- Economical 1.3-litre petrol engine
- Light steering
- Good interior space
- Suspension lacks body control and bump absorption
- Steering lacks precision and is loose straight-ahead
- Small driver’s seat lacks support and steering wheel lacks reach adjustment
- Cheap interior plastics
- Frustrating manual gearshift
Review: Daihatsu M300 Sirion (2005)
Overview
Released in March 2005, the Daihatsu M300 Sirion was a light, five-door hatchback. Manufactured in Japan, the front-wheel drive Sirion was powered by a 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that was mated to either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission. Furthermore, the Sirion range consisted of both a standard and Sports variant.
The 1.3-litre K3-VE four-cylinder petrol engine had double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing and a compression ratio of 10.0:1.
Compared to the M100 Sirion , the M300 Sirion was 75 mm shorter (at 3600 mm), but 75 mm wider (1665 mm), 100 mm taller (1550 mm) and had a 85 mm longer wheelbase (2430 mm). Like its predecessor, the M300 Sirion had MacPherson strut front suspension and a torsion beam rear axle (both with coil springs and hydraulic shock absorbers).
| Variants | Engine | Trans. | Peak power | Peak torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SX, Sports |
1.3-litre petrol I4 | 5sp man., 4sp auto |
64 kW at 600 rpm | 120 Nm at 3200 rpm |
Safety equipment
Standard safety equipment for the Sirion included dual front airbags and front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters. Optional safety equipment included front-seat mounted side airbags, full-length curtain airbags and ABS.
Euro NCAP crash testing
In Euro NCAP crash testing , a left-hand drive Sirion that was fitted with dual front airbags and front side airbags – the latter not fitted to Australian-delivered vehicles as standard – received a four star adult occupant protection rating with a score of 28.55 out of 37. In the offset crash test, protection from serious leg injury was marginal for the driver and weak for the passenger; there was also a slight risk of serious chest injury for the front occupants. In the side impact test, maximum points were awarded.
Features
Standard features for the Sirion SX included a four speaker sound system with CD player, air conditioning, split and folding rear seats, remote central locking, power windows and mirrors, a tilt adjustable steering wheel, height adjustable driver’s seat, cargo cover and an immobiliser.
The Sirion Sports was further equipped with 14-inch alloy wheels and front fog lights. Visually, the Sports variant could be identified by its front and roof-mounted rear spoiler and side skirts.
Related links
