Daihatsu line up

Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (ダイハツ工業株式会社, Daihatsu Kōgyō Kabushiki-gaisha) is a Japanese manufacturer of cars, well known for its smaller models. Many of its models are also known as kei jidosha (or kei car) in Japan.

The name "Daihatsu" is a combination of the first kanji (Chinese character, also shared in Japanese language) for Osaka (大) and the first of the word "engine manufacture" (発); when put together they are pronounced "dai hatsu". (In Japanese, it is pronounced as Da-i-ha-tsu, NOT Dai-hat-su, but in practice, even in Japanese, the name is often slurred and doesn't sound too different than the latter pronunciation.)

It was reported on 31 March 2005, that Toyota would exit Daihatsu from the Australian market, after sales fell heavily in 2005, in spite of the overall new-car market in Australia growing 7%. Daihatsu wound up its Australian operations in March 2006 after almost 40 years in the market.

Daihatsu's operations in Chile – where Daihatsu is a well-known brand for its 1970s models such as the Charade or Cuore – were also threatened after very low sales in 2004 and 2005. However, Toyota has stated that it intends to persist in the Chile market for now.

Daihatsu has supplied cars under different badges to various different automakers in the past, and also supplies engines and transmissions to one of Malaysia's largest car makers, Perodua, which sells cars in the United Kingdom.


Terios/Taruna/Kembara

The Daihatsu Terios is a mini SUV, first released in 1997 by the Japanese car manufacturer Daihatsu. The engine was a modified Daihatsu Charade 1.3 litre engine, with constant four wheel drive. It comes in 5-speed manual transmission or 4-speed automatic transmission. The second generation of Terios is co-developed by Daihatsu and Toyota.


Tanto

The Daihatsu Tanto was introduced in the 2003 Tokyo show as a concept vehicle based on the Daihatsu Move 'tall' body style. The car was introduced into Japanese market in 2003. The Daihatsu Tanto is a Kei car. The Daihatsu Tanto Custom was added in July 2005.


Sirion/Storia/Boon/Toyota Duet/Passo

The Daihatsu Sirion is a subcompact car produced by the Japanese automaker Daihatsu since 1998. Various versions of the Sirion have also been known as the Daihatsu Storia and Boon, and the Toyota Duet and Passo.

The Sirion was launched in 1998 and has since undergone two upgrades, one in 2001 and another in 2004/2005. The version of the Sirion on sale in Europe and Australia in 2005 was first released in Japan in June 2004 under the names Daihatsu Boon and Toyota Passo.


Move

The Daihatsu Move is a kei car, produced by Japanese automaker Daihatsu since August 1995. The Move is design to be as tall as compact cars like the Suzuki Wagon R. Daihatsu successfully sold 500,000 Moves during its first three years of production. The Move is built upon the chassis of the Daihatsu Cuore but with a taller body. The second generation Move (L900) used the same chassis as the first generation (L600). In 2002, the third generation Daihatsu Move (L150/L160) was introduced.

In October 2006, the fourth generation Move was introduced. A KF-VE-type non-turbo engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) were available on this model, providing superior acceleration performance and higher fuel efficiency of 23 km/L.

Variations on this model include the Grand Move, Move Latte (Simply known in the US as the Latte (Perhaps sold under the Toyota marque since in February 1992, Daihatsu phased out of the US) (Arriving In Toyota Showrooms for the 2008.5 model year)) and Move Custom. The Daihatsu Naked (only available in Japan) is also based on the Daihatsu Move bodyshell, although with a different facelite, body and door trim. They come in a variety of trims and optional accessories. Recently, a hybrid version of the Move, based on the Daihatsu Pyzar, has been manufactured. It uses both gasolin and electricity.

In addition to the 660 cc engine, the Move is also supplied with 850 cc and 1000 cc engine for export markets.

In Malaysia, Perodua also manufacture a version of the Move called the Kenari.

In China, under the joint venture between First Automobile Works and Toyota, a petrol and electrical version of Miles ZX40, based on the Daihatsu Move, were manufactured.


Trevis/Mira /Cuore/Domino/Charade

The Daihatsu Mira (also known as the Cuore, Domino or Charade outside of Japan), is a kei car-type vehicle built by the Japanese car maker Daihatsu. It comes with a variety of options and chassis variations, with the latest variant having four models: "Mira", "Mira AVY", "Mira Gino" and "Mira VAN". The Mira is basically an upgraded and renamed version of the Daihatsu Fellow. It was sold alongside the names of Mira and Cuore. The commercial version was dropped when the Mira was released in later years as a Charade. Out of Japan, the Mira also offer with 850 cc engine. In Australia, the two-seater version was known as a "handivan" and was later renamed as just Handi.

In July 1988, the Daihatsu Mira arrived to replace the Daihatsu Max Cuore. The second generation (L70) of the Mira was introduced in 1985, and the third generation (L200) in 1990. The third generation of Mira also sharing the identical look with the 1986-1992 Daihatsu Leeza. The fourth generation (L500) was introduced in 1994 and was still based on the same chassis as the L200. October 1998 saw the fifth generation (L700) introduced, 2002 the sixth generation (even though the Mira Gino (L700) was still in production until 2004), and in 2006 the seventh generation model.

