2008 Daihatsu Sirion SE from UK and Ireland - Comments

Automatic gearbox faulty on delivery (fixed).

Steering wheel not true (not fully fixed)

Puncture - not the fault of the car!

Have only owned this Sirion SE Automatic for 4 weeks, and initial impressions were that I'd made a terrible mistake. I'd driven 2 different demos (both automatics) at the dealer, and had been happy, but the gearbox on the car I bought whined loudly and idle was also noisy.

To cut a longer story short, I took it back and this is where I must take my hat off to Daihatsu and the dealer. It was decided to change the automatic gearbox, which was all done straightaway (over 3 days) while they lent me one of the demos I had previously tested. Brilliant service and the car is much better!

So now I'm reviewing what seems to be a normal Sirion 1.3SE Auto!

One could never call it the quietest car, but it's no worse than several others in this sector. The new gearbox still whines but you don't notice it much (I think they all do it), and it is smooth.

The engine gives adequate power - I was prepared for a drop in performance after my Ignis 1.5 auto, but it's not noticeable at all. The ride is quite nice for a small car (at this price), but it still crashes in and out of potholes, causing a front suspension thump/knock. Handles speed humps OK though. The steering is light and it's a very easy car to drive and park. Pity the steering wheel isn't true at straight-ahead position - the garage didn't quite manage to fix that - but it's closer than it was. I find it annoying but appreciate most probably wouldn't.

Economy is very good for an auto. Early figures indicate over 40mpg on a town & country commute of 25 miles a day. Haven't had it on a run yet but obviously it'll do better than that. It's lightness probably helps performance and economy - the brochures said it was 210kg lighter than the Splash. That's virtually 3 adults!

Interior-wise, it certainly is roomy, the boot is a good size and shape (considering the size of the car) and the seats are comfortable. Legroom is good, more so when you remove the huge lumps of polystyrene from under the front carpets. I've replaced the passenger side with thinner sound deadening material, cut to shape, and freed up a couple of inches of footroom. Why on earth is it there? It certainly has nothing to do with soundproofing, just disguises a beam in the floor, which can be done with alternative materials. Overall though, I can't see how they get so much room out of a car that's 4" shorter than the Splash and 6" shorter than the Ignis!

I agree with fellow-reviewer Geoff about the headrests moving when you don't want them to! Don't totally agree with him re build. The interior plastics scratch with a fingerail, the exterior paint's not much better. Many are similar, though, at this price. The keys needed a going-over with emery cloth - sharp edges caused the scratch on the plastic door trim which I managed on the day I bought it. Talk about offensive weapons!

The aircon seems adequate - a good compromise between draining too much power from the engine and reasonable cooling ability. But something I didn't notice on the test drives - the heater is incapable of any 'warm to the feet, cold to the face' facility. As every Japanese car I've owned has had this bi-level ability, I didn't even look for it. This to me is a huge snag. Neither am I impressed with the heater output. These days a volcanic heater is a given - not so with the Sirion. The output is moderate and - for the driver - warms your right leg but not your left! Only after about 10 miles does the whole footwell become warm enough not to notice, and by then the cabin is stuffy and all you can do is open a window. I know I should have tested the heating/ventilation before buying, but I didn't. My fault, but I'm not happy with this design.

There are certainly plenty of toys (which you can read about on the specs) and one or two nice touches. Eg: the interior lights all go off after you've left the doors open for 10 minutes - saves the battery! The dash is neat and everything works well. Much nicer since they put the rev-counter into the speedo pod on this face-lifted model. The stereo is far better than the Ignis - not that that's saying much!

Externally, I like the height of the tailgate. Unlike the Suzuki Splash (a serious contender for my money) which is a taller car but has a lower tailgate, you can't bang your head unless you're very tall. If you want a small van - as I often do - you've got it. The rear seat fold is easy and gives you a virtually flat loadbay. Generally, the car's an easy shape to clean, and the doors close nicely. Strange as it seems quite tinny otherwise.

To conclude, I would have bought the Splash had the boot been bigger, the tailgate lifted higher, the dash not had that distracting rev counter in a pod, and the A-pillars not affected vision at junctions so much. One or two of these points would not be a deal-breaker, but the combination was. There was also an internet review that said the auto gearbox was inclined to whine, and the dealer didn't have one to try. It was otherwise a nice drive, but the demo Sirion pipped it in the these areas. If they facelift the Splash in a couple of years, stretching it like they did the Ignis, I may well return to Suzuki...

