New Daihatsu 5-door Sirion goes on sale in UK

12 June 2002: A new Daihatsu five-door Sirion will enter dealer showrooms in the UK this month. According to Irish sources, it may arrive here before the end of the year. However, no firm decision has yet been taken on this.

Some of the highlights include fresh looks, a new high-quality interior, 'warm-hatch' versions, and a four-wheel drive model.

Similar in size to a Renault Clio, Daihatsu’s vastly expanded Sirion range starts with a new entry-level 1.0 litre EL automatic to UK-developed 1.3 litre Rally 2 and four wheel drive Rally 4 models with punchy 111.5 PS powerplants.

The mainstream 102 PS 1.3 SL continues with its combination of a 112 mph top speed, 0-62 mph time of 9.6 seconds, 61.4 mpg on the Extra Urban Cycle and a class-leading CO2 emission figure of 134.1 g/km. The Rally 2 model is pictured above.

However, there is now a high-value Sirion 1.3 EL and a 1.3 ‘4trak’ model.

The Sirion was first introduced as a 1.0 litre only. It was revised in mid-2000 when 1.3 litre models were added using a similar engine to the Toyota Yaris.

The new Sirion Rally 2 and Rally 4 are developed in the UK by Daihatsu’s own technical department and Bedfordshire-based Auto Image Limited.

The Rally 2 and Rally 4 feature extensive engine, chassis and braking modifications and follow in the tradition of the much-loved Charade GTti.

Top speed is an estimated 115 mph for the Rally 2 and 112 mph for the Rally 4 with 0-60 mph times of 7.9 and 8.9 seconds respectively. Fuel economy and emission figures will be released shortly.

June 2002