Daihatsu Sirion Range
Driving a Daihatsu Sirion gives a firm two-finger salute to the supermini establishment. After all, heres a car with virtually no image whatsoever. For a brief period in the late nineties, luridly coloured green and orange Sirions were trendy in big metropolitan areas, beloved by those with a yen for Japanese esoterica, but otherwise the car has stayed firmly under the mainstream radar.
Two engines are offered and one of them, the 87bhp 1.3-litre, has been developed from a unit shared by the previous Sirion and indeed, the Toyota Yaris. The entry-level engine is a 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit that punches above its 69bhp weight.
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The Sirion has quite a big job to do, replacing as it does two car ranges. Not only does it pension off the old Sirion, but the latest car has to cover for the YRV which bites the bullet. Marketed in Japan as both the Daihatsu Boon and the Toyota Passo, the Sirion has already got off to a sharp start. Since Daihatsu are part owned by Toyota, they have access to a huge amount of know-how when it comes to small cars.
Not that they lack anything in pedigree having been selling cars in the UK since 1964 longer than any other Japanese manufacturer.
"The latest Sirion is markedly less left field than its quirky predecessor"
Obvious rivals include the Honda Jazz, the Fiat Panda and the Mitsubishi Colt, the latter of which the Sirion most closely appears. The truncated nose and nicely contoured rear wheelarch and rear wing combination are redolent of the sharply-styled Mitsubishi, although the front grille is a little anonymous. Prices look competitive, with the new model undercutting the old car by a couple of hundred pounds. Unlike the old Sirion, we dont get exotic all-wheel drive models just yet.
There is some evidence of cost cutting in the materials used inside the Sirion and if youre used to, say, a SEAT Ibiza, some of the plastics used will seem a little low rent. The counterpoint to this is that the dash is far more adventurously styled with a silver centre console and a quirky cowled fascia pod. If you opt for a model with a rev counter, this clips to the outside of the binnacle rather like the aftermarket turbo boost gauges seen on Japanese evo cars. This funkiness; gives the Sirion a fun feel, even if its no great shakes when it comes to handling.
If you can operate a payphone, you should have no difficulty with the Sirion. No, scrub that. Ive been into some payphones that are a whole lot trickier to figure out than a Sirion. All the controls are legibly marked, the steering is light and the ride is surprisingly supple for a small car.
The manual gearbox probably isnt as direct as it could be and the windscreen pillars can be intrusive when negotiating tight roundabouts but other than that this is an extremely easy car to drive. Performance from the 1.0-litre engine is best described as unhurried, the 69bhp unit getting the Sirion to 60mph in 13.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 99mph.
The off-beat three-cylinder thrum is deeper and more characterful than the rather anodyne engine note of the 1.3-litre model and for that reason alone, it would be my pick. The fuel consumption is not to be sniffed at either, the 1.0-litre managing a combined total off 56.
5 miles per gallon. Carbon dioxide emissions are pegged at a lowly 118g/km. Trade up to the 1.3-litre model and you also get the option of a four-speed automatic.
Unless 90 per cent of your driving is in stop/start city traffic, wed stick to the manual car. The automatic tends to hang onto gears in a manner that could well set your teeth on edge and doesnt make for a very relaxing experience. Performance of the manual car is respectable, getting to 60mph in 11 seconds and on to a top speed of 106mph, but this car isnt about speed. Its a little bit better acclimatised to open road driving than the three-cylinder model and the fuel consumption of 48.
7mpg and the emissions of 137g/km arent too far behind either. The front end of the car has been designed to do well in pedestrian safety tests, the deformable bumper and nose cone section and ample space below the domed bonnet being a whole lot friendlier than many rivals. Front, side and curtain airbags are standard on all models, ISOFIX child seat fixings in the outer rear seats and a trio of three-point seat belts in the rear. Anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution are also included,.
Theres certainly no shortage of headroom inside the Sirion. Six footers should find no issues in either the front or the rear and legroom is also surprisingly good. Its even possible to adjust the rake of the rear backrest. Naturally this abundance of cabin space comes at a price and rear luggage space isnt the best.
Like most modern superminis, the Sirion features a multitude of cup holders, stowage spaces, trays and cubbies and it also includes a split level glovebox, neither compartment yielding much in the way of useable space. Rather surprisingly, the seats are firmer than youd expect and give good support, even to broad shouldered drivers. It wont take too much to make the latest Sirion more successful than its predecessor. Eclipsing sales of both the old Sirion and the YRV should be easily within this cars compass although squaring up to big hitters like the Honda Jazz and the Fiat Panda is an altogether tougher task.
By most objective measures the Sirion will struggle, but there are those who appreciate its individuality, its fresh design and its willing engines.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Daihatsu Sirion range
PRICES: £7,455-£9,305 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 4-6
CO2 EMISSIONS: 118-137g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.3] Max Speed 106mph / 0-60mph 10.9s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.0](combined) 56.5mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side airbags, ABS, EBD WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE ?: Length 3600mm/Width1665mm/Height1550mm