I know everyone raves about the Sirion, and I'm sorry to disagree, but there are some less-attractive aspects of the car which probably need to be mentioned. Some will probably just think I'm being picky, but it's a review - that's what the site's for!

Thanks for the interesting review; contains many valid points.

I feel it is hard to compare the 1.0S base model to the 1.3SE auto as they differ vastly in price and therefore have very different competition. Whereas the 1.0S is up against the C1, Panda, Picanto etc, the price of the 1.3SE auto pits it against some accomplished rivals like the new Clio and Corsa. This is why my review for the 1.0S was so positive as it is clearly better than the competition priced around £6500 and also comes with a five year warranty and breakdown cover. The nearest competitor for spec at this money is the new Hyundai I10, but this is tiny and uncomfortable in comparison to the Sirion.

I am familiar with the cars you mentioned as I have owned a 2006 Suzuki Ignis (4grip) and took my Parents 2006 Suzuki Wagon R+ off their hands in exchange for my Myvi. We all looked at the Suzuki Splash too and, like you, thought the rev counter pod daft, the quarterlight visibility poor and the boot laughable too. The Splash is leagues ahead of the old Wagon R in many ways, but a step too far for staunch Agila/Wagon R lovers who are generally mature drivers and do not value style and gadgets over simplicity and utility. Fair play to Suzuki for making Electronic Stability Control standard across the range though, even if the NCAP rating only matches the Sirion's 4 stars. The Sirion has much better visibility which improves safety...

Steering wheel issue: if off centre, can usually be corrected by Kwik Fit or similar redoing the tracking for £20. Of all the new cars I have had, I have had them do two of mine to cure the same fault. If this does not work, take it back to the dealer.

The interior room and turning circle is class leading and show how dated the Ignis packaging is!! In the Myvi, the floor is different and has noticeable bars in the floor-Daihatsu must cover these with insulation as you said.

Build quality-ace for a £6500 car, poor for a £9795 car!! Plastics do scratch very easily, but are such due to lightness and cost.

Key was very sharp (cuts fingers!) but now worn smoother.

Ventilation-agree this is not the best set up as I am always too hot or cold and seem to drive with window open a lot as heating makes cabin stuffy before getting warm. Now you pointed it out I notice it!!

I absolutely agree that the point of the site is to make these in-depth comments. It is not being picky-just observant. Buyers do not get enough time to fully test a car before purchase, and having all of this info from owners can be very useful.

In response, I agree with your comments, but your need for the auto box as you said influenced your choice.

If I had wanted to spend £9k and had to have an auto, I would have bought a 6 month old automatic Focus/Astra or similar (which cost £13-14k new) instead of the Sirion 1.3SE auto.

I think the pick of the range is the 1.0SE in dark red metallic at just over £7000, but am delighted with our base models. At this price level, the Sirion makes good sense.

Compared to the 1.3, the 1.0 unit does not like long motorway inclines, but excels elsewhere and gives better economy and lower tax.

I do hope you enjoy your car and get the bits sorted.

Regards.

Geoff.

Thanks for the response, Geoff - I thought I'd be torn to shreds! Although of course there's plenty of time yet - every other reviewer seems to love it...

Steering-wise, I didn't want them messing around with the geometry as it steers fine. I suggested they move the wheel round a spline or two. Don't know whether they did this but it obviously should have been a spline more! Have worked on cars extensively in the past and would do it myself, but am slightly concerned re airbag - does it need disturbing to unbolt the wheel and move it...?

I just missed the £500 increase, so paid £9620 (with champagne metallic paint). Got £5k p/x for the Ignis (no haggling required), which was over Glass's top price of £4600-odd and a lot better than Suzuki's offer of £4k. Not that I was too worried about the price - I was intent on the Splash until I had a good look round it. Pity - I liked a lot about it and like Suzuki as a brand and my local dealer are nice people (even though head office is a joke).

Agree that it's a great buy for £6500, but I'm happy with what I paid. If only the odd snags I've mentioned weren't there...!

Cheers - Peter.

Hi Peter.

Every time I have done a deal on a car, the list price became irrelevant after taking into account deals and different offers for the part ex-it sounds like the same for you!!

