Daihatsu Charade
Ratings
4 stars
Summary
Recommended. A fine city car - keenly priced, solidly constructed and painless to own and drive.
Review
If you can see beyond its boxy looks then you will find that the Charade is one of the best of the current crop of city cars, with its combination of competitive pricing and impressively low running costs making it very cheap to own.
The square-edged styling is certainly not going to appeal to everybody, although it does serve to distinguish the Charade from its blander-looking rivals. Once inside the cabin is basic but well-finished, with impressive room considering the ultra-compact external dimensions. The boot seems small, but it's actually one of the biggest in the segment.
And it drives well, too. The revvy little 1.0 litre three-cylinder engine loves to be pushed hard, and if you're prepared to take it towards the red line then the Charade delivers some impressive performance. Fuel economy is outstanding too - with a combined figure of 58.9 mpg the Charade's petrol engine pretty much matches the performance of the best modern diesels.
Ride quality is impressively pliant as well. And although cornering results in some fairly spectacular angles of body roll, the steering remains accurate and the Charade shows every indication of enjoying being driven reasonably hard.
With standard specification now including air conditioning, the Charade offers excellent value for money.
Ratings Breakdown
Styling
3 star
The square edged look won't appeal to everyone, but it gives the Charade a distinct identity of its own.
Handling
3 star
The Charade makes up for its modest limits with a real enthusiasm when pushed within close proximity of them.
Comfort
3 star
Compliant suspension gives a generally comfortable ride, although wind and road noise become noticeable at out-of-town speeds.
Quality & Reliability
4 star
Very well screwed together, and with cabin materials that feel a cut above those of some ultra-cheap rivals.
Performance
3 star
The 1.0 litre engine hardly develops supercar urge, but it's pretty good by the standards of the segment it competes in.
Roominess
4 star
Big for a city car with decent room front and rear and even a respectably sized boot, although bigger loads will still require the rear seats to be folded down.
Running Costs
4 star
One of the cheapest-to-run cars that you can buy thanks to excellent fuel economy and cheap insurance. Retained values are relatively poor, but this is mostly offset by the low running costs.
Value for money
4 star
Decent standard equipment includes aircon and a CD player - making the Charade look like a bargain in either three or five door form.
