[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Daihatsu Terios"]
[/caption]I had the chance to drive one of these for a couple of reasons. I was in Fiji for two weeks, I needed a rental to get around and I had just watched Jeremy Clarkson thrash one on Top Gear. Since they don't sell them in Australia any more, I decided that it would be a good, economical runaround that won't get bogged. This was an opportunity to drive a car I couldn't back home, and get to see what Clarkson was on about. He loved the car. And because I think Jeremy is a god, I had to agree. "Yes, Jeremy."
Now, I didn't exactly get up to the same level of off-roading as JC did but I did take it off the beaten track for some dirty fun.
But first, on the road. I'm not sure if it was detuned for the poor fuel quality in Fiji, but the engine didn't have a life at all. It started, quietly. It accelerated with no fuss and also no emotion either. In fact, the engine was so smooth, it would sort of loft you around the place. But before you knew it, you were doing the national speed limit of 80 km/h.
The car handled the road fine for the higher centre of gravity and narrow body. I wouldn't push it past 100 km/h. So I'm not sure how it would fair on Sydney roads. Though Fiji's best road is about as good as our worst. But the little Terios lapped it up without an issue.
I launched it off a speed hump, as my first lesson in driving in Fiji was learnt. The speed hump signs are posted at the bump, not before it. And because of the state of the road, you can't tell it's coming. Whoosh! off I went, into the air. Landed with a mighty crash, laughed and carried on with my wife verbally abusing me for doing what I just did, by accident of course. She thought otherwise. Luckily with the brilliant headroom, my 6ft 4inches didn't hit the roof lining.
The gearbox was notchy, but I think with this car it complimented it. It gave it a rougher feel which I think was to its benefit, it's a small car, and I got laughed at by family and friends. The clutch was really light. The brakes were made of wood. No feel at all but they did work quite progressively and I'm still alive to tell the tale.
The dashboard, although cheap by my standards was rattle free and put together well. It did the job, and so did the instrument cluster. I had all the vital information I needed. The rattles were elsewhere though... by elsewhere I mean everywhere else.
For a small car it had an ample amount of room. It looks smaller than my FIAT Punto yet the interior was just as spacious, and the boot was bigger! The boot floor was also flush with the opening. Making loading and unloading a lot easier.
Usually a Front Wheel Drive car in daily life, it is easily flicked over to 4WD at the push of a button. And spending a couple of hours in the Sigatoka wind farm confirmed that it is a capable Four Wheel Drive. I went down some pretty steep declines and made it back up them too with some loss of traction with the road orientated tyres. And although my wife was concerned about getting stuck, I knew the little 4WD would make it.
The thing to remember is, this is a cheap and economical 4WD that I think would hold its own in an off-road adventure. It can go places a Patrol can't and it uses a damn sight less fuel. I consistently got about 500kms out of a tank with a 1/4 tank left over. Though fuel in Fiji is quite dear ($2.35 per L) it cost about $70 to top up the tank.
Competitors are the Suzuki Jimny Sierra and maybe the Holden Cruz. The Holden is a lot smaller on the inside, and not built as well. The Suzuki has been around since Jesus was a boy. Having not driven one though, I'd say that it would be similar to the Terios, if anything not as refined, as I have been in many Suzuki cars and on many of their bikes, they tend to be more fun but not as well finished as other marquees.
The air-con worked really well. Cooling the cabin very quickly, which was something of importance in Fiji's warm Winter (28°C every day). Once the cabin was cooled to an acceptable level, I turned off the air and opened the windows for some nice fresh air and so I was more accustomed to the heat, coming from Sydney's 5°C the day I left here.
Would I buy the Terios?
YES. If I was in the market for a small off-roader that I could also drive around town without feeling guilty by using a big Patrol or LandBruiser. That is, if Daihatsu still brought cars to Australia. If you wanted a cheap 4WD that was light on the fuel and maintenance, that was capable off-road and looked okay then I'd look for a second hand Terios or wish Daihatsu came back to Australia.
It was a great little car that was fun to drive.
Steve
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