6th Feb 2009, 11:17

I don't think that's the facelifted Note. But I shall heed the warning when I testdrive!

17th Feb 2009, 16:13

Well, I could just not justify keeping it - and I found out how I got a cheap deal when buying it. It turns out Daihatsu are offering dealers nearly new low mileage Materias on sale or return at just over £5000 as they are so hard to sell on.

When I came to shift mine, I rang 12 Daihatsu main dealers and not one wanted to buy it in, at any price...

I finally got a tip-off that a Welsh dealer had managed to sell a few, so I rang him and got £5250 for my 2007/57 7,500 mile Materia with FSH and protection pack... losing £750 in three months. I am glad I had only paid £6000 for it in November, as I would have been mortified to have lost over 50% value in just over a year if I had bought it new.

This car was a mistake and I regretted it soon after purchase as it simply was not as good as the Sirion. I did however like the styling, grip and lovely wheels.

I could not live with the 32mpg, crashy ride, flat seats and infuriating manual gearbox - even though I am one of the few who loves the styling of the car. The huge expanse of (very soft metal) door panels also picked up door dents ridiculously easily, and once dented the dents stood out like a flashing light due to the way flat panels catch the light.

Daihatsu would have been better to sell the Materia in more basic spec in brighter colours and with softer suspension, a more economical 1.3 engine and higher ratio gearbox for about £8500. The build quality, warranty and reliability of Daihatsu as a brand is first rate:- a fun, cheap, bright small family car might just have hit the spot with UK buyers bored with Corsas etc.

I was not sorry to see it go and neither was my wife who lamented the loss of the Sirion. Perhaps I should listen to her - she is usually right!!

We drove away relieved...

22nd Feb 2009, 11:42

I thought it was only a matter of time, Geoff! But you did well on the deal, I think. To only lose £750 doesn't seem bad to me when you bear in mind the £6k purchase price. I would have thought anyone thinking of buying one of these should try for the same deal...

So what are you getting next - or are you sticking with the other Sirion and the YRV for now?

Cheers - Peter.

22nd Feb 2009, 13:15

Peter - both Sirions have gone and we have only the YRV, which after some obsessive compulsive fettling is shaping up nicely.

We are trying to buy another cheapy to leave funds for finishing the house and are trying to source either another YRV or Grand Move 1.6:- either with air-con, ABS and central locking, in mint condition with low miles for about £1500.

I am cursing the fact that I missed an 8,000 mile, 1 owner, as new 2000 Grand Move 1.6+ manual in metallic red at a franchise dealer for £1700. I saw it before I sold the Materia, but it has sold. Damn it. There is a 50k 1.6+ auto with aircon in London at £995, but it has the wrong transmission and is too far away!

The YRV is good but hard, bouncy and our 1.3 Radical is bereft of any kit-I had not realised this special edition was the model that DELETED all of the standard YRV bits:- air con, ABS, central locking etc. I bought it over the phone from a trusted dealer who described it very well and agreed a very cheap price so I don't regret buying it - like I did the Materia...

I still love the brand, but the Materia is just too flawed.

3rd Mar 2009, 13:56

Hi Peter, I have now bought a very nice one owner, 2003 Mazda Premacy 2.0GSi with FSH and 71k miles for £2085, to replace the Materia - and amazingly it is far more economical; we are getting 35-40mpg as opposed to the 32mpg from tme Materia.

The YRV is getting 45-50mpg and is going well after some attention to detail and sorting out five separate rattles, but the ride is crashy and the steering is very low geared meaning lots of turning.

7th Mar 2009, 12:23

Too big for me, Geoff - I only have a standard sized garage. Check out my Kia Soul test-drive, though...

8th Dec 2009, 19:29

The Materia rides and handles exceedingly well for such a tall car compared to its little sibling - Sirion. Cornering is flat and inspire confidence unlike Sirion.

What is disappointing about the Materia is its storage compartments versus Sirion. Sirion has far more clubby holes that are useful. Whereas, Materia's spacious interior has not been ultilized which translate into wasted space.

Boot space though adjustable is not as great as Sirion. The down side of the flat boot is your cargoes will be rolling out when the boot door is opened.

23rd Dec 2011, 16:57

I don't understand this review, you say that you traded in the Sirion, and yet in the last paragraph you say that both cars sit side by side, and you use the Sirion more? Did you have two Sirions?

13th Oct 2019, 09:12

I've owned the Materia since new (2009). I LOVE it. Yes it's quirky, yes it's not the best aero dynamically shaped car out there, BUT it's gorgeous.

We bought it to replace a 10 year old Sirion; Susie Sue had served us faithfully for 10 years, but only having a 1 litre engine we wanted a 2nd car with a bit more oomph! The children call Daisy "The Cube" or "Cubey"; even though they joke about her, they love the headroom in the back. At 6ft 4 they have more room than in the Lexus which is the family car. Strangely I'm the only one who will drive her! They just can't take the fame!!

She IS very much a marmite car I agree, but she's a pleasure to drive, even if she does have all the comfort level of a WW2 US army jeep!!

They did take away things that were in the Sirion which I felt was a mistake... but after 20 years I forget what they were now... although the air vent that went straight onto the windows is highly missed in winter!

The only car on the market now like the Materia is the Kia Soul, and if you happen to park next to one, you look like the baby cousin!

The beauty of this car is the boot... it's done 2 children at uni for 3 years each, which is 12 trips a year holding EVERYTHING... you just push that seat forward, flatten the seats and Bob's your uncle, a whole room is inside that car for the trip to or from uni. It's also done 2 flat moves for 1 son!

When I first saw it as a loan car... it appeared in the grey... it looked like a little jeep off a naval warship... I hated it... I actually said to the man... surely you can give me something else, this is hideous! Give it a go he replied.

By the time I took it back that afternoon, I was in love!

When the time came to replace Susie Sue we chose that car... on the grounds Himself would never have to drive it, unless it was a dire emergency! In 10 years he has driven it once, and hated it... but in all honesty in 25 years he's only driven the Lexus about 15 times, he just hates driving! LOL.

Yes it's heavy on petrol it's a 1.5ltr but is not very much lighter than the 2ltr Lexus, making it a big old car for the size of the engine... but she can still go like the clappers - down hill with a good wind behind her!

I loved your review, but I do love my Daisy very very much, as does the family, secretly and from the rear of the car protected by the tinted windows!

She still turns heads 10 years later and I wouldn't change her for the world!!

16th Nov 2019, 20:07

Bought mine in 2012 as I saw one at a car wash, the looks & space inside did it for me. I still own him now because I still love the looks; he's mildly modified with 16" alloys, lowered & has a stainless steel cat back exhaust, and a rear roof spoiler.

He's ultra reliable & has taken us on many holidays in the UK, no probs at all. I parked him up as the clutch pedal became really heavy & the slave cylinder I ordered never turned up, so I bought a 2010 Nissan Cube, big mistake!! Nissan dealers weren't any use at all & did not want to work on it or service it, parts prices were astronomical, & always had to be ordered from Japan. I spent £2000.00 on it as silly things always needed replacing & they were nothing major. I sold it 3 years later, put my Materia back on the road in January, discs & pads & a new battery, MOT done, fitted all new bushes to the gear change & had a new clutch fitted, pedal is light as a feather now.

I have only ever had positive/nice comments about him. People who diss this car miss the point, it's about looks/space/old school reliable mechanics, and above all it's a bit retro.