IT'S car wars on the streets. With public transport in a mess, congestion getting worse and motoring costs rising, the well equipped city car is enjoying a boom in popularity.
The battle for sales means that prices and specifications have never been keener and the choice is growing all the time. The challenge is for car makers to give us more without affecting the value of their existing products.
Now Toyota has been very smart and while maintaining its relative values it is pushing into the city sector with its subsidiary Daihatsu brand.
It has introduced the 2005 version of the Daihatsu Sirion, always a popular model, and kitted it out with standard electric power steering, air conditioning, twin front airbags, CD-player, powered windows and remote locking. All for just under £7,000.
It is a remarkably good value package and you may be tempted to ask if it falls short in the mechanical or chassis departments. Essentially, no.
It uses a very clever three-cylinder engine with good, willing output, that delivers excellent economy and performance which allows it to keep up with the flow in busy streets.
OK, so even with an economically biased five-speed box, it does not have road burning ability but if you think about your driving, plan your overtaking and can make the most of its good power-to-weight ratio, you can make good progress and surprise a few drivers.
That lack of power means you have to decide, commit and go but it's so responsive that is rarely a problem and if you are content to just become part of the city scene it is very comfortable.
And its practical as well with its five-door body and folding back seats which give up to 630-litres when stowed. I would have liked slightly longer seat cushions in the front to support long legs but the back-rest and adjustment were good.
Visibility is also excellent and I can see why it would make an excellent car for a driving instructor to use for teaching because all corners are in sight, the windows are big and the excellent power steering and strong brakes as well as the slick gearchange make it effortless to manoeuvre around town.
Oddments room is good throughout even if the compartments are on the small side but on a hot day you will appreciate the a/c system.
Performance is modest through the gears and it does make a bit of a fuss cruising on the motorway, but up to 60mph it is very composed and rides over bad surfaces with surprising smoothness even if the suspension can be heard working away underneath.
Without any effort it bettered 50mpg and you sometimes wonder if the Sirion will ever run out as it holds 40 litres.
If you want more power there is the Sirion 1.3 with optional autobox for £800 more, but if running costs really matter it is hard to beat the Sirion 1.0 S.
It is very roomy for a car of this price and with its good equipment level it is a tough rival to others.
FAST FACTS
Daihatsu Sirion 1.0 S 5dr
Price: £6,995
Mechanical: 69bhp, 998cc, 3cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 5spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 99mph
0-62mph: 13.5 secs
Combined mpg: 56.5
Insurance group: 4
CO2 emissions: 118g/km
BiK rating: 15%
Warranty: 3yrs/ unlimited mileage; 3yrs paint; 6yrs anti-rust