006 until 2008. The results show that almost one in three vehicles have a "poor" or "very poor" crash test result. The worst result was for the 1990-96 Daihatsu Mira, while the 2004-07 VW Golf was the safest. The 1999-2002 Ford Fairlane/LTD, Holden's Statesman/Caprice and the 2003-5 Mitsubishi Magna/Verada line-ups all rated four stars.  Three-star ratings were also awarded to the 2002-08 BA/BF Ford Falcon, the Holden Statesman/Caprice range from 1994 to 1998 and the 2002-07 Holden Commodore VY/VZ range. The results also suggest smaller cars have improved in recent years, with the 1996-200 Volkswagen Polo scoring five stars and the 2005-2008 Holden Barina rating four stars. The ratings list showed that (excluding light-commercial utes) every vehicle class has at least one vehicle with an "excellent" five-star rating and of the 199 vehicles examined, more than a third scored either good or excellent. The survey rates occupant safety, as well as how other road users (cyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists and other drivers) are affected in a crash, based on Australian and New Zealand injuries suffered by 5.4 million people from 1987-2008. FIVE STAR "excellent" Audi A4 01-08 BMW 5 Series 96-03 BMW X5 01-08 Chrysler Neon 96-99 Ford Explorer 01-05 Ford Transit 01-08 Mazda 6 02-07 Mazda MX5 Roadster 98-05 Mercedes Benz C-Class 00-07 Mercedes Benz M-Class 98-05 Mitsubishi Nimbus 99-03 Mitsubishi Pajero 00-06 Peugeot 307 01-08 Saab 900/9-3 94-02 Saab 9000 86-97 Subaru Liberty/Legacy/Outback 03-08 Subaru Forester 97-02 Toyota Aurion 06-08 Toyota Camry 06-08 Volkswagen Golf/Jetta 04-08 Volkswagen Polo 96-00 Volvo S40/V40 97-04 ONE STAR "very poor" Daewoo Espero 95-97 Daewoo Tacuma 00-04 Daihatsu Feroza/Rocky 89-97 Daihatsu Rocky/Rugger 85-98 Daihatsu Charade 93-00 Daihatsu Mira 90-96 Ford Festiva 94-01 Holden Commodore Ute VR/VS 94-00 Holden/Suzuki Scurry/Carry 82-00 Holden/Suzuki Drover/Sierra 82-99 Holden/Suzuki Barina/Swift 89-99 Hyundai Excel/Accent 95-00 Hyundai Getz/TB 02-08 Kia Ceres 92-00 Nissan Micra 95-97 Nissan NX/NX-R 91-96 Proton Wira 95-96 Subaru Impreza 93-00 Suzuki Vitara/Escudo 88-98 Toyota 4Runner/Hilux 89-97 Toyota Landcruiser 90-97