Daihatsu Copen : COPEN WIDE AND SAY AHHHH

Daihatsu's Cute Copen Sports Car Is Unquestionably Small But Is It Perfectly Formed? June Neary Finds Out

It's impossible not to feel rather maternal towards the Daihatsu Copen. Cute, small and looking rather dwarfed by the other vehicles in our staff car park, it nevertheless can look after itself. I felt a little vulnerable the first time I sat inside looking up at the differential of a huge delivery lorry but out on the back roads I knew the Copen would come into its own. Despite the miniature dimensions I figured this was a car I'd get along fine with. This is one of the most Japanese cars to hit these shores. Everything about it feels alien, novel and ever so slightly exotic. With its folding hard top roof it'll no doubt appeal to the cafe society set looking for an urban scoot with both rarity value and styling that could have come from a manga movie. The Copen manages to pack a lot of goodies into a tiny footprint but the tape measure dictates that it will always feel very comfy for two, especially for bulky western shoulders. Head and legroom isn't such an issue and the pedal box is surprisingly spacious. Luggage room is at a premium, but the Copen is never going to be a car you'd plump for if you were planning a fortnight away

The roof is the Copen's party piece and it looks good with the hardtop up or down. Fabricated from aluminium it's a lightweight structure and it flips neatly up and down courtesy of a series of electric motors in 25 seconds. There are two catches on the header rail to flip and then a dash-mounted button does the rest. What's more, a proper metal roof makes a lot of sense in the city, providing added security whilst proving a less tempting target for knife-wielding idiots. A more basic version of the roof is offered in Japan which may well help to explain some of the price differential. The interior is nicely, if a little unadventurously, styled and features a compartment behind the seats for odds and ends. Otherwise the boot space is briefcase-sized, due to the fact that the roof `cassette' impinges into the luggage bay. If you commit to driving with the roof up, you'll achieve more room.

The Copen originally arrived on these shores with the 660cc turbocharged engine that it needed to creep under the Kei-car regulations in Daihatsu's home market. It only had 63bhp but it revved all the way up to 8,500rpm and it made the Copen quite a hoot to drive. With a low-slung seating position and less than optimum chassis rigidity that was highlighted with the roof down, it was one of those cars that made it feel like you were going a lot faster than you actually were. Today's Copen has a 1.3-litre petrol engine which is less highly stressed for improved fuel economy and lower exhaust emissions. It's also more powerful with an 86bhp output at 6,000rpm and quicker, with 0-60mph taken care of in 9.5 seconds instead of 11.7 seconds in old car. As long as you don't lever yourself into the Copen expecting a veritable feast of finely honed driving dynamics, you'll enjoy it. The power steering is direct and accurate while body roll is well contained through the corners, giving you the confidence to press on. The suspension is firm and can become tiresome over poorly surfaced roads but it's adequate on the flat. The amount of flex in the car's chassis increases when you pop the hood down but with wind in your hair and the engine buzzing in your ears is still the way to enjoy this car. Having said that, the Copen's size, short overhangs and nimble handling make it a good companion for urban driving where a whole range of creative parking opportunities open themselves up â€" the car is less than 3.5m long after all.

Priced at £11,745, the Copen looks good value, especially when one considers that many of its customer base will be young professionals looking for a second or even third car. It may well prove a little too cutesy for some, but otherwise it looks set for success. With only 1,000 cars arriving per year, however, don't expect the Copen to become as ubiquitous as, say, the Mini.

As long as I could keep my family hatch for the more mundane things in life, I'd gladly splash out on a Copen. It's one of those cars that brings a smile to not only your face but those of passers by. A little dose of happiness every morning just has to be a good thing.

Thursday December 18