Price: From R109 995
Daihatsu customers tend to be extremely happy clients; the dealers do an excellent job and the vehicles boast outstanding reliability, so we hardly ever receive customer complaints. There are definitely some funkier vehicles in the Daihatsu range (we adore the Terios, for instance) but, when it comes to bargain basement cheapies, the Charade remains a good option -“ even though it has been around for a while. All the models are well spec’d and offer air-conditioning, a service plan, a three-year warranty and plenty of space for driver and passengers (even the rear is very spacious).
When the Daihatsu Charade arrived at the CAR garage, the first thing I noticed was the compactness of it all – ideal for going about your business in a busy urban area. However, I needed to take it for a spin along different stretches of roads and around bends to find out whether my eagerness was justified or somewhat misplaced.
The Charade is the type of vehicle I always thought I’d get as my first car. The assumption was that the Charade would fit the bill of being reasonably priced, fuel efficient, small enough to slot into any parking space, yet still able to accommodate a few friends for a zippy night out. Measuring 3 470 mm in length and 1 475 mm wide, this miniscule Daihatsu is quite the compact car, and generally makes for easy driving… Unless of course you want to go out on a windy day… or take a sharp bend… or park… or sneak in quietly. Because if that is what is on your agenda, then maybe this isn’t the car for you.
There was a bit of a breeze blowing on the day I tested the Charade, but not enough to interfere with the hairdo. So, it came as a surprise to find that both hands had to remain clamped to the wheel at all times as the wind juggled the Charade around.
When I discovered that the Charade didn’t have power steering, I couldn’t imagine why. Assisted turning would have made parking the little box a lot easier. It’s an almost painful experience having to saw at the wheel to pull in or out of a parking bay. The Charade’s compact dimensions did go some way to making up for that, though – I didn’t need to do a ninety-nine-point turn to extricate the test unit from its bay.
Now, with a 55 kW 1,0-litre 3-cylinder engine under its bonnet, the Charade doesn’t pack much power, but the engine note alone made driving the Charade a fun experience. I found myself switching the radio off for a while just so that I could listen to the sound of the engine – it has an uneven idle and deep growl as it pulls away. That’s grrrrrreat! However, the long-ish gear lever was a little difficult to wield and, along with some other interior plastic trim bits, felt (for lack of a better description)… low rent.
The Charade is primarily aimed at women, and seeing as I am exactly that, and have driven the Celeb, I have to explain why I think this vehicle will fall short for many of us. The boot capacity is insufficient. I am not someone who, when going on holiday, takes a vanity bag, a shoe bag, a make-up bag, and two bags of clothing. But I am someone who ALWAYS has a huge clothing bag. So, lets say a few friends and I go away in a Charade and we need to fit everyone’s bags in the boot…well, let’s just say that a shared wardrobe would be the order of the day.
Even if I wasn’t going away, and I didn’t need to put anyone else’s things in the boot, the 120 dm3 luggage capacity just isn’t practical. Maybe Daihatsu cut down on boot space to make way for rear legroom, which is quite sufficient, even for taller passengers.
What I liked about this vehicle is the basic instrumentation panel. It didn’t take me long to find out where and how to adjust any settings. The speedometer is a little out of the ordinary, but I liked the quirkiness of it.
Thankfully I didn’t have to test it, but the Charade comes fitted with dual airbags and an Impact-Sensing Release System that cuts off fuel and power in the case of an impact. I was able to test the ABS, however. The brakes bite quickly when encouraged, and the Charade does a slight nose-dive, but nothing to worry about.
The best part… its one of the few cars out there that sits comfortably in the sub-R100 000 bracket. The Charade is available in two models: Classic (R86 900), and this one, the Celeb, which costs R95 900.
