he Terios looks smart from all angles, with only a cheap spare wheel cover complete with a garish Eighties-style graphic spoiling things


Terios feels top-heavy on road, and the ride is flawed


As the debate over congestion and air pollution rages, one type of car is getting more stick than any other: the 4x4. Criti-cised for being gas-guzzlers, off-roaders have had a tough time, but why?


Daihatsu s Terios, for example, is little bigger than a supermini and has a frugal 1.5-litre engine. Could it provide 4x4 fans with their mud-plugging fix while still being friendly to the environment? We climbed aboard the first example to hit British soil to find out.


While the new Terios is bigger than its city car-sized predecessor, it s still small enough to fit through tight gaps and into compact parking spaces in town. The Daihatsu s minuscule proportions are emphasised by its tall height.


There s no doubt the chunky styling is inspired by Toyota s previous-generation RAV4, which has also donated many of its mechanical parts. The Terios looks smart from all angles, with only a cheap spare wheel cover complete with a garish Eighties-style graphic spoiling things.


Inside, function has dominated form. Many parts, including the gearstick and steering wheel, will be familiar to Toyota drivers, but the build quality is solid. A lack of reach adjustment on the steering and tiny door pockets hamper the cabin s appeal, but there is a decent amount of space in the rear. It s just a pity designers couldn t fit a split tailgate into the package   the side-opening door limits practicality in tight spaces. What s more, while the seatbacks fold and the squabs tumble, they don t use all available space. You re left with a tall, deep load bay which is great for a chest of drawers, but flawed when it comes to items such as mountain bikes.


Only one engine is available, and performance is pedestrian. With 103bhp, the 1.5-litre unit struggles to shift the Terios s weight, with 0-62mph in 12.2 seconds. However, to match that figure you will need to use all the revs   peak power doesn t arrive until 6,000rpm, while more importantly the maximum torque isn t available until 4,400rpm. Once up to speed the Terios doesn t offer a particularly comfortable ride. It bounces around on the road, giving the impression of being top heavy. Thank-fully, when pushed it proves remark-ably stable, with the strong brakes provi-ding even greater confidence.


Price is the Daihatsu s trump card. At $14,295, our high-spec SX comes with full-time 4WD and a locking centre dif-ferential for when the going gets tough. Off-roaders might be scorned for their vast size, gutsy engines and opulent cabins, but all these features give them desirability   and that the Terios lacks.


    * For : Rugged looks, refinement, good driving position, genuine off-road ability
    * Against : Fidgety ride, steering at speed, no load cover, interior feels dated, build issues


Driving:
The 1.5-litre VVT engine is flexible, revving to 6,500rpom without sounding thrashy. It's smooth too, and only a quiet hum can be heard at motorway speeds. The permanent four-wheel-drive system saps power though, hurting the 0-60mph time. The five-speed gearbox is positive if a little sticky, and first and second gears are a little short, making driving in traffic a pain. In terms of handling, the Terios is surprisingly nimble. Admittedly, body roll is an issue, there's little steering feel and the ride is fidgety particularly on bumpy roads. But it corners well at lower speeds and is more fun than you might expect on twisting roads. And while it isn't a serious mud-plugger, the Terios does have genuine off-road ability. It lacks a low-range transmission, so step inclines are best avoided, but the little Daihatsu is capable of taking on deep ruts and thick mud with few problems.


Marketplace:
It probably isn't the first name that springs to mind when you think off-roaders, but Daihatsu has been selling the Terios in the UK since 1997. This all-new car is much more sophisticated than the original though, drawing heavily from the old Toyota RAV4's underpinnings. This is possible because Toyota has owned its Japanese compatriot since 1999. It looks like a serious off-roader, with definite hints of RAV4, while the angled front headlights and chunky lines give it an aggressive appearance. It is still narrow, but the high waistline and short overhangs help balance this. Glaringly though, there's no diesel - the only engine option is the 1.5-litre petrol, offered in three trim levels. It's also five-door only. Rivals come from less traditional sources, such as the Fiat Sedici and Suzuki SX4 'crossover' SUVs. Unlike Daihatsu, those companies have given their models a more conventional, hatchback-derived look and feel on the road, at the expense of ultimate off-road ability.


