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Daihatsu GrandMove (1997 - 2001)

ALL THE RIGHT MOVES (some text hidden) --NONE--

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

Introductionword count: 138

Daihatsu's Grand Move is most definitely an acquired taste. The styling, whilst not as bizarre as its late sibling the Move, is nonetheless on the unorthodox side. Despite this, it represents a cost-effective method of transporting the family, especially if urban trips are a major component of your journeys. The Grand Move was designed to cope with the traffic jams of Tokyo; a reassuring fact to consider when waiting to get onto a local mini roundabout. Just as we like to buy 200-metre waterproof watches and extreme skis as part of our leisure lifestyle, there's something comforting about over-specification. Most of the time this means paying through the nose, though. Not with the Grand Move. With used prices beginning at less than £5,000 whoever thought that starting a family was expensive had obviously never considered the little Daihatsu

Modelsword count: 9

Models Covered: 5dr hatchback, 1.5, 1.6 petrol [Base, +]

Historyword count: 102

The Grand Move was launched in March 1997, priced at levels close to the all-conquering Renault Scenic. Too close in fact, sales suffering from its proximity to Renault's star performer. A slight rethink was necessary. In October 1998 the 88bhp 1.5-litre engines used to power the Grand Move were replaced by 90bhp 1.6-litre units. A whole host of other subtle changes were also introduced. The car was lengthened slightly, the suspension was retuned and bigger brakes were fitted. The staple facelift target items of bumpers, lights and grille were also given a nip and tuck, and the Grand Move+ designation was deleted.

What You Getword count: 321

Basically, a box with wheels. This may sound unappetising, but it's the most effective way of accommodating five adults in as compact a space as possible. In Grand Move+ guise, it's quite a well-equipped box, but the Grand Move is a model that has been designed with a set-sized road 'footprint' in mind and then designers have grappled with the task of getting as many people as possible into that area. The key factor is height. The Grand Move has a high roof and low window line which contribute to an airy feel, giving the impression of a larger car. In fact the Charade-based Grand Move has a full size MPV-like feel from behind the wheel. There's that high, commanding seating position, a vast glass area for superb visibility and a number of seating permutations that include the creation of a double bed. On the debit side, the rear seats can't be removed from the car and the narrowness of the body makes three on the back seat a bit of a squash. Still, given the fact that the most likely rear seat occupants will be children, that probably won't matter. There's certainly room for a lot more luggage than could be carried by an ordinary family hatchback. With a full complement of five passengers aboard, 400 litres of cargo space is available, while folding the rear seats forward increases this to a total of 850 litres. In addition, there are plenty of handy stowage compartments for things like maps, sunglasses and mobile telephones. Standard equipment remains a strongpoint, inclusive of twin front airbags, power steering, an engine immobiliser, central locking, electric mirrors, metallic paint and built-in roof rails. The better-equipped '+' version has been dropped recently but you can get a standard model close to that specification by adding optional items like metallic paint, alloy wheels, ABS, heated mirrors, electric windows, and air conditioning (recommended given that huge glass area).

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Scoring (subset of scores)

Category: MPV People Carriers

Performance
40%
Handling
30%
Comfort
40%
Space
30%
Styling, Build, Value, Equipment, Depreciation, Handling, Insurance and Total scores are available with our full data feed.

This is an excerpt from our full review.
To access the full content library please contact us on 0330 0020 227 or click here

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