2008 Daihatsu Materia from UK and Ireland - Comments

Nothing - as I expected for Daihatsu.

Bought as a replacement for one of our 2008 Sirions; we kept the other one (see 2008 report/comments "Easily the...."). I will add to this report with various comments as the time passes, but for now a few observations.

We would never have bought one new; I looked at them when they were first launched and ended up buying a new Fiat Doblo (see 2007 report/comments "Dated, but..") instead as I thought the Materia was too thirsty and too expensive for what it was, and was not clever enough inside like the Nissan Note, for example.

My thought was that Daihatsu should have offered it with the 1.3 engine, ESP (fitted to Japan spec) and a sub-150g/km emission level at about £9000 new-not with the thirsty 1.5 unit and the high list price; that was a mistake.

We bought this one simply because it was so very cheap, plus we needed a larger car for the baby plus four adults and we are totally convinced by Daihatsu reliability and build quality after owning a Copen and two Sirions.

The deal was our 2008 Sirion 1.0S plus £1030, plus road tax of £170, so if you took the Glass' guide price for the Sirion as £5090, it cost us £6290 for an 11 month old 3,000 mile ex-demonstrator Materia from the main dealer with the five year warranty and breakdown cover transferred, metallic, protection pack and half a tank of fuel - very cheap indeed! At this price it is a good car, with an excellent warranty and superb equipment levels together with granite-hewn build quality and Japanese reliability.

It is a Marmite car and provokes very strong reactions from other people who either love it or laugh/shake their head at you - it is not a car for the shy! I like the sturdy looks and strong character of the car, and the sense of occasion you feel driving it, which is lost in other mainstream cars. When suggesting this as our next car, my wife stared at the brochure in disbelief, laughed nervously and said "are you JOKING?", but warmed to it in the flesh and liked the drive. She has total faith in the brand, like me, after our five star experience of Daihatsu so far, so when the low price came into the equation, thought it was a good purchase.

She now likes the car very much, and the mixed reactions of our peers have strengthened our liking of the quirkiness of it. Comments so far:

It looks like a dog with its nose pushed against a window...!

How cool is that? What is it?

Postman Pat's ride got Pimped...!

Did you import it? Never seen one - crazy!!

What in the name of GOD is THAT you are driving this time?

Is it an armoured car?

Well, erm, it's, er, very, erm, quirky. Nice day isn't it?

I think controversial best sums it up - I love the style, but I love many strange things and prefer not to blend in, therefore I enjoy the drama of it. My wife found the wild staring of passers-by unnerving for a while, but has got used to it now.

The styling is the most obvious thing about the car and hides a fairly sensible, simple Japanese car based on the Sirion, with a fairly bland interior and no hot technology or leaps forward in anything, really. I feel the interior was a lost opportunity as apart from a sliding rear seat there is no MPV cleverness - no underseat drawers, no front Isofix, no centre armrests, no overhead shelf in the front, only one seatback pocket, poor cupholders (all 8 are not deep enough!) and so on-plus the black interior, fabrics, plastics and headlining coupled with the standard privacy glass makes it a very dark place to be.

Compared to my 2008 Sirion, it loses the fuel computer (probably due to high consumption) the clarity of sound of the stereo, plus the mute button, it has a smaller boot than the Sirion with the rear seat slid back and a ridiculous rear fabric parcel shelf, which is far too low, does not rise and clips into (or out of, frequently) the rear headrests - it is the worst thing on the car. The seats are not as comfortable or well shaped as the Sirion either, and the drivers seat is already mis-shapen after 6,000 miles.

The kit level is high, though, with four electric windows, electric mirrors (no heated mirrors or blindspot curve), a six speaker 180 watt stereo (disappointing sound clarity whatever setting used), reversing sensors, very nice aluminium wheels, front fogs etc.

The centrally located speedo is a gimmick and has an annoying oversight - the trip reset button is NOT the button under the trip display - that one resets the clock - it is the one on the opposite side of the console, bizarrely and results in me resetting the clock by accident frequently... Why no mpg display?