Owning:
The build quality of the Terios seems weak in places. The doors close with a hollow clank, while the bonnet flexes with even the slightest pressure. That aside, it still has a rugged charm - though the side-hinged tailgate, which also houses the spare wheel, can make access difficult in tight parking spaces. Thanks to the car's height, there is ample head and leg space for rear passengers. Elbow room is limited though, and with three adults in the back, it's fairly uncomfortable. Up front, the driving position is good and there is great all-round visibility, making the Terios an easy car to manoeuvre in traffic. The interior is well put together and the controls are easy to use, but the plastics on the dashboard and centre console are cheap to the touch. Toyota's parts bin has also been raided to complete the cabin, too. Servicing costs will be low, despite 9,000-mile intervals, and the unlimited-mileage three-year warranty is a boon. However, fuel economy is very poor; we averaged just 28.1mpg overall.


Although the previous-generation model of the Daihatsu Terios was a robust little workhorse with a small but enthusiastic customer base, its all-new replacement is bigger and more refined. And the Japanese firm hopes that it will double sales and can now move away from the rough and ready image of old.


The newcomer is certainly a massive leap forward in terms of style. Its chunky lines, flared wheelarches and choice of vibrant paint colours ensure that it is far more pleasing on the eye than its predecessor.


Indeed, from many angles thereis also a strong visual resemblance to the Toyota RAV4 - which, given that car's massive success, clearly hasn't come about merely by accident.


There's good news inside, too. While budget off-roaders traditionally suffer from a poor interior finish and limited cabin space, these aren't complaints you can make about the latest Terios. The dashboard isn't made from the finest materials available, but it is logically laid out and feels hard-wearing.


Five adults will fit comfortably, with only the tallest experiencing head and legroom problems. There's plenty of boot space, too, which really increases the mini mud-plugger's practicality. Yet take to the road and the car's main weakness is instantly exposed. The 1.5-litre petrol powerplant isn't particularly economical, it struggles to keep pace with faster traffic and really needs to be worked extremely hard if you're to eke out any performance at all. This means engine noise is a constant bugbear.


A glance at the figures backs this up. The sprint from 0-60mph takes the best part of 13 seconds, while maximum speed is reached at less than 100mph - a good indication of how little shove the new arrival has.


Daihatsu plans to introduce a diesel engine within two years - possibly Toyota's 1.4-litre D-4D unit - which should at least provide more pulling power and improved economy. Despite its elevated stance, the little Daihatsu drives well and its road-biased sus-pension provides agile handling andstable cornering. It can also cope off road, as long as the action is more gravel tracks and green lanes rather than steep or slippery terrain.


So although the Terios has its lim-itations, buyers will benefit from a fantastic view of the road, decent dynamics and a certain amount of rugged ability - and all for less than $13,000. That begins to make the Daihatsu look like a bit of a bargain.
Popularity isn't something Daihatsu's Terios has enjoyed over the past few years. While the tiny 4x4 has found favour with an enthusiastic minority of budget buyers, dull styling, poor cabin space and underpowered engines have ruined any chance of challenging trendy lifestyle off-roaders, such as the Toyota RAV4.


Popularity isn't something Daihatsu's Terios has enjoyed over the past few years. While the tiny 4x4 has found favour with an enthusiastic minority of budget buyers, dull styling, poor cabin space and underpowered engines have ruined any chance of challenging trendy lifestyle off-roaders, such as the Toyota RAV4.