I had the identical problem with the steering wheel on my wife's Perodua Kelisa, so removed the two recessed philips screws on the back of the steering wheel, carefully removed the airbag and removed the bolt off the steering wheel spline. I then pushed the car forward in a straight line on a flat surface, removed the wheel and reset on the spline, pushed the car again to check, tightened the bolts and carefully put the air-bag back.

With a new car under warranty, take it back to the dealers in case of any problems, and for the fact that you should have a licence to remove airbags...

If it only just off-centre, tracking is the answer as they will tighten one side and adjust out the other, leaving the geometry unaffected.

Good luck!

Geoff.

I have owned a Sirion 1.3SE since January 08.

I bought a pre-registered (Oct 07) in Shining Red for £6500 which was a great deal, I thought. I have the older-style dash with the separate rev-counter and I must say I have never been as pleased with owning a car as this one.

The car is economical, spacious, comfortable and (very importantly after owning a Smart Forfour) reliable. It looks great in red and attracts attention as it is still quite a rare sight on UK roads. The dealers are good too.

Mine is a manual, but I tried the automatic in the Perodua Myvi (essentially the same car) and liked that too - it was smooth and relatively quiet.

Just to try and help you with the steering issue:

It was interesting that you said you had a puncture. I had a puncture and drove for a mile or so before being able to stop. The suspension set-up is so soft that it was not very noticeable at first.

After having the tyre replaced (with the same type of Yokohama as originally fitted) I noticed the steering wheel was off-centre to the right. I took the car in for tracking correction, but it was found to be fine.

However, a Perodua dealer told me that he has had two Myvis back after front punctures that have needed minor geometry corrections. My Sirion seemed to steer fine and not deviate under braking, so I thought this to be unnecessary, but I asked the dealer to look at it.

After having the car for only a few hours they sorted the geometry problem and now the car is noticeably smoother and it has increased the economy, albeit slightly. The wheel is now straight and does not transmit vibrations like it did from new.

I was told by an independent mechanic that the Sirion has very robust suspension with a relatively long travel, but that it may be susceptible to minor camber variances if the suspension takes a hard knock (eg. after a puncture).

I would certainly recommend a visit to your dealer, as mine was corrected for free under warranty, and I am assured by the independent mechanic that the suspension is actually tougher (and simpler) than most other new modern cars and therefore should not be cause for concern.

I hope this helps and I hope, like me, you enjoy your new car!

Ben Dalrymple.

Interestingly, I had a blow out at 70mph (took a while to notice as suspension so soft as you say) in the Myvi, and the stupid space saver tyre had NO valve fitted in it. As the Perodua breakdown cover was very basic, tyres were not covered and as the tyre places had closed at 6pm, I was stuffed for 12 hours...

BAN SPACE SAVERS!!

Note: Myvi uses rubbish Sime tyres, Sirion uses much better Yokohamas.

A comment on the steering geometry is that the Myvi and Sirion are both nervous in a straight line at 70mph, and need constant correction.

Geoff.

I agree the Sirion and Myvi can move around at higher speeds, although I think this is because the vehicle is comparatively high-sided and light.

Interestingly the Myvi is now specced with Goodyears (the Simes are rubbish as you say!)

I too hate the space-saver, and had to ring my local tyre place to stay open for me (thanks just-tyres of stony stratford!), but would happily have this rather than the daft spray-can stuff I had in my Civic.

I'd still whole-heartedly recommend both cars to anyone though. Nothing comes close for the money.

On balance, I would always recommend the Sirion over the Myvi due to the quality difference and the better warranty through Daihatsu; 5 years 100,000 mile warranty and RAC breakdown instead of the Myvi's 3 year 36,000 miles warranty and 2 years very basic breakdown cover.

The Sirion has better resale and more accessible dealer network too.

The Myvi is a good car and secondhand prices are unbelievably low, so a low mileage, year old car at £4500 with 2 years warranty and 1 year breakdown remaining makes a lot of sense.

Geoff.

Original reviewer here again! Another month on and the jury's still out!

One really good point is the economy - it's doing a ridiculous 45mpg on my commute! Still haven't had it on a run, but this is brilliant for an auto and just what you want at current fuel prices.

Still finding it comfortable and airy to sit in (relatives impressed!) but front suspension/steering clattering over rough roads destroys feeling of quality. OK on normal roads though.