The stereo looks good, especially with the blue ILLUM button depressed so the front speakers and door handles light up blue, however the blue light is distracting when you brake and move your leg off the speaker making the cabin light up on a dark road. I am disappointed with the stereo sound, which cannot hold a candle to my base Sirion's two speaker set up, even if you can get more bass. Whatever setting/ graphic preset or manual adjustment of sound/loud/treble/bass/fade I use, it is not a satisfying sound - not enough clarity or punch and the volume button is too slow geared with over 50 volume levels, which means about three full turns from quiet to loud. No remote or steering wheel controls either.

I will add more later, but driving it is reasonable apart from the very close ratio, low geared gearbox, which is awful - fifth is like normal third and gets very tiring on 60mph+ roads, plus fourth and fifth are virtually identical and I always seem to be in the wrong gear in it - unlike the Sirion which has an excellent set of ratios. The auto we drove on demo had a higher top gear, but a ponderous change and horrific economy, but the manual is hard work.

Handling is startling in the way that it corners very well indeed and sits down hard into a tight bend or island, rather than leaning as you would expect a tall, square car to do, and it corners very well indeed - the most surprising aspect of the car to date. The trade off is a very hard, bumpy ride, which is tiring and makes no sense in this type of car.

It suits smooth twisty B roads best as the engine revs eagerly and the car loves being flung at bends, with great brakes and good grip. The low gearbox ratios give it surprising acceleration, and I am amazed by the capability on these roads. The brakes are sensitive and the gear ratios odd, so town driving it's not so good, and anything over 60mph makes me long for my Sirion, due to the Materia's wind noise, road noise, high revs, me constantly trying to change up to a non-existent higher gear, then sighing plus the high consumption and flat seats.

I am reading my report back and it appears negative - I suppose the many flaws of the design are hard to live with, namely:

Rear shelf, gearbox ratios, fuel consumption of 30ish mpg, tiny boot (low boot height is biggest issue here-the pushchair drops into Sirion and JUST scrapes into Materia), lack of cleverness in the interior, lack of interior flair to match exterior, all pervading cave-like darkness inside and the feeling that design opportunities have been missed throughout, along with the mismatch of certain parts - why a revvy 1.5 engine with low ratios, plus hard suspension in a car better suited to cruising than thrashing?

On the plus side, it is very spacious inside, all doors open to nearly 90 degrees and door apertures are large so easy to put baby seat in, rear legroom is staggering as a six footer can lock their knees straight in a car shorter than a three door Clio, it handles very tidily, build quality is excellent, the exterior lights are well crafted and look great along with the lovely grooved alumininum wheels, great warranty and breakdown package, will be reliable too.

We've not had it very long, yet already I like and cope with it in equal measure. The sad fact is that it is not nearly as well thought out or as well developed as the Sirion. It feels like they designed the outside first, then used in whatever Sirion parts they could fit to make it run, then rushed the rest of it to make it available before the design went stale.

Whereas all the parts in the 1.0 Sirion come together like an orchestra and work in harmony; the engine is outstanding with perfect gear ratios and offers instant acceleration coupled with huge economy, the interior is cleverer - eg rear seat bases, stereo is superb and instruments first class - the Sirion feels thoroughly tested and shaken down; the Materia feels like a prototype with mismatched parts - or five youth orchestras tuning up at the same time... The Sirion thrashes, scratches and cruises equally well and caters for all driving needs, the Materia has odd bits that would work well in isolation or in another car, but do not mesh well with each other in this model.

We paid £6290 for our Materia, which is under a year old with over four years warranty and breakdown remaining, air-con, reversing sensors, ISOFIX etc - at this price it is a good car, but the new price is truly ridiculous and I could not recommend it due to the competition being much better. I have seen new Materias at £8495; I would buy something else even at this price, as the 30mpg and 9,000 mile service intervals, plus huge depreciation, will catch up with you quickly.

If you need to carry four large adults and love the styling of the car, and never go long distance or use the motorway, buy one if the deal is right, otherwise look elsewhere; the boot is too small, the ride/gearbox/revvy engine/wind noise/flat seats are tiring and there are just too many compromises.

Even as a Daihatsu fan, I cannot recommend it and prefer the Sirion over the Materia. It may come as surprise, but there is very little difference in size between them (the Sirion has a bigger boot!) and the minute difference in cabin space is outweighed by the poor driving experience and much higher running costs.

