Daihatsu Copen On A Farewell Tour

2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 09:36

One must not approach the Daihatsu Copen with reason. The small Japanese alternative to the Audi TT simply has too many disadvantages for the cult factor in these latitudes to bring the Copen a large number of fans.

By Sabine Stahl

In addition to the Dahaitsu Copen mini convertible, even the smallest drivers feel big. Because the two-seated dwarf only reaches up to the chest even for a 1.60-meter person. The Japanese fun mobile even goes up to the stomach of a 1.85 meter man. Even so, even a giant seat will find enough space in the Matchbox car - provided that it ducks its head at the right moment.

Expensive and impractical

The Copen is no ordinary convertible. It's tiny, the technology is the same as it was ten years ago and the design is a matter of taste. Nevertheless, the polarizing mini-mobile costs at least 19,090 euros - for that you get a VW Golf with four doors, a leather steering wheel and enough space for a stroller. But the drivers of a Copen don't want all that. Because the little Japanese is the exact opposite of the reason car Golf.

The Copen is expensive, impractical and has virtually no safety equipment. But in return it can do what the Golf does only with difficulty: arouse emotions. Of course, these are not always of a positive nature and range from "cute" to "iconic" to "catastrophic". But a Copen driver doesn't care about the opinion of the others. He enjoys his extravagant mobile that, in addition to its striking appearance, is also a lot of fun.

No ESP available

Because thanks to its flying curb weight of 850 kilos, the small car shows extremely spirited driving behavior. The 1.3-liter gasoline engine with 64 kW / 87 hp lets the small car spurt to 100 km / h in 9.5 seconds. The short wheelbase of 2.23 meters also enables particularly light-footed prancing through tight curves. However, the driver should not overdo it with the speed, because the anti-skid ESP cannot be ordered for the front-wheel drive.

Caution is advised when the roof is open, as torsional stiffness is not one of the strengths of the Copen and therefore an unsafe driving experience, especially in corners, which is reinforced by a lot of rattling sheet metal. Nevertheless, with the Copen, as with all convertibles, the open ride is the nicest thing about the whole car. The two-part folding roof disappears into the trunk at the push of a button. Before doing this, it must be unlocked at two points above the windshield and tall occupants should bow their heads. Otherwise, the lid stays on the pot, as the driver's head disturbs the responsible sensor and the roof only opens when the head is tilted.

Retro in the interior

When the roof is opened, the trunk volume shrinks to the size of a lady's handbag and the picnic basket for the trip into the countryside has to stay at home. There is also only a small amount of storage space in the interior. Next to the glove compartment there is a storage compartment under a flap in the center console. However, you shouldn't put too much stuff there, as the buttons for opening the trunk lid and for the fuel filler lid are nonsensically here. Small nets are stretched on the inside of the door, in which at least a packet of handkerchiefs and a ballpoint pen can be deposited.

The interior of the small car is dominated by the disproportionately large wooden steering wheel, which creates a little retro feeling. The spherical gearshift lever of the five-speed gearbox is made of chrome-colored plastic and sits comfortably in the hand. You feel retro in a negative sense when you look at the center console, where you will find a radio with a cassette deck and ventilation that is operated by a slide control. The windshield wiper system is also completely free of convenience and requires the wiper to be switched on manually when the spray system is operated. The driver also looks in vain for an on-board computer with a consumption display or automatic light in the Copen. The standard leather seats are extremely comfortable, at least for small people, while longer journeys taller passengers will probably complain about a lack of legroom.

No name to score

The Daihatsu Copen is expensive and impractical, but you are used to that from other fun cars in miniature format. However, these can still score with a big name like Fiat 500 or Mini Cooper. However, it is extremely difficult to become a cult vehicle without an image. So it's no wonder that Daihatsu only sold 129 copies of the crazy playmobile last year and has now stopped production. It is still unclear whether and when a new generation will follow. A small, fine fan base will hardly be able to wait for a new model to be accepted. (mid)