Performance is fine, auto gearbox does whine but it's now possible to ignore it, albeit again it doesn't add anything to the general refinement.

I'm also ignoring the offset steering wheel. Re Geoff's and other comments I can say that adjusting the tracking is not the answer. Track rods should be of equal length and screwing one track rod end in a bit, and the other out, alters that geometry. I agree that it will cure the immediate problem and will be OK when driving in a straight line, but the geometry of the steering will be altered on lock, which is not desirable. Moving the s/wheel on its splines is the best solution, although one wonders why it wasn't set correctly at the factory. POSSIBLY, of course, the tracking was out on delivery - I'll be keeping an eye on tyre wear!

Re my puncture - this was on the N/S rear and caused by a clearly-visible screw through the centre of the tread. So could have no effect on tracking.

I agree that tyres can have an odd effect on the 'set' of the s/wheel. I may swap the front wheels over to see if it makes any difference, but I'm not changing the make of the tyres as they're obviously new!

The heater still drives me nuts but there's obviously no cure for what is a design feature.

Apart from the economy - which wasn't an absolute priority but is still nice - I do like lots about the car...

The (extended) load space, the wipers, the visibility, the ride on normal (ie: reasonable!) roads, the interior generally, the way it rolls along at motorway limit, the positive closure of doors and hatch. And more that doesn't immediately spring to mind!

Oh, and I don't actually HAVE to have an auto, Geoff - I just like 'em! Quite happy to pay the extra.

Cheers - Peter.

Hi Peter.

I am still a bit surprised by your choice though, as for the £8-9k you could have bought a high spec, 2008, 5,000 mile Focus or Astra automatic which would have cost £13-15 new. Most petrol autos (particularly volume manufactured models) depreciate horribly in the first few months and make great sense then.

I like the Sirion very much, but feel that at under £7k is where it makes most sense.

Hope you sort your steering out...incidentally, the only fault on my 2008 Sirion is a slight click/crack sound from the steering when turning lock to lock on tight parking.

Geoff.

Original reviewer back!

Have now done over 3k miles, including a couple of 200-mile runs. Certainly it's comfortable enough and I've got out the other end with no aches or pains. It'll hold 70 with no trouble and give 45-50mpg while it's doing it (49mpg best effort so far). Believe me, this is very very good for an automatic!

The new autobox seems as good as it probably should be. It's smooth enough and the ratios suit the car. But prospective purchasers should note that these boxes do whine - make your own mind up as to whether you can put up with it!

Previously-reported 'faults' continue to niggle...

1. The heating ventilation is good provided you only want it to do one thing or another. I recently did a 75-mile late night run (when admittedly I was a little tired) and not being able to get fresh air to my face whilst keeping my feet warm is - to my view - verging on the dangerous. Yes, you open a window, but this is noisy and is said to affect fuel economy. If my rotten old 70's 'starter-cars' could manage this I can't imagine why a noughties car can't. A glaring design fault, in my opinion.

2. The front suspension/steering!!! Clonking/rattling/creaking/cracking when on poor surfaces and/or maneuvering at slow speed. I see Geoff's has started now as well.

In general use on average roads at average speeds - OK, it's not a bad ride and no complaints there. But refined when doing anything else? 'Fraid not! And that cock-eyed steering wheel - I've trained myself not to look at it.

I can't be bothered to take it back yet, but will be flagging it up on the first service if it doesn't fall to bits before. Judging from the response over the gearbox, I'm sure Daihatsu would be keen to help, but I want any faults to be absolutely obvious before I bother them with what may be said to be 'manufacturing tolerances'.

I have had cars with rattly front struts before which quite happily passed the MOT etc, and I know it's not necessarily dangerous. But they were secondhand cars with 50 or 60k on the clock, not new cars...

Looking at Geoff's latest, although we are reviewing slightly different beasts, I have to agree with some of his comments, ie: Filthy inner sills, daft fabric/hook set up of the rear shelf (unstapled and junked by me!) scratchy plastics (but they're all the same under £10k).

I don't particularly want to get into areas unrelated to the review, but the reason I didn't buy a Ford or Vauxhall is simple - I didn't want one! But call me daft if you wish!

To conclude, I'm already researching alternatives as I'm sad to say I don't think I'm going to stick with the Sirion...

Cheers - Peter.