Motors North

Daihatsu Copen

DAIHATSU’S dinky Copen roadster is so small that it should be sold in pairs and come in a cardboard box.

It’s the motoring equivalent of a trendy trainer shoe – something you tie yourself into to enjoy a bit of a road run.

And you know something? It’s a genuine hoot!

For all the world it looks like a cross between a miniaturised Audi TT and Noddy’s dream car, but the reality is that the Copen is great value fun – a snug little hard-top coupé that can deliver wind-in-your-hair motoring for a fraction of the cost of a more conventional offering.

What makes this tiny two-seater so appealing? Its neat dimensions for one – just 3.4 metres long and a slim-fitting 1.47 metres wide.

Secondly, it looks so appealing when set next to the competition – like a toy dog running with a pack of greyhounds.

Thirdly, there’s the price – at £11,745 you pay less than you would for some ordinary three-door supermini hatches.

But the clincher for me is the new 1.3-litre four-cylinder 16-valve petrol engine – it’s a lively and smooth little unit grafted from the Sirion supermini that makes the Copen brisk and exciting.

The technology in this diminutive high-revving long-stroke power plant is impressive and includes Daihatsu’s own variable valve timing system.

Curiously it delivers less horsepower in the Copen than on the Sirion – down 4hp to 86bhp compared to its bigger four-seat sister.

But crucially it delivers the same torque with 88lb.ft at 4400rpm, and that means great acceleration.

Rest to 62mph takes just 9.2 seconds (three seconds better than the similarly-powered Sirion) and using the slick five-speed manual box to maximise its 6000rpm rev limit means overtaking on the narrow A82 is safe and quick.

The more I drove this junior roadster, the bigger grew my smile.

It’s light – in fact it’s very light.

The Copen tips the scales at just 850kgs at the kerb and, on the broken and uneven surface of some Highland roads, it feels it.

With the plastic two-panel roof in place the car is rigid enough, but pull over and wait the 20 seconds for whining electric motors to tuck it all into the boot and the Copen shakes and shudders on all but the smoothest of surfaces.

But it’s acceptable, given the car’s dimension and the fact that handling is not upset by the body’s vibrations.

I covered a lot more miles in the dinky Daihatsu than I expected – and enjoyed it in the same way as I love a kart on a race track. In other words, it was pure fun – but would I want to drive it every day?

Personally, no. But for anyone in the market for a low-cost, unadulterated two-seat roadster with grown up features such as an electrically retractable roof, great economy and a brilliant warranty, it makes sense.

I was stunned to see that it comes with a five-year unlimited mileage warranty. Now that’s what I call peace of mind sports car motoring at this level.

I was also pleased to see I averaged 46mpg over 350 miles of rather brisk driving on west Highland and Moray roads, could have re-taxed the Copen for £120 a year on its 140g/km emissions, and would need to service it only every 9,000 miles.

Mind you, on the car’s characteristically small petrol tank – a mere 40 litres – range is restricted to under 400 miles between fill-ups, but paying for a full tank should cost around £45.

The only running cost low point is its Group 9 insurance – significantly higher than the Sirion’s Group 5 and in the same territory as a Honda Civic 1.8 or a 1.6 Astra Twintop coupé-cabriolet.

But the Copen is more appealing than both. It has cheeky character and remarkably good handling for such a small device.

When I took a close look at the wheels and tyres, I wondered how this front drive lightweight managed to stay on the road!

At 15 inches in diameter and wearing narrow 165/50 section Bridgestone Potenzas, it looked better suited to a railway track than tarmac.

But the delivery proved the rule. Grip was excellent and handling was extremely predictable, even in the wet when it’s easy to sense any breakaway.

What’s more, Daihatsu’s sensible choice of deep-sidewalled 50-profile rubber helped to give the car reasonable ride comfort – even though it skips and hops over undulations because of its relative low weight.

If I have any worries about the Copen, it is its light build. Crash survivability in such a small car is always an issue and, as it has no EuroNCAP safety rating and a roof that tucks into the boot, strength is something I would bear in mind before a purchase.

In its favour it comes with twin airbags and powerful ventilated front disc and rear drum brakes – but I was disappointed to see electronic stability programming is not available.

Given its modest list price, standard equipment is generous and includes alloy wheels, rear spoiler, RDS radio, electric retractable hard top, air conditioning, and electric windows. It’s a pity the interior is spoilt by cheap plastics.

Options are numerous and include metallic paint at £345. You can also have Recaro front seats for £880 and a leather option for £490 – both fitted to my test car and a perfect addition to this sporting dwarf.

The blood red leather Recaros were extremely supportive and complemented the red and black leather trimmed Momo steering wheel.

When it came to parking the Copen, it could not have been easier. With a turning circle of just 9.2 metres, light electric power steering and easily judged nose and tail extremities, it can be slotted into really small spots. In town it’s a real breeze.

Where the Copen feels a little down at heel is when you come to luggage. With the roof in place it’s a reasonable 210 litres, but when the rear deck has swallowed the roof panels and stowed them where you’d normally put your luggage or supermarket shopping, there’s barely 14 litres of useable space left – in other words not really a practical load carrier.

But Copen comes alive on the road. It will cruise comfortably at 60mph – though at 70mph the engine gets a bit boomy.

It you press on it will break 100mph and scrape 112mph – but take my word for it, a maximum 60mph is more than sufficient.

At that speed the little clear plastic wind deflector keeps cabin turbulence down and you can drive for mile after mile surrounded by invigorating fresh air.

The Copen’s a lot of fun, great value and should be reliable with a five-year unlimited mileage warranty to give a buyer real peace of mind.

Rating: 7.5/10

FINAL THOUGHT: The Copen is about as practical as a plastic carrier bag in a fire – but it offers affordable sports car fun on a tight budget that will make its driver the talk of the town. With the roof open it shudders alarmingly over badly-surfaced roads but, given its cost and its incredible fun factor, this miniature two-seater is worth a second look.

Daihatsu Copen

Price: £11,745
Capacity: 1298cc
Power: 86bhp
0-62mph: 9.5 seconds
Maximum speed: 112mph
Economy: Combined 47.1mpg; Urban 36.7mpg
CO2 emissions: 140g/km
ESP: Not Available
Insurance: Group 9

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Daihatsu Copen