Daihatsu Copen (04-10) - Review

With the roof up the Copen is as good as a standard coupe, but on the motorway road, engine and wind noise are all intrusive. With the roof down there's plenty of buffeting and at anything approaching decent speeds the experience becomes noisy and uncomfortable. The ride isn't particularly good either and is made even worse if you opt for the optional sports suspension pack. As you'd expect considering the small size, the Copen is cramped inside with limited elbow space, but the figure-hugging seats are quite comfortable, even on long journeys, and air conditioning is standard on all models.

The biggest annoyance with the Copen is the non-existent boot. It's okay with the roof up, but lower it and there's only enough space for a couple of shopping bags. The roof itself isn't particularly quick either - taking 25 seconds to lower - plus you have to release two clips first before it folds down. There's minimal storage in the cabin either with tiny door pockets, a small glovebox and a lockable central cubby.

The driving position is best described as cosy, but even though the Copen is small, it comes with a reach adjustable steering column - unusual on a small car like this. The finish isn't bad but the quality of the materials leaves something to be desired and the cabin looks dated - not helped by the aftermarket stereo on most cars. Forward visibility is good, but with the roof up the view out of the back isn't great and reverse parking can be tricky.