Daihatsu Grand Move
Daihatsu is re-inventing itself in the UK. Chief executive Paul Williams is looking to introduce a host of new models in the next two years, none of which can be considered boring. True to this pledge Grand Move is a mini-MPV with a difference.
From the outside the car doesn’t follow any current design trend. Instead it looks very square, boxy and verging on quirky. The reason for this becomes apparent inside. There is space inside for five adults in comfort and the amount of headroom is verging on the ridiculous. You would only have problems if you were more than seven feet tall. The height also creates an airy feel to the interior.
Rear seats not only split fold, to enlarge the already good sized boot, but also recline, along with front seats to form a double bed. Great for those courting couples. Instead of a central arm rest between the back seats Grand Move has two door side rests with built in cup holders.
The beige interior on the car I tested was a bit unpleasant but a different option would fix that.
Equipment is phenomenal in a car of this class and price. Air-con, power steering, electric windows all round a brilliant Pioneer stereo with removable fascia and alloy wheels.
This is a town car and it shines in car parks and busy roads where the free revving engine gives quick off-the-lights starts although it does tend to spin its wheels too easily in the wet.
The power steering makes parking a doddle. Visibility is good and the square design makes corners of the vehicle simple to judge when reversing into narrow spaces.
Motorway ride and noise are fine but hills need a down change to fourth and side-winds do unsettle the lightweight car.
Although the Grand Move isn’t a fast car it does have excellent disc brakes all-round linked to an anti-lock system.
Daihatsu has a habit common to several Japanese brands of fitting tiny fuel tanks. In theory it would be possible to achieve 300 miles to a tank-full but I found 250 a lot less worrying. The thinking behind a gauge that reads empty when it still has a couple of gallons left is this; because Japanese cars are so reliable and the workers of the car makers are so proud of this quality they don’t even want the car to let its owner down by running out of fuel. Hence, it red lines early to get the owner to fill up before they are stranded with an empty tank.
The Grand Move costs £11,500 this comes without the alloys, air-conditioning and ABS while the ‘+’ version I drove costs £13,500.
Daihatsu’s Grand Move is an excellent package, especially if you consider it comes with a three year unlimited mileage warranty. However, it has been designed without compromise to be a compact town car for people who still need the versatility of an estate. The trouble with this is that other aspects have been ignored particularly motorway capability.