Daihatsu Sirion SE+ : SE YOUR CAR COSTS CUT

Motoring can be an expensive business but Daihatsu's Sirion 1.0 SE+ does a good job of cutting costs. Steve Walker reports.

So you've got £10,000 to spend on a new car. It sounds like a lot of money but a swift scan through the price lists will often reveal that it doesn't buy you as much as you'd hoped. If you're after a car that's going to prove cheap to run as well as to buy, those options diminish further and if a generous specification is another essential, you'll really be struggling to turn up many viable options. One of the few cars that might fit the bill is Daihatsu's Sirion 1.0 SE+. It's not a car that readily springs to mind for most buyers in this market but it deserves more attention than it sometimes gets.

Marketed in Japan as both the Daihatsu Boon and the Toyota Passo, the Sirion has proved popular overseas but is still a relatively rare sight on UK roads. Still, don't let that put you off. Since Daihatsu is part owned by Toyota, it has access to a huge amount of know-how when it comes to small cars. Not that there's any lack in pedigree, with the marque having sold cars in the UK since 1964 - longer than any other Japanese manufacturer. Performance from the 1.0-litre engine is best described as unhurried, the 68bhp unit getting the Sirion to 60mph in 13.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 99mph. The off-beat three-cylinder thrum is noisy but deeper and more characterful than the rather anodyne engine note of the alternative 1.3 or 1.5-litre petrol models that Daihatsu offers in the Sirion and for that reason alone, it would be my pick. The steering is light and the ride is surprisingly supple for a small car. The manual gearbox probably isn't as direct as it could be and the windscreen pillars can be intrusive when negotiating tight roundabouts but other than that, this is an extremely easy car to drive. In this sector of the market, that's more than half the battle.

"Sitting somewhere between the supermini and citycar sectors, it's a car with individuality built in and few significant drawbacks"

There's certainly no shortage of headroom inside the Sirion. Six footers should find no issues in either the front or the rear and legroom is also surprisingly good. It's even possible to adjust the rake of the rear backrest. Naturally, this abundance of cabin space comes at a price and rear luggage space isn't the best. Like most modern compact cars, the Sirion features a multitude of cup holders, stowage spaces, trays and cubbies and it also includes a split level glovebox, neither compartment yielding much in the way of useable space. Rather surprisingly, the seats are firmer than you'd expect and give good support, even to broad shouldered drivers. The front end of the car has been designed to do well in pedestrian safety tests, the deformable bumper and nose cone section and ample space below the domed bonnet being a whole lot friendlier than many rivals. Front, side and curtain airbags are standard on all models, ISOFIX child seat fixings in the outer rear seats and a trio of three-point seat belts in the rear. Anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution are also included. The SE+ package secures you a reasonable haul of equipment. There's air-conditioning, a CD stereo, remote central locking, electric windows, an electric sunroof and electric power steering. The exterior look of the car is enhanced by front fog lights and side protection mouldings, while inside there's a leather steering wheel and gearknob combo. Safety provision includes four airbags and ABS brakes, so there's very little left to the imagination for what is a sub £10,000 car. All Daihatsu models now come with a five-year unlimited mileage warranty which gives them a real edge over the majority of their direct rivals. Couple this with the brand's excellent reliability record and you have a recipie for a trouble free ownership experience. None of the Sirion models will cost an arm and a leg to run, the 1.0-litre petrol engine managing a combined total off 56.5 miles per gallon. Carbon dioxide emissions are pegged at a lowly 118g/km. which will put it onto the radars of canny urban buyers looking to cut their tax bills. In terms of ongoing running costs, expect to pay group 4 insurance premiums and costs per mile work out broadly on a par with something like a Ford Fiesta 1.25. The Sirion's issue is that in many ways it falls between what we'd expect from a citycar and what we'd see as a supermini. Daihatsu is keen to highlight the cost-cutting prowess of its Sirion and with good reason. The car dips under the £10,000 barrier with a very generous specification in SE+ guise and a highly economical 1.0-litre petrol engine. It's simple to drive, surprisingly comfortable and while the interior isn't the last word in sophistication, it's roomy and well built. You may not have considered the Sirion as a worthy destination for your £10,000 small car budget but in 1.0 SE+ guise, it's worth a look. Sitting somewhere between the supermini and citycar sectors, it's a car with individuality built in and few significant drawbacks.