UNUSUAL CARS BRAND GUIDE
Daihatsu Charade GTti Safari Rally competition car. Photograph by SF-R, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; locally hosted.
Daihatsu model guides
Daihatsu specialised in small, inventive cars and unexpectedly capable compact 4x4s. Its British range included turbo hot hatchbacks, kei-derived roadsters, tall performance superminis, urban microvans, clever liftbacks and rural workhorses. These guides cover UK-market models with distinctive engineering, strong enthusiast interest or a story at risk of being forgotten.
Start here
Choose the Charade GTti or Avanzato for unlikely turbo performance, the Copen for compact open-top engineering, the Fourtrak or Sportrak for low-range four-wheel drive, the Applause for its hidden hatchback, or the Materia and Move for two very different experiments in space efficiency.
Detailed Daihatsu guides
Daihatsu Applause
The ingenious Super Lid liftback with 1.6-litre L, Xi, GXi and GLXi UK versions.
Daihatsu Charade GTti
The 993cc twin-cam turbo triple that challenged much larger 1980s hot hatchbacks.
Daihatsu Copen
The tiny metal-roof roadster, covering UK 659cc turbo and later 1.3-litre versions.
Daihatsu Cuore and Avanzato TR-XX R4
Britain's tiny 850 and 1.0 city car, plus the rare turbocharged four-wheel-drive Avanzato.
Daihatsu Fourtrak
The rugged UK 2.8 diesel 4×4, from working commercial models to Independent estates.
Daihatsu Hijet
Britain's tiny cab-over van and pickup, from the 993cc three-cylinder to the later 1.3.
Daihatsu Materia
The square 1.5-litre five-door with flexible rear seating and unmistakable Japanese styling.
Daihatsu Move
The tall, narrow 847cc micro-MPV that brought kei-car packaging to Britain.
Daihatsu Sirion Rally 2 and Rally 4
The rare UK-developed 1.3-litre performance Sirions in front- and four-wheel-drive forms.
Daihatsu Sportrak
A compact 1.6-litre petrol 4×4 with a separate chassis and genuine low-range gearing.
Daihatsu Terios
The ultra-compact J100 and roomier J200 four-wheel-drive five-door models.
Daihatsu YRV Turbo 130
A 127bhp 1.3 turbo engine and Steershift automatic in an eccentric five-door body.
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Small cars, serious engineering
Daihatsu repeatedly used modest dimensions as a starting point rather than a limitation. The Charade GTti approached 100bhp per litre in the 1980s, the Copen fitted a powered metal roof into a kei-sized body, and the YRV Turbo delivered hot-hatch pace with five doors and an automatic gearbox. The Applause disguised hatchback practicality as a saloon, while the Materia and Move packaged unusual interior space into exceptionally short bodies.
The Hijet maximised load volume, while the Fourtrak and Sportrak proved that compact dimensions could still support separate chassis construction, low-range gearing and hard working use. Across the range, condition, originality and parts support now matter as much as specification.
Frequently asked questions
When did Daihatsu begin selling cars in Britain?
Daihatsu became an established UK import brand during the 1970s and remained in the British new-car market until supplies ended in the early 2010s.
Which Daihatsu is the best-known performance model?
The Charade GTti is the defining early performance Daihatsu, while the Avanzato, YRV Turbo 130 and Sirion Rally models continued the idea.
Was the Daihatsu Copen sold officially in the UK?
Yes. British dealers offered the 659cc turbo Copen and the later 1.3-litre version.
Which Daihatsu models have low-range four-wheel drive?
The Fourtrak and Sportrak use selectable four-wheel drive with a low-range transfer case. The Terios and Avanzato use different compact four-wheel-drive systems.
Are Daihatsu parts still available in Britain?
Routine components can often be sourced through specialists and Toyota-linked suppliers, but model-specific body, trim and performance parts may require patient international searching.
