Item: Used Daihatsu Sirion 1998 - 2005
Author: What Car? Team

What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

Hatchback

Daihatsu specialises in building small, budget cars, and while it pulled out of the UK market in 2011 when the strong yen made it impossible for it to make a profit here, there are still plenty of its models on the used market.

The best of the lot is the Charade hatchback, which feels perfectly suited to city driving and is surprisingly spacious for something so small. However, its back catalogue also includes the tiny Terios and Fourtrak SUVs and the Copen convertible, which featured a Mercedes-Benz SLK-style folding metal roof.

DAIHATSU

SIRION

It's decent if you rate value and style over ability; pretty much useless if you don't

Used Daihatsu Sirion 1998 - 2005

Early versions can be picked up for next to nothing, and since the later cars weren't much better, we'd recommend a pre-2000 one to keep your costs right down. That said, even the latest '04/04 models can be had for less than half the original price, which was cheap to start with.

It's the Sirion's fuel economy that's especially impressive, though. Buy the 1.0-litre and you'll get an average of 51.4mpg, which is good enough to outstrip almost any other petrol-powered supermini. The 1.3 isn't bad, either, returning an average of 49.6mpg, and even the daft F-Speed and 4trak versions will do 44.8mpg.

Insurance costs aren't as great, though. The breathless little 1.0 will cost you a group five premium, while choosing the 1.3 SL will hike this up to group eight. The F-Speed and 4trak models sit in groups eight and nine, respectively. Servicing is pricey, too, despite competitive 12,000-mile service intervals.

It's decent if you rate value and style over ability; pretty much useless if you don't


Initially, there were two versions, Sirion and Sirion Plus. Each had a 54bhp 1.0-litre engine that was breathless at speed, but good at zipping the car around town.

The standard car provided basic kit, including power steering, twin front airbags and electric mirrors. The Plus did much better, coming with air-con, central locking, side airbags, anti-lock brakes and four powered windows. This is the one we'd recommend.

The range was face-lifted in 2000, when the two existing trim levels were rebadged E and EL, and a new version called the SL was introduced. The SL had the same specification as the EL, but with sports seats and a new 102bhp 1.3-litre engine, which provided some much-needed extra power.

Eventually, Daihatsu introduced a whole range of variants including a 4trak four-wheel-drive version and even an F-Speed model with a ridiculous F1-style paddle-shift gearbox. Leave these versions alone, and go for either an early Plus or a 1.3 SL.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Spacious enough for four adults to sit comfortably</li> <li>Logically laid-out interior that doesn’t</li> <li>feel too cheap</li> <li>Mature driving manners </li> <li>Decent-sized boot</li> <li>Competitive buying and running costs</li></ul>

Small cars, or superminis as they’re also known, used to be bought by single people or couples with no children – but the likes of the Ford Fiesta, Seat Ibiza and Volkswagen&nbsp;Polo have grown to the point where they can be considered all-round family transport, albeit with the odd compromise.

The Fiesta remains a star of the class, thanks to its strong Ecoboost petrol engines and suspension settings that are beautifully judged for British roads. However, the latest Volkswagen offers even more practicality, decent performance and a classy interior that has the edge on the Ford’s for quality.

Any of these models will be a competent commuter car – especially if fitted with one of the increasingly popular small turbocharged petrol engines – but just remember that while you’ll be able to carry two adults and two children, it might still be a struggle to get all of their luggage into the boot.

Small

Being a relatively small-selling manufacturer, Daihatsu is rarely included in reliability surveys or the JD Power Customer Satisfaction survey. However, some of the company's products in the past have been more or less unbreakable - the Fourtrak off-roader and the Cuore city car are good examples.

The data we've seen indicates that the Sirion might not be up to this level in terms of reliability, but it should prove pretty dependable. There are a few areas to take extra care with, though.

The brittle suspension is damaged easily by careless driving, so look for signs of lumps and bumps taken out of the wheels and bodywork that might show that the previous owner was careless.

Make sure that the service intervals have been adhered to rigorously, too. If the clutch cable hasn't been looked after, it can break and damage the transmission, so it needs regular attention. Likewise, coolant leaks can also occur if the previous owner scrimps on maintenance.

There seem to be hundreds of superminis out there, most of which look identical. The same can't be said of the Sirion. Its styling is undeniably unusual, but it manages to look almost elegant.

The Sirion's other big plus point is financial. It's cheap to buy and even cheaper to run, with fuel economy being particularly impressive.

However, that's where the Sirion's list of merits ends. There are plenty of superminis that offer significantly more space inside than the Sirion. Also, the quality of the materials and the design in the cabin fall woefully short of the style that the outside promises.

It's not a brilliant car to drive, either. It's gruff in town, rides too firmly and there's too much vibration in the cabin. On faster roads, there's pronounced body lean and a shortage of grip in bends, and too much noise on the motorway.

Used Daihatsu Sirion 1998 - 2005 review

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Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Daihatsu Sirion hatchback?