Daihatsu Materia (07-10) - Review

Review by Parkers on
Last Updated: 24 September 2009
The Materia is a small car that genuinely stands out from the crowd. You’ll either love its squared-off low-riding look or hate it. For those who love it, it’s worth considering it as an alternative to the Vauxhall Meriva and Nissan Note. That’s because with a decent standard equipment list, roomy interior and good build quality it makes quite a sensible buy. It’s not a car that’s blisteringly quick or special to drive, but it is one that’s distinctive and guaranteed to get you noticed – whether you like it or not.
3 out of 5

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3 out of 5

Summary

New price range:

£11,308 - £12,172

Used price range:

£3,587 - £6,920

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Loads of space inside, stands out from the crowd

Noisy at speed, styling divides opinion, no diesel option, unrefined ride

The Materia is a small car that genuinely stands out from the crowd. You’ll either love its squared-off low-riding look or hate it. For those who love it, it’s worth considering it as an alternative to the Vauxhall Meriva and Nissan Note. That’s because with a decent standard equipment list, roomy interior and good build quality it makes quite a sensible buy. It’s not a car that’s blisteringly quick or special to drive, but it is one that’s distinctive and guaranteed to get you noticed – whether you like it or not.

Driving & Performance

  • Performance

    2.5 out of 5

    "The sole 102bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine is surprisingly lively and willing. The 0-62mph time of 10.8..."

  • Handling

    2.5 out of 5

    "On the road, it soon becomes obvious that the Materia is designed for town drivers. The ride is very..."

Comfort

  • Comfort

    3 out of 5

    "Rear passengers are treated to a huge amount of space. The square shape provides lots of headroom..."

  • Practicality

    4 out of 5

    "One of the Materia's big strengths is the amount of room inside. That square shape may look odd, but..."

  • Equipment

    4 out of 5

    "There's just one equipment level avaiable and it comes with a sliding and reclining 60/40 split rear..."

  • Behind the wheel

    3 out of 5

    "The Materia's interior is especially striking. Most of the instruments are in the centre of the..."

Costs

  • Running costs

    3 out of 5

    "The Materia may be well equipped, robust and only around in small numbers, but it still performs..."

  • Green credentials

    2 out of 5

    "It performs fairly poorly for a small car, with C02 emission of 169g/km (176g/km for the automatic)."

Safety & Reliability

  • Safety

    4 out of 5

    "The Materia hasn't been crash tested by Euro NCAP, although buyers can be reassured that recent..."

  • Reliability

    4 out of 5

    "The Materia feels solid and benefits from Daihatsu's long-running reputation for building durable..."

Buying & Selling

  • Buying new

    3 out of 5

    "Daihatsu dealers are fairly sparse, so you may have to travel some way to find one (making hard to..."

  • Buying used

    2.5 out of 5

    "The Materia is quite a rare sight on the used market and due to the low numbers, the majority of..."

  • Selling

    2.5 out of 5

    "The Materia's oddball looks could work in its favour when you're selling and appeal to buyers..."

Gallery

  • Interior Daihatsu Materia (07-10)
  • Exterior Daihatsu Materia (07-10)
  • Exterior Daihatsu Materia (07-10)
  • Exterior Daihatsu Materia (07-10)

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Owners' reviews