2005 Daihatsu D-Compact 4x4 - AllCarIndex

Original name: ダイハツ D-Compact 4x4

World Premiere: D-Compact 4X4 — more than just a concept vehicle

1. Concept

SUVs are popular for their strong and macho image. But at the same time there are many people who feel that SUVs are not particularly easy to drive in everyday situations.

But even among these people who would rather drive a passenger car on a regular basis on account of its ease of handling, there are many who wouldn’t mind driving an SUV when they are on a snowy road because the latter would be safer in such a situation.

The D-Compact 4X4 is Daihatsu’s proposal for a new compact SUV featuring powerful, dynamic and advanced styling.

Wrapped in a stylish body, the D-Compact 4X4 offers pure sport utility capability plus ease of use in town. Reconciling these seemingly contradictory criteria, the D-Compact 4X4 proposes a brand new SUV concept that combines typical SUV strengths with the agility to cope with any road condition and enough manoeuvrability to enable stress-free driving in congested city streets.

2. Interior and exterior

A new SUV style that’s powerful, dynamic and advanced The D-Compact 4X4 is not only ideal for off-road driving but also great for negotiating city streets. Thanks to the large diameter tyres arranged at the four corners of the body, the D-Compact 4X4 drives with agility and stability in all kinds of road conditions.

A long wheelbase and super-short overhangs give this car a uniquely proportioned form that simply oozes presence in any off-road or on-road situations. Powerful bumpers and muscular wheel-arch flares contribute to the D-Compact 4X4’s strong SUV character.

The D-Compact 4X4 is also designed to be a compact SUV with a stylish character that sparkles even in the middle of the city. The flowing lines that extend from the A-pillars to the roof ends, the roundish and modern front face, and the wedge-shaped belt lines and side character lines add up to a dynamic and sophisticated style.

The roomy and comfortable interior features sharp and clear-cut design controls that make operating this vehicle a pure joy. Sit yourself in the driver’s seat and grab the steering wheel, and you will be filled with the anticipation of an exciting drive in the D-Compact 4X4.

3. Packaging and the ease of use

A compact body and highly efficient packaging exceeding even that of a higher-class vehicle Easy to drive even in congested city traffic and on narrow streets

The D-Compact 4X4’s long wheelbase and short overhangs contribute not only to its beautifully proportioned styling but also to its comfortable interior and ease of use. The D-Compact 4X4 has sufficient room to seat five adults in comfort in addition to ample space for luggage.

Despite the compact body, the long wheelbase and the tyres arranged at the four corners of the body create a surprisingly large interior space.

The seats can be arranged in a variety of formations to accommodate different combinations of people and luggage. The luggage compartment has also been given a flat floor so that the entire storage space can be used more efficiently.

Tilt steering plus a seat-height adjuster, shoulder-anchor adjuster and long seat slide allow the driver to assume the best driving position regardless of individual stature. The high eye point ensures excellent forward visibility, while a turning circle of only10 metres (wall-to-wall) affords the D-Compact 4X4 excellent manoeuvrability, allowing the driver to operate the vehicle with ease while the passengers enjoy a smooth and easy ride. The D-Compact 4X4 provides everybody aboard with the true comfort and joy of motoring.

4. Power train

SUV performance that’s ready for pure off-road driving

The D-Compact 4X4 is powered by a newly developed 1.5-litre engine that’s compact and offers an excellent overall balance. Rich torque in the low to medium rev range ensures powerful thrust when starting from standing, and overtaking at high speed is also a breeze. In all kinds of driving situations, this new engine provides the vehicle with a powerful SUV performance.

The full time 4WD with a centre differential lock is a reliable feature when driving in tricky situations such as at high speed, over rough terrain and on slippery roads. When cornering, the centre differential lock is activated to prevent the tight-corner braking phenomenon. When a wheel on one side of the vehicle gets stuck in the mud, the driver can simply turn on the centre differential lock switch and escape easily.

The D-Compact 4X4’s compact yet powerful 1.5-litre engine promises power in off-road driving and agility in city driving.

5. Safety

Advanced safety technologies

Many people have a positive safety image concerning SUVs because of their ruggedness, good visibility and off-road capability. The D-Compact 4X4 does not betray their expectations. All Daihatsu cars have to pass a number of crash tests that are among the toughest in the world. These include a full impact frontal crash test and a side impact crash test at 55 km/h, a rear impact crash test at 50 km/h and a frontal offset crash test at 64 km/h. The D-Compact 4X4 has passed Daihatsu’s rigorous standards in all of these tests with respect to maintaining sufficient occupant survival space and the level of injuries sustained by dummies.

For enhanced occupant safety, the D-Compact 4X4 is wrapped in a safety body that provides increased cabin strength and is equipped with safety features including curtain-shield airbags, a soft upper interior and an airbag-cut-off switch. In addition, VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) is employed to control the movement of the vehicle in all directions for even greater safety. VSC increases safety on slippery road surfaces such as on snow-covered roads or when making sharp turns at high speed.

The D-Compact 4X4 also includes state-of-the-art technologies to protect pedestrians, including bonnet hinges, wings and a bonnet that are crushable as well as a shock-absorbing structure. The D-Compact 4X4’s pedestrian-protection performance proved to be on a par with Euro NCAP’s three-star rating in the tests conducted by Daihatsu.

SOURCE: Daihatsu