Daihatsu Extol

Top marks to Daihatsu for providing twin airbags as standard, although there is no mention of ABS brakes even as an option.

There are two can holders in the centre console but little other space for odds and ends, apart from a map holder in the driver’s door and two curious little niches in each door that Daihatsu describes as ‘ticket pockets’.

The glovebox is only big enough to hold the vehicle’s handbook.

There is a grab handle for the passenger if things get a bit lively (more of which later) and the CD?player has a detachable front, which may or may not deter thieves.

Having been the victim of a crime where the thief stole the back half of a stereo system from a Volkswagen LT I was testing, I remain unconvinced of the worth of these devices.

In the back

The Extol features twin side sliding doors which operate smoothly and easily and an up-and-over tailgate at the rear which works with a damped operation.

The floor is flat and covered with a rubber mat but the position of the engine means the load floor is higher than you’d expect from looking at the outside of the van.

There are no load lashing points.

And here’s a curious thing – although the Extol looks bigger than the Hijet, its load volume is lower (2.2 cubic metres ot the Hijet’s 2.9 cu m) and the payload smaller (615kg to the Hijet’s 635kg).

Cargo dimensions are 1,700mm load length, 1,330mm load width and 1,175mm load height.

On the road

Only one engine is available, the 1.3-litre petrol unit that powers the Toyota Yaris and Daihatsu Sirion, YRV and Terios.

It’s a shame there are no diesel versions but at least LPG conversions are possible.

It’s a lively little unit offering 84bhp at 6,000rpm and 88lb-ft or torque at 4,400rpm and it revs freely and easily up to the red line.

The clutch is light and the gearchange is smoother than it feels at first but the general driving experince is spoiled for me by an overdamped power steering system which leaves no feel at all between the steering wheel and the road.

Anyone trying tricks on the corners in the wet will soon be taught a lesson as the front end is all too prone to break away under such conditions.

But as long as you don’t stuff the van into a wall, you soon get used to this shortcoming and learn to treat it with a little respect.

The high driving position of the Extol gives the impression that you are behind the wheel of a much bigger van.

But that’s no bad thing.

Another plus point for city-based fleets is the astonishing 8.8-metre turning circle, which will see the little van fitting into gaps you’d never think possible.
Warranty is three years/60,000 miles and srevicing intervals are 9,000 miles.

Verdict

If I was driving long distances for a living, I would not choose this van.

But Daihatsu didn’t build the Extol for long-distance motorway work anyway – it was made for short haul city work and for that purpose it is an admirable performer for a staggeringly low price.