Overview

THE Terios 4WD looks like a serious off-roader, but behaves like a tall city-based small car.

Its monocoque body, five-link axle and coil spring suspension all-round and no low-range gearbox sees to that.

And that’s how Daihatsu intends it to be, since the appropriately named Rocky sold alongside the Terios for buyers after a real mud-plugging 4X4.

The Terios’ narrow, tall four-seater four-door wagon body comes in two models – DX and SX.

Power comes courtesy of a 61kW/105Nm 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine, mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearbox driving all four wheels.

A diff lock is standard.

In mid-’99 minor trim changes were applied to the whole range, while a more comprehensive facelift during 2000 resulted in a new grille, trim and an upgraded engine.