29 Sep 06 17:03
Daihatsu is previewing its new compact MPV, the Materia, successor to the D-Compact Wagon concept seen at the Geneva Motor Show last spring. It features a 1.5-litre, 109bhp petrol engine but is unlikely to get the 92bhp 1.3-litre engine and the option of four-wheel drive currently available on the version already on sale in Japan, the Coo.
Daihatsu sees the Materia as a rival for the Renault Modus and Nissan Note, and promises competitive pricing and high equipment levels: expect kit including side airbags, sliding/reclining seats and traction and stability control. We're unlikely to get the sofa-style front passenger seat seen in the D-Compact concept, however. Details of UK pricing and specifications will be announced shortly.
Daihatsu is also showing an ItalDesign-styled concept called D-Compact X-Over: built on the same platform as the Materia, it proposes an alternative to the trad-4x4 Terios. Features include an expansive glass roof stretching from the top of the windscreen to above the rear seats. It's a good bet that this will follow the D-Compact Wagon concept into production next year.
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