Daihatsu YRV, anyone else like this car?

The Daihatsu YRV has been designed to compte with the Mercedes A-class, and parent company Toyota hope it will make inroads into the sports micro-mini market. The car was first displayed in 2000, with its modern interior and ‘Double Wedge’ exterior attracting considerable media attention. ‘Double Wedge’ is an alternative to the traditional belt line and gives the car a sportier, more angular look.

The 1.3 variant houses a K3-VE power plant, a newly developed 1,298cc four-cylinder 16-valve unit capable of delivering 64kW of power at 6,000rpm and a maximum torque of 120Nm. The twin-cam engine is regulated by a computer, letting it achieve DVVT (Dynamic Variable Valve Timing). It conforms to Euro III regulations and has fuel consumption figures that are top of its class. A 100km journey at an average speed of 120kph will use 6l of fuel.

The 1.3 is available with either a five-speed manual, or four-speed automatic gearbox, and the automatic comes with a steer shift F1 style sequential option, which improves performance and also makes towing easier. The clutch for the manual variant is a dry single plate with a diaphragm spring and mechanical actuation. The front suspension is supplied by MacPherson and consists of struts with coil springs, while the rear is a semi-independent torsion axle beam with coil springs and stabilisers. The steering is a rack-and-pinion power-assisted set-up. The front brakes use an 8in disc with booster, and the rear drum brakes, both leading and trailing.

Adding extra spice here will be a high-powered version of the YRV variant, will have a 1.3-litre, 140bhp turbocharged engine that can be very nice with that F1-Style Steer-Shift Transmission.