NRMA Car Review - Daihatsu Mira

Hailed as a modern-day successor to the original Morris "Mini", the new 660 cc four-door Daihatsu Mira hatch is what's known in Japan as a Kei Car.

No, it doesn't mean you have to wind them up! The "Kei" name-tag simply refers to a specific class of cars that by nature (and Japanese car tax regulations), are built to a specific size in both body dimensions and engine capacity. Kei Cars are considerably smaller than our usual concept of what constitutes a "small car" (making them ideal for zipping around town and slotting into the tiniest of parking spots) and have engines no bigger than a medium-size motor cycle.

The engines were originally 550 cc, but more recently, have increased to 660 cc, as in these new Mira hatches. Because of their light weight, Kei cars usually provide ample performance for city and suburban running.

Besides their superb ease of handling and parking, the major attractions of these cars are a low purchase price and outstanding fuel economy.

Prices and features

With the new Mira hatches, Daihatsu says it is targeting owners currently driving aged, unreliable vehicles and younger buyers forced to shop at the budget end of the market. At a recommended retail price of $10,490, the four-seater, four-door Mira (or five-door if you count the rear hatch) is the cheapest such vehicle on the market.

For buyers on an even tighter budget, the four-seat, two-door (or three-door counting hatch) Mira costs $9,990. The two-seat Mira van continues with the 850 cc engine and costs $8,907 in base form.
I mentioned at the start of this report how the Mira hatch has been touted as a replacement for the Mini Minor and it's perhaps interesting to make a few comparisons between the two vehicles. Back in 1960, the Mini cost £775 ($1550) which was around 39 weeks' wages or three quarters of a year's average salary. At $ 10,490, the Mira eats up about 19 weeks or 37 per cent of the yearly wage. Working against this comparison is the fact that we seem to have a lot more consumer items to stretch our income between these days.

Despite its smaller engine (three cylinders   660 cc, compared to four cylinders - 850 cc for the Mini) and slightly heavier mass, the 660 cc Mira shows the benefit of modern engine technology by producing more power and outperforming the Mini. Fuel consumption is also less in the Mira. The Mini was renowned for its excellent road-holding and this is one area where I don't think the Mira has any great advantage. Interior space is another aspect where the Mini. still stands comparison thirty-two years on.

Some of the greatest advances that have taken place are to do with reliability, maintenance required and equipment levels. Back in the days of the Mini, radios and heaters were optional extras; our tester at the time took the trouble to mention that the Mini was even fitted with "self-cancelling blinker lights"!

But I guess we're never satisfied and though the Mira comes with a radio/cassette player, internal releases for the fuel flap and rear hatch, twin exterior mirrors, front and rear mudflaps and full wheel covers, there are some things missing which are common on many contemporary vehicles. For example, there is no internal adjustment facility for the exterior mirrors and no anti-glare dipping for the interior mirror (following headlights can be a real annoyance). The radio has only a manual tuning knob for station selection.

Though the Mira displays surprisingly good panel and paint finish, the quality of some interior trim items looks cheap and flimsy. These include the cabin carpet and the vinyl cargo floor trim, and the rear seat backing trim.

Another disappointing aspect of the Mira is its score in the NRMA's Theft Rating evaluation. It scored only 13 points out of a possible 100, placing it at the bottom of the list for small cars. However, the Hyundai Excel, Daihatsu Charade and Suzuki Swift don't rate much better.

Comfort and space

Luggage space is fairly limited, with just enough room for the weekly groceries or a couple of soft bags. Folding the rear seat backrest down doesn't help much as you're left with a large step up and a non-solid seat back which is going to get damaged if you rest items on it.

Comfort and space for occupants is also a bit of a mixed bag. Drivers have to cope with the pedals being offset to the left and if you're long-legged like myself, you will have trouble fitting your knees under the steering wheel. I had to operate the clutch and brake at an uncomfortable angle and had nowhere to comfortably rest my left foot. The front seats are rather small and offer little support.

Daihatsu has sensibly limited the seating capacity to four, leaving plenty of hip room for the two in the back. If the front seats are set right back, rear leg room isn't really enough for adults, however, a couple of children can fit quite comfortably.

No one expects small cars to ride like a limousine, but the Mira's choppy and bumpy ride becomes rather tiring after a while. It's a feature that buyers should make sure they're satisfied with before buying.

Behind the wheel

On a more positive note, the Mira is a dream to handle around town. The non-power assisted steering isn't too heavy and the car's small size and tiny turning circle make it easy to park. Vision is very good in all directions for driving, though I couldn't get enough vertical adjustment on the exterior mirrors to ideally aim them for my requirements.

On the road

In going to a smaller capacity engine, but adding multi-valve technology and electronic fuel injection, Daihatsu has ended up with a higher peak power output than the 850 cc engine, but has lost ground where maximum torque (pulling power) is concerned.

On the road, this equates to good performance if you're prepared to keep the engine revving fairly hard, but rather leisurely progress otherwise. Driven enthusiastically, the Mira has no trouble keeping up with the general traffic flow, but I prefer the smoother feel and more powerful in-gear acceleration of a slightly larger capacity four-cylinder engine such as found in Subaru's Fiori.

The Mira shouldn't disappoint any buyers with its fuel consumption. With figures of 6.1 litres/100 km around town, 5.2 on the highway and 5.7 overall, it rates as a very economical vehicle.

Handling rates as satisfactory, but fairly uninspiring. Understeer is the predominant characteristic and there's some jiggling around on bumpy surfaces. Overall, the Mira is easy to handle and safe as long as you don't try anything silly.

The front disc/rear drum braking system on the Mira is adequate for the job, but it didn't prove especially effective m achieving short stopping distances when we tested its maximum braking capabilities from 80 to 0 km/h. The pedal effort for both normal and emergency braking was light and the brakes showed satisfactory resistance to fade under heavy use.

In conjunction with the introduction of the 660 cc engine, the transmission has gained an extra ratio. The fifth speed reduces engine speeds when cruising, reduces noise and improves fuel economy. It may have been due to the newness of the test car (it had only done 500 km when we first got it) but the gearshift was notchy at times when selecting first and second gears.

Servicing

The compact three-cylinder engine fits easily into the equally compact engine bay to leave good access for servicing and routine checks. Service is at the usual intervals, after the initial service at 1000 km, maintenance is scheduled every 10,000 km or six months. Warranty is a generous three years/60,000 km.

Summary

With seating for four people and the option of two-door or four-door body styles, the new 660 cc Miras are a welcome addition to Daihatsu's growing family of "micro" and "mini" cars.

Obviously, cars of this size aren't for everyone, due to their limitations in terms of space, comfort and performance. But for buyers on a limited budget who want a new car that's both cheap to operate and extremely easy to handle and park, one of these Miras could well prove the ideal vehicle for commuting around the city and suburbs.

By NRMA Motoring, June 1992.

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