Even the 1.0 Sirion is a pleasure to drive 500+ miles comfortably in one day, but the fact is that I want to get out of the Materia after about 50 miles and have a break from it.

The two cars sit side by side on the drive - the Sirion is for work use and the Materia was meant for family use, however, I rarely use the Materia unless we all go out together as it seems daft to use nearly double the fuel using a car I don't enjoy driving nearly half as much.

Interesting and informative review, Geoff - well up to your usual standard!

Although the gearing of the autobox obviously improves the drive, I don't think I'll be trying one.

Apart from the looks, which I'm afraid are just a bit too far out for an old duffer like me, you've highlighted too many other compromises.

I'm currently looking for a Sirion replacement though. Have tried the new auto Jazz (just reviewed) but wasn't impressed unfortunately. Have yet to drive the facelifted Note, which is in the showrooms (spacey and comfortable although dismal cabin) but no-one has a demo!

Cheers - Peter.

I've drove a Nissan Note and it has terrible vibrations in the steering when on the motorway. Basically the Note is a different body-shell on a Micra chassis; the engine is the same unit as the Micra, and so is the exhaust system and suspension. So in all, it's a Micra with the same poor Renault quality. "Same contents, different packaging, more money".

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

I am not taken with the tie up Nissan has with Renault - it has benefited Renault but decimated the Nissan brand.

However many issues I have with the Materia, at least it is a Daihatsu so will not break as every component is consistent, well engineered and designed for long life-unlike Renault.

I have now started driving the Materia full time (it was the weekend family car and Sirion was my "work" car) and I am starting to find more positives now, but still hate the obstructive, daft ratio gearbox.

I have swapped the front sidelight bulbs for white/xenon 6xLED bulbs (ebay) and this has made them look like daytime running lights (eg on the R8) making the car look bang up to date and premium. The difference surprised me.

Hmmm, the jury's out on it at present - it was VERY cheap yet looks expensive in dark grey metallic with the great wheels, privacy glass, quality lights and thickly coated chrome-especially with the new LEDs, it accelerates very sharply, corners and brakes well, the cabin is huge and equipment good, but;

32mpg, atrocious gearbox, hard ride, flat unsupportive seats, lack of cubbyholes/storage and annoying low boot height coupled with a daft fabric (non-rising) parcel shelf.

I am not sure what to think of it - it is fun when you're in town or driving it hard (no passengers) - but torture on the motorway or when you want to cruise a distance with the family. I love some bits of the car, but other bits frustrate me.

I am beginning to think it is acceptable at the money I paid and at least it is interesting, superbly built and should be 100% reliable, plus the remaining four years of warranty and breakdown are better than the package on many new cars. All things considered, the balance is slightly in its favour. Would I buy another?

I'll know in a few months of everyday use...

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...

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.

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.

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.

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

The wife just bought one of these new, 1.5 auto and so far loving it. Agree with the original review in that the suspension is quite hard for a car of this type - it certainly corners better than the previous Suzuki Liana she had, but makes for a rough ride in the back for passengers.

Engine seems smooth enough and power delivery is fine, although she never gets above 2000 revs LOLOL.

We both like to sit upright, and while the headrests aren't bent forwards at a ridiculous angle like a lot of modern cars they, for me they require the seat to be leaned further back, otherwise my upper back does not touch the seat. Too many cars these days are being built purely for people with appalling posture and to get them though the NCAP tests. We are NOT dummies with bent forward heads, and these type of rests are doing untold long term damage, probably as much as you'd incur in a crash.

Any, enough about headrests. The other thing we have noticed is that this car is definitely a head turner - there isn't another one in the area and EVERYONE stops and stares at it. SO many times we've been waiting at roundabouts etc and the person in a car will turn their head to look at us with a look of disbelief rather than looking at their exit. There's going to be an accident soon. People in car parks are hilarious too - many a hilarious minute has been spent standing away from the car and watching them as they walk towards it, slow or stop, gawp at it, scratch their heads in disbelief, look to see what it is etc. It's amazing that when people see a 'box', they can't think out of it.