Overall Rating |  |
Daihatsu's diminutive, toy-like Copen roadster may be miniscule, but it's a proper sports car with a clever metal folding roof and it's available at an affordable price.
For
- Great fun to drive
- Clever folding steel roof
- Cute, characterful and original
Against
- Cramped, narrow cabin
- Firm, noisy ride
- Interior styling looks a bit dated
Road Test
It may look like a toy, but the Copen is actually great fun to drive and capable of keeping pace with much more powerful and expensive machinery. Its star feature is its metal sliding roof, which ensures coupe-like comfort and body rigidity when it is up. But Daihatsu also deserve credit for Copen's back-to-basics open top appeal.
Copen is really too small to be an everyday or only car the boot is tiny, and the cabin is narrow and cramped. And the ride can be harsh and noisy. All this is forgivable, though, for its sheer character; it's an absolute blast to drive. Power comes from a high-revving turbocharged 660cc three-cylinder engine, which sounds fantastic, and it's easy to drive with either the manual or optional auto gearboxes. The cabin looks just a little dated, with brittle black plastics and old-fashioned switchgear, but it is lifted by optional leather upholstery.
Need To Know
Best Models: One version - 660cc turbo
Alternatives
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Star Ratings
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