Daihatsu's mini-SUV has been the company's biggest seller for some time now, so its replacement is particularly important for the Toyota-owned company. A new Terios was previewed at the Tokyo Show last year in the form of the Be-go. That car and its Toyota Rush brother are now on sale in Japan, while Europe gets the Terios pictured here.

The outgoing Terios was an agricultural bit of kit with woeful on-road dynamics and refinement. It's no revelation that a lot has been done to address these issues, but it is surprising that Daihatsu still claims that the Terios is a proper off-roader with full-time four-wheel drive and even a differential lock fitted as standard.

First impressions are favourable; the new Terios has a modern appearance with hints of the new Toyota RAV4 and Suzuki Grand Vitara. It is still quite compact, but feels a lot larger than the outgoing car. Looking at the specifications reveals 180mm extra in the wheelbase and an increase in track of similar magnitude. The growth in dimensions really helps with the car's styling (the old car looked like it would topple over in a stiff breeze), but the biggest gains come from the extra interior space liberated.

Despite the sporty looks, the Terios is only offered with a single engine option, a 1.5-litre four-cylinder with just over 100bhp. Prices start at £12,995 for the entry-level version, with the automatic 1.5 SE available for £14,995.

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