Daihatsu Materia

Modus rival squares up to UK

Daihatsu is boxing clever with the design of its new Materia family car

Auto Express Car Reviews

Boxy Daihatsu is a hit in Japan and US, and goes on sale here in July

24th June 2007

The square styling is causing a real stir in home country Japan and the US, according to the company. And now the Materia is UK-bound with a specially tuned chassis for Europe. This is aimed to give it a smoother ride with reduced body roll, despite the model’s high stance.

The Renault Modus rival offers a raised seating position that Daihatsu says particularly appeals to women buyers. The high sides, short overhangs and flared wheelarches also mean interior space is maximised; there’s 619 litres of luggage room with the rear seat folded, and 181 litres when it’s upright. The back bench is fully adjustable and can even be completely reclined to form a bed in tandem with the front seats, which are also tiltable.

Powered by a 102bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, the Materia goes from 0-62mph in 10.8 seconds and can hit 106mph, plus returns 39.2mpg on the combined cycle. A four-speed automatic gearbox is available as an option. Standard kit includes air-con, a stereo with MP3 capability, rear privacy glass and alloy wheels. The Materia will cost £10,995 for the manual and £11,795 for the auto when it goes on sale in July.