But if things go to plan for the Japanese manufacturer, the new model could turn things around. Bigger, better built and representing a step up-market, Daihatsu is so confident about the Terios' appeal that it's banking on as many as 4,000 sales a year - making the car the firm's most popular model since the Charade. Those numbers won't worry big-sellers such as Land Rover's Freelander, but if you're in the market for a low-cost off-roader for around ?$12,000 in March, it's a car that should be on your shopping list.


In line with Suzuki's new Grand Vitara, the Terios has addressed one of its predecessor's biggest problems: lack of space. Based on the platform of the outgoing RAV4, the model is 142mm longer and 160mm wider than before.


This means it's much bigger inside, with proper seating for five (the last Terios only had two rear chairs) and a decent boot. It looks more modern, too. The extra dimensions give the Daihatsu added road presence, and with big, bold headlights and a chunky wheel-at-each-corner stance, it's a confident design.


That's continued by the centre console, with its large, simple buttons, and the dash, which houses the speedo, rev counter and fuel gauges in three hooded pods. Equipment levels are acceptable, too, with electric windows and air-conditioning standard on most models. However, plastic quality still falls behind more expensive rivals.


Under the bonnet, Daihatsu has replaced its old 1.3-litre engine with a more powerful 105bhp 1.5-litre unit. Delivering only 140Nm of torque, it needs high revs to perform well, but at least it's smooth and spins freely.


In addition, there will be a 2.0-litre petrol. But it's the all-new 2.0 turbodiesel that should be the pick for UK buyers when the model goes on sale. All engines are hooked up to a five-speed manual gearbox.


On the move, the first thing to strike you about the Terios is that it's biased towards road use. The suspension is quite firm, and with widened front and rear tracks, the car feels agile yet stable even under hard cornering. But it still manages to offer a comfortable ride, and with good refinement it's much more relaxing than before.


Don't expect it to do much off-roading, though. With a transmission derived from the RAV4's and a central differential lock, the Terios can handle muddy tracks and green lanes, but big undulations will be a problem due to its relatively low ground clearance. Still, with standard stability control and all-wheel drive, it feels secure at all times.


The Terios certainly represents a vast improvement over its predecessor. We will have to wait for a full test on UK roads to see how much better it really is, but on the basis of this early meeting, Daihatsu deserves to do well.
Our verdict


Despite some serious revisions, the new Daihatsu Terios feels old and out-classed. Not by a long chalk is it a proper SUV, but it s also pretty hopeless as a road car. Which makes it, well, useless.
Comfort


As comfortable as being at sea in a small boat in a large swell. It rides well enough thanks to big boots, but is way too unsettled to ever put you at your ease.


9 out of 20
Performance


Performance stats aren't exactly a selling point for the Terios. It takes over 16 seconds to get to 60mph, making it one of the slowest cars on the market. Get the automatic gearbox and things get even worse.


10 out of 20
Cool


Since Jeremy went to be part of a hunt in one, it's immeasurably cool. Truth be told, it's muddy boots utility always meant it was cooler than the sum of its parts.


14 out of 20
Quality


If cheap plastics are your thing, then the quality rating here should be 20. They aren't ours, in any way shape or form, so we'll only give it 8.


8 out of 20
Handling


The Terios handles like a toddler who's been through the liquor cabinet. Its tiny wheelbase, narrow width and excessive height combine to create all sorts of unnerving pitch and roll.


8 out of 20
Practicality


Four-wheel drive, short and nippy - the Terios is a reasonably practical small off-roader. But it also won't tow a horsebox, so therefore little Timmy and Tara won't find it especially useful at the gymkhana.


10 out of 20
Running costs


Fuel economy isn't what it could be, thanks to that four-wheel drive and the drag coefficient of a double-decker bus. It's also not cheap enough considering what little you get for your money.


By the time you're into third gear, though, the engine is having to deal with increasingly heavy aerodynamic resistance created by the tall body. For that reason, the Terios isn't very quick; the fastest version can't quite make it to 100mph, and takes 12 seconds to reach 62mph from rest.


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