Old Model - Bad, New Model - Good (Daihatsu Terios in general)

Member Name: frenchboy88

Product:	Daihatsu Terios in general
Date:	11/09/09 (77 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Buy the New Model

Disadvantages: Avoid the Old Model

My Mum owned both the OLD model of this car and currently has the NEW model as featured on Top Gear so thought it might be useful to give a quick comparison of the two. OK they are not my car, but I have driven both numerous times and feel well placed to give a balanced view of the car as I did not pay for them!

Firstly, the old model (the one pictured here!). Well, what can I say, it was an atrocious piece of engineering. The 1.3L engine was far, far too underpowered, making even slight inclines difficult to traverse, 2nd gear was needed even for small hills most of the time as the gear ratios were wholly inadequate. The car was far, far slower than my 2002 1.2L Vauxhall Corsa. I would go as far as saying this car was DANGEROUSLY underpowered. MPG was poor, averaging low 30s to the gallon. Not only this, but at 60mph+ the road and engine noise was unbearable, and the car would sway in even a light breeze. Inside, the interior was extremely cramped due to the cars narrow profile. The interior plastics, although well put together looked like they had been made from melted down McDonalds Toys, and the seat fabric is like something from the 1980s. I was overjoyed to see the back of this car.

The positives? Well, I suppose it does cope alright on mild off road bits, but its lack of torque is a serious hindrance. The ones with the "Sport" pack consisting of big spoiler and alloy wheels do look quite good as well, but BEWARE, the car underneath is awful!

The new model, well, its a world apart. OK its still only a 1.5L petrol engine but its a lot more gutsy than the old one. It doesn't feel underpowered, but is far from being "nippy". The engine does sound quite "noisy" at higher RPMs and could be a bit more refined. The new model handles a lot better than the old one, with a seperate rear anti roll bar and a wider wheel track giving it much more stability even at higher speeds. The only downside is that the off-road suspension feels unsettled on poor roads, but this is the case with most small 4x4s. I can't comment on its off road ability as I have not driven it off road, but it coped well on Top Gear. Inside, the car is well built, with plenty of "soft-touch" plastics which would look more at home in a German SuperMini. The dials and controls are pretty funky, but do look a bit cheap. The CD player is built in so cannot be changed, which is a shame as it does not play copied CDs. Space is excellent both in the front and at the rear, and there is a large boot. The tints and alloys on my mothers version give it a nice sporty look, and the air con is a great touch.

Old Model - Avoid like the plague, even though the Sport pack is good looking.

New Model - An excellent choice if you want a "Mummys" 4x4, and cheaper than a Rav 4.

Summary: You must get it by now?

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