Car reviews

Introduction

The Daihatsu Copen is wonderfully unusual and quirky with its standout design and miniscule engines which help it to whiz around town, but still handle the higher speeds on motorways well. The lightweight aluminium drop top roof is a stroke of genius which is superbly engineered and does a pretty good job of keeping all but the worst wind and road noise out.

Exterior & Interior

The Copen has a unique body style and has often been likened to Noddy's car with its stubby rounded nose which is dominated by a deep, large grill, small cabin space and the way the tail drops away. The large round headlights alongside the grille are complemented by two smaller fog lights underneath. The standout feature though is the electrically operated folding hardtop roof which disappears into the boot and only takes 11 seconds to put up or down. The interior is smart if not of the highest quality and the cabin is cosy with the figure hugging seats being very comfortable even on longer journeys. The boot is small however, and with the roof down may as well be nonexistent for the amount of space it gives you. There are door pockets and a glove compartment but these are both small and don't offer enough space to put anything of a significant size into them. There are two trim levels to choose from with the only difference being heated seats. The equipment you do get as standard is surprisingly good with abs, air-con, alloy wheels, CD player, electric windows, driver and passenger airbags, electric mirrors and sports seats.

Drive

It is extremely exciting to drive with the engines feeling urgent and responsive around town. It is also great to drive down country lanes with its low centre of gravity enabling it to take the corners in its stride and with almost no body roll to speak of. The steering is sharp and responsive helping to get through tight spaces in town. The smaller 0.7-litre engine does feel a little out of its depth when travelling at motorway speeds but the 1.3-litre is better. The seating position is also very comfortable with the sports seats hugging you in place and with good all round views even with the roof up. The ride isn't as well balanced with the roof down though, with the ride getting fidgety on rougher roads and feeling less rigid. Travelling at more than 30mph with the roof down also ends up with you being blown away by the wind, which can become really tiresome and the noise will not help.

Faults & Repairs

Daihatsu's are known for their tough built quality and the Copen is no different. There have been almost no problems with it whatsoever. The most likely places to find problems will eventually be with the roof and the smaller engines, especially if they aren't serviced regularly. They should be serviced annually to make sure they are in top condition and thankfully Daihatsu dealership repairs and services are well priced and no more expensive than any others.