The Mira Gino, with its distinct retro-style looks, is marketed as the Daihatsu Trevis in Europe. The first generation of the Daihatsu Mira Gino is based on the L700 Mira. In 2004, the second generation Mira Gino was ultimately replaced, and no longer shares the same identical body as the Mira.

The L70(second generation) and L200(third generation) Mira also available in Drop off or Pick-up style. The pick-up version were drop from production after the L200, the Drop off style still available in L500(fourth generation) before it was discontinue.

The L200 variant (1990–92) had two engine sizes: a .65L 3-cylinder 660 cc engine was available in Japan, while in Australia and other part of the world, a more powerful variant with 847 cc and a 4-speed manual gearbox was in use from 1990–91. A 5-speed manual transmission came into force in 1992. The L500 Mira is the first kei car from Daihatsu which offer 4-cylinder 660 cc engine.

The 660 cc Japanese variant of the Mira had a rather unusual feature for a modern car: the rear passenger seats were designed and manufactured without rear seat-belts being fitted.

The Daihatsu Mira is one of the lightest four-seat passenger cars in the world weighing just 580 kg (1279 lb).


Materia/Sirion/Coo

The Daihatsu Materia is a mini MPV manufactured by the Japanese automaker Daihatsu.

It is based on the platform of the second generation of the Daihatsu Sirion and is largely identical to the second gerneration of the Toyota bB.

Comes in 1.3L and 1.5L varieties with a 4WD version in the pipeline, manual and Auto versions. (Currently in UK they only have the 1.5l Version 16/11/2007) 0-60 times 10.8 for manual, and 13.7 for Auto (UK Versions).

Esse

The Daihatsu Esse is a Japanese kei car launched in December 2005, that at launch was the cheapest new car in Japan. Its current price range is ¥682,500 - ¥1,123,500. It has 4 seats and a 658 cc engine.
According to Daihatsu, Esse means 'Eco, Smart, Simple & Easy'
It is available as a 5 door hatchback in 2 distinct styles - Esse or Esse Custom.
Esse is available as Eco, D, L, and X in FWD and 4WD. Esse Custom was added in November 2006 and is available as Custom and Custom 4WD.
Its main rivals are the Suzuki Alto, Subaru R1, Mitsubishi eK and Subaru Pleo.


Copen

The Daihatsu Copen is a 2-door roadster with an aluminium retractable hardtop built by the Japanese car company Daihatsu. It debuted at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show as the Copen concept, based on Daihatsu's front-wheel-drive light-car platform.

The Copen was originally designed with a 660 cc turbocharged engine in order to meet Japanese kei car regulations. However it no longer meets environmental emissions standards in several countries, so in these markets the Copen is fitted with a more powerful 1.3 L powerplant.

At the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show, Daihatsu revealed two new models of the Copen, a 1.3l and the 'ZZ'.


Kancil/Nippa/Ceria

The Perodua Kancil (also known as the Perodua Nippa in the United Kingdom, and the Daihatsu Ceria in Indonesia) is a small car manufactured by Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua (Malay for "Second Automobile Manufacturer") in Malaysia. It has been in production since 1994. The Kancil is named after the mousedeer (chevrotain) native to Malaysia.


Hijet/Atrai

 

The Daihatsu Hijet is a microvan and pickup truck produced by the Japanese automaker Daihatsu. Despite the similarities between the Hijet name and Toyota's naming scheme for its trucks and vans (Hiace and Hilux), the name "Hijet" has been in use for Daihatsu's kei trucks and vans since at least the 1970s, over two decades before Toyota took control. "Hijet", when transliterated into Japanese, is very similar to "Midget", one of Daihatsu's other mini-trucks.

Available engines for 2006 include the DVVT equipped 660 cc EF-VE, making 39 kW (52 hp) at 7000 rpm and 63 N·m (46 ft·lbf) of torque at 4000 rpm, and the 660 cc EF-SE, making 33 kW (44 hp) at 5900 rpm and 57 N·m (42 ft·lbf) of torque at 3600 rpm. The base model is mid-engine, rear drive, but four-wheel drive versions are available.

In Japan, a more luxury of Hijet is know as Daihatsu Atrai. Also powered by a 660 cc Turbo engine produce 64 bhp (48 kW).


SONICA

DAIHATSU MOTOR CO., LTD. (Daihatsu) announced the launch in Japan of the new SONICA^*1 mini passenger car on June 19.

The SONICA is a new concept car, developed in the pursuit of innovatively high quality driving performance for a small car. With target buyer focus on commonly known "freestyle couples" who place great importance on their own personalities and private time, this car anticipates recent lifestyle changes in Japan, as well as the shift of user preference toward smaller cars. The SONICA is the result of Daihatsu's continuing quest for passenger cars that give their users the driving enjoyment and cruising comfort they are seeking.