2002 Daihatsu YRV Premium Pack review from UK and Ireland

As is mentioned in other reviews on other sites I also had a persistent water leak so this must be a common fault. It can be very demoralising to find the cabin full of water (I have some horror stories, one after being away for a week) but bail it out, put the heaters on and get to your nearest Daihatsu approved dealer. Their customer service is excellent and very loyal and mine at least now know where to find some of the harder to find seals! Check obvious roof and door seals yourself before buying I guess, I also notice more wind noise from some seals than others so it really does seem a car-specific problem waiting to happen.

The only other problems I have had are exhaust wear and tear, either the exhaust itself or its fixing in place.

Quite a car of idiosyncrasies.

The angled design is all about angles because if you catch it from one angle (i.e. side) it looks young, sporty and refined (alloys, rear spoiler, angled lights) but from another (i.e. front) its boxy, unstable and pensioner-suited. From a third angle (the back) people genuinely believe it is an MPV with its generous height and individually lit number plate and roof line.

I'm in the young category that was supposed to put the Y in YRV and I liked the design (for the price) but seeing pensioners in the same model soon wore thin and the fragile front-on view sometimes gives me a scare! Nonetheless it has turned heads more than any other unmodified car I've had at this value and in continuing with the idiosyncrasies, while the exterior might provoke some debate, the view of the inside was unanimous.

Everyone who has ever been in my YRV loved it. The space is staggering and the rear 'stadium seats' (raised with extra leg-room) are repeatedly described (no prompting on my part) as the most comfortable back seats ever, combined with the glass panoramic roof (extra) made for a really incredible passenger view and experience that drew comment again and again, often with reference to the car costing far more than I bought it used, which is always flattering.

For the used price the extras are also unbeatable, all windows and mirrors are electric and full air con is brilliant, which also prompted surprised comment from four six footers enjoying the space and features on the long-haul down to the surfing towns of North Cornwall. However while passenger ride is always positive, the idiosyncrasies extend to the driver. First impressions are good with a nice driving height, but comfort levels for the driver soon wear thin.

I found the possible seating positions became frustrating after time and after long journeys you appreciate not sitting in the car. The ride is also hard and whether this was deterioration or the general suspension design, but I didn't feel like many shocks were absorbed by anyone other than me - over every bump in the road! However, I accepted all that for some of the performance benefits I noticed like the understated acceleration and healthy sounding progress at top speeds on motorways. The car doesn't struggle with fast as much as you might think it would, and though fast cornering doesn't seem natural, next to my previous Fiat Punto, the YRV is certainly very willing.

Running costs are almost excellent, okay the parts tend to be slightly more expensive, but you can offset that against it being much rarer to need them - until I got a YRV I thought going to the garage 3-4 times a year (Fiat Punto) and paying out over miscellaneous problems was the norm. Fuel consumption seemed quicker than expected given the green-car credentials, but that might have been due to driving at speeds and it's to the cars credit there was no trade-off from faults and repairs given such usage. It just kept on going no matter how much I pushed it all summer and all winter.

If you take the whole package into account from the drive, to performance, to running costs to interior functionality and passenger experience, to exterior design (last, but not least of course!) I am certain I could not have got a better car for the price so if you're young and on a sensible used budget that doesn't involve long-term credit, this is the most-fun, quirkiest-design and best spec you'll get pound for pound. The value is outstanding and can make someone spending many thousands more jealous. However if your ONLY concern is the drive and handling (and you have no mates... sorry passengers) or desire for functional comfort, then look at more mainstream hatchbacks (and pay more!)