7 February 2011
Since its inception, the Terios has always been thought of as the Chihuahua of the SUV fraternity; with such ankle-biter proportions and limited legroom, a soccer mum's dream wagon the Terios did not make.
Another sore point was the vehicle's narrow track and high centre of gravity which left Daihatsu's little puppy with more body roll than a Shar-Pei.
The Chihuahua however has the longest life expectancy in the canine community, and the cutesy outgoing Terios too had been a loyal servant to Daihatsu for an astonishing Nine Years. A model life that far exceeds the average.
But as they say, you can't teach an old dog new tricks, and the outgoing model was no longer a car suitable for today's competitive market.
So it has been put to rest for 2006 and replaced (some might say, finally) with a new iteration that, if initial impressions are anything to go by, is destined to set tails wagging.
Right off the bat the new Terios is visually larger. It's actually a perfect size for Daihatsu's Parent company, Toyota, who amidst their current sweeping rejuvenation of their line up dropped the three-door RAV4 earlier this year, as the new RAV was introduced.
The Terios dimensionally is somewhere between the old three, and five-door RAV 4, and so fills the void left by the popular three-door that made up 20 percent of all RAV 4 sales.
Its exterior styling is more muscular than its predecessor; the stockier presence is far less clumsy both in appearance and in practice. Longer by 210mm (4055mm) and wider by 140mm (1695mm) the new Terios will fit four adults comfortably, while the massive 145mm and 150mm increase in front and rear track respectively leaves a vastly more substantial paw-print.
The height has been decreased by 70mm (1690mm) so in conjunction with the wider track, the vehicle's centre of gravity and roll centre will also have altered; this permits more user-friendly handling.
The Terios is available in two levels of specification. Projector-type headlights, fog lights 16-inch alloys, a trip computer, leather steering wheel and curtain airbags (in addition to front, and side airbags) are picked up by the higher spec variant. We felt the interior fit and finish of both grades was well built, albeit with a slight oversupply of hard plastic surfaces.
There are several drivetrain combinations available also, the entry level, available only in 4WD with a lockable centre diff, (activated electronically via dash-mounted switch) is fitted with either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission. To offer more appeal to city dwellers not requiring any great level of off-road adeptness, the higher spec models comes either in 2WD or 4WD. Strangely though, in 2WD guise an automatic trans is not available, which could make it less popular among people who regularly travel in stop-start traffic. The range topping 4WD variant is only available with the automatic trans.
Rear limited slip differentials are standard fitment on all 4WD Terios, but for additional cost you can opt for a safety package that includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Downhill Assist Control (DAC) for automatic transmissions and Hill Start Assist Control (HAC), with VSC the limited slip differential is replaced with a conventional rear diff.
Delivering 77kW @ 6000 rpm and 140Nm @ 4400, the 1.5 litre, DOHC 16-valve power unit offered sprightly performance during our brief drive through Auckland's suburban streets, and incorporating variable valve timing technology will optimise the vehicle's fuel efficiency.
Refinement in every area has brought new life to this aging nameplate, and no longer the Chihuahua you get a lot of metal for your money. Starting at $27,500 for the entry-level 4WD model, and ranging to $31,000 for the top spec 4WD SX.
Take Toyota New Zealand's reputation for discounting into consideration, and you wouldn't be barking up the wrong tree if you contemplated the new Terios as a practical alternative to a super-mini.