Daihatsu Terios (2006 - To Date) : LITTLE BIG FOOT

Friday August 22

Models Covered: 5dr 4x4, 1.5 petrol [S, SX, SE]

BY STEVE WALKER

Not all 4x4s are gigantic gas-guzzling road hogs crushing family pets beneath their chunky oversize tyres and accelerating the planet towards a dust bowl future with every revolution of their thunderous engines. The Daihatsu Terios, for example, is actually quite cute. 4x4s often get a bad press but you cant group them all together under one banner, accusing them en masse of environmental assault. Daihatsus Terios is a compact 4x4 that can hold its own off road and is powered by a modest 1.

5-litre petrol engine, its hardly public enemy number one.

Fully 142mm longer than the original Terios and wider too, this model creates opportunities that Daihatsu were completely unable to pursue with the first generation car, offering space for young families and enough style to suit twenty and thirtysomethings looking for a leisure-oriented vehicle. The interior is clean and unfussy with materials quality thats a long way removed from the old Terios and the cowled instrument panel is a very nice touch. If youre familiar with the Toyota RAV4 donor car, youll have a sense of déjà vu in here.

The Terios was affordable new and its even more so with a few thousand miles under its belt. The entry-level S model which sold for just under £13,000 in 2006 is now available for around £7,400. An SX will be around £600 more. A later 08-plate model will cost around £9,600 in S trim and if you want the SE automatic Terios, thats available for something in the region of £10,500 on the same 08-plate.

The lack of a diesel engine limited its sales potential and meant that few buyers chose the Terios for the towing and off-roading duties that some compact 4x4s are purchased for. Most Terios models have had a reasonably easy time of it as a result and the reliable Toyota-sourced underpinnings shouldnt give much trouble. Should the previous keeper have decided that off-roading a Terios seemed a good idea, then do check the underbody for signs of damage. Concentrate on the suspension, exhaust and chassis, and make sure the steering and differential are still serviceable.

Otherwise, the usual reminder to obtain a service history applies.

(Estimated prices) A clutch assembly is around £240, a full exhaust system around £800 (with the catalyst), front brake pads are around £45 and rear brake shoes are around £40. A radiator is about £240, an alternator around £180 and a starter motor about £195.

To extract the maximum performance figures for the 0-60mph sprint and the 103mph top speed, gears need to be held as the 1.5-litre engine produces maximum power at 6,000rpm. The engines high-revving characteristics mean you can drive in a sedate manner for improved fuel economy or press on a little harder when you feel like it. Fuel economy of 40.

4mpg is possible on long motorway trips if youre reasonably prudent with the right pedal in the manual model, while the automatic gearbox is slightly thirstier with a 39.8mpg extra urban average. This isnt bad considering the hefty 4x4 transmission the Terios is lugging around and the less than ideal aerodynamics produced by the slab-fronted off-roader shape. The engine is quite flexible for stop start urban motoring with a smooth power delivery and maximum torque of 140Nm at 4,400rpm.

Large 4x4s with real off road prowess tend to ride and corner like the QE2 on choppy seas but the bouncy suspension and high riding chassis enable them to cope with the big knocks that off road vehicles are required to take. The Terios is much smaller and nimbler on the road with ride and handling impressively car-like. Body roll in the bends has been successfully curbed and on the flat, you shouldnt be reaching for the travel sickness pills. Its one of the few 4x4s that youd take for a drive on tarmac just for the fun of it.

The penalty for all that nimble handling is off road ability thats decidedly modest. With a mere 17cm of ground clearance, the Terios isnt the ideal tool to take out into the wilds, but wheel articulation is surprisingly good and although the little Daihatsu will adopt some rather dramatic angles of lean through a gnarly off road test course, itll manage to keep its belly from scraping too badly. Compared to a big Volvo XC90, the Terios is a good deal more useful in the mud. If you can keep the Terios on smooth surfaces, itll do surprisingly well, although tyre choice is obviously very important, but without a dedicated low range or hill descent system, really hilly terrain is beyond its scope.

The short front and rear overhangs allow good manoeuvrability although the exhaust system is rather vulnerable when the modest ground clearance is exhausted. Still, the Terios usually feels composed and the steering is a good deal quicker when you need to flick it from lock to lock in a bid to help front wheel grip.

The Daihatsu Terios isnt the most obvious of compact 4x4 choices but its compact shape and good ability both on and off-road make it a desirable option. Its certainly not a gas guzzler and if you like the look of 4x4s but dont want to be plagued by environmentalist do-gooders telling you what you should be driving, the Terios is a good compromise.