THE Daihatsu Terios Sport is solid and reliable - but a little dull.
For just £12,495 I suppose you should not expect too much excitement with this 4x4. But you have to ask yourself is a top speed of only 90mph really worth the price?
When the Terios Sport was delivered for my test drive I had high expectations. Having never driven a 4x4 before I was pretty excited about having a powerful motor that was able to tackle all terrains, tower above the other traffic and corner with ease.
Yet what I actually received was a sluggish vehicle that seemed to be a little slippery in wet weather and a little unstable during high winds!
To be fair, I never once thought I was going to lose control of it. But travelling along the slippy and wide-open M6 Toll Road it did feel like driving a hovercraft at times.
The Daihatsu Terios Sport 1.3 looks pretty impressive with its 17x7ins alloy wheels carrying low-profile 225/55 tyres.
It has good air-conditioning and a great four-speaker CD player. It also comes with power-steering, twin front airbags and electric windows.
Yet the interior is a bit of a let-down with a cloth-carpet feel to the seats. The dashboard is practical without being particularly eye-catching.
My wife and I took the 4x4 for a long drive and it got a big thumbs-up from her in terms of comfort. She was also mightily impressed by the luggage space as we were able to store two bags of compost, a bizarrely-shaped tree and a few plants - whose names I cannot spell - in the boot.
Yet while the journey was comfortable it did lack something that I cannot quite put my finger on.
Daihatsu doesn't use anything larger than a 1.3-litre engine in any of its five-model range, but that does not mean there is a lack of choice available from the Japanese firm.
As long as it's small then Daihatsu makes it, from the eye-catching Copen cabriolet with electric folding steel roof, to the stylish Yaris-like YRV.
Power for the Terios Sport comes from a modified 1.3-litre Toyota engine - not altogether surprising, considering Toyota owns 51 per cent of Daihatsu.
But it uses a different engine management programming and induction system aimed at boosting low and mid-range torque - ultra important to any SUV.
The end result is that the Terios produces more than 88lb/ft torque at just 3,200rpm yet returns more than 30mpg. Not bad.
Overall, a good vehicle - but certainly not outstanding.
FAST FACTS
Daihatsu Terios Sport 1.3
Price: £12,495
Mechanical: 85bhp, 1,298cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving all four wheels via a 5-spd manual gearbox
Max Speed: 90mph
0-62mph: 12.9 secs
Combined mpg: 36.7
Insurance Group: 8
CO2 emissions: 183g/km
BiK rating: 22%
Warranty: 3yrs/ unlimited mileage; 3yrs paint; 6yrs anti-rust