Daihatsu Materia Review
Published: 24th October 2007
Daihatsu Materia
The rear seats have a 60:40 split but also recline and slide fore and aft by 160mm. They can be flattened to form an impromptu bed, together with the front seats and the range of movement allows between 181- and 294-litres of space. Alternatively, the seats can be folded in order to increase the load capacity to 619-litres with a space for a bottle at the side and a compartment under the rear floor.
It has to be said that driving the Materia is little like being in your own personal cave. There is plenty of space but the black fabric-covered seats, black headlining, fascia and doors together with the high shoulder line and darkened rear windows makes for a very dark interior, even in daylight. On the other hand, the lack of distracting colour schemes, improves concentration.
It isn’t all gloom as, in quirky Daihatsu fashion, there are thin, blue, neon-like circles that surround the speaker in the front doors and a blue glow emanates from behind the front armrests, which can be switched off, if preferred.
The fascia is unusual, too. A stadium-like arc stretches the width of the car and concentrates all the important functions in a central, layered stack. At the top of the dashboard is the shrouded, main instrument panel with 3D-like display, while the next level down has the centre air vents for the air-conditioning system. Below this is the integrated audio system, comprising a radio/CD with MP3 functionality. It’s not the best on the market but is adequate enough. The audio panel has a glossy black surround that matches the outer air vents.
You only get one engine choice and that’s Hobson’s. The 1.5-litre, petrol engine is mated to either a 4-speed automatic ‘box or a 5-speed manual, as in the test car. The 4-cyclinder unit features Dynamic Variable Valve Timing (DVVT), which helps with the low-speed torque and high rev responses, a chain-driven cam-shaft, that won’t stretch or snap and the catalytic converter regenerates itself, so it lasts longer, which means that the 169g/km (176g/km, auto) CO2 doesn’t increase as the engine ages. Apparently, this last feature was a ‘world first’ on the Daihatsu Sirion, in 2005.
