Wednesday 7th May 2003

Daihatsu YRV Turbo 130

Hideous shopping car gets turbo and sequential 'box

---

The UK’s most powerful and most hideous 1.3 litre car – the Daihatsu YRV Turbo 130 – enters dealer showrooms later this month.  It even boasts a steering wheel-mounted automatic gearchange.

As the name suggests, Maximum power is about 130bhp with 125.4 lb.ft of torque allowing it to scorch to sixty in a lethargic 8.1 seconds.

All YRVs feature a 1,298 cc all-alloy four-cylinder 16-valve twin overhead camshaft petrol engine with DVVT – Dynamic Variable Valve Timing. This optimises power and torque over a wide rev-range. It's then coupled to the lightweight, fast-response turbo with intercooler.

Called ‘Steershift’ the automatic transmission has been specially adapted to suit the characteristics of the turbocharger to mask any lag when accelerating. The ‘Steershift’ system uses steering-wheel-mounted, finger-operated buttons with ‘+’ or ‘-’ to change up or down.

Alternatively, the driver can forget about changing gear altogether by selecting ‘Drive’ on the conventional floor-mounted shift lever.

The YRV – originally launched in March 2001 – already enjoys what Daihatsu laughingly call a "distinctive double wedge style" - which is a euphomism for ugly.

It's called ‘double wedge’ because of the two different sweeping belt lines of the side windows, intended to disguise the depth of the body.

The Turbo 130 also gets a distinctive bonnet air-intake, large fog lamps set in a black panel, high-gloss, 10-spoke alloy wheels with 175/55 R15 tyres and a standard ‘panorama’ fixed glass roof, stretching from the windscreen over the front seats.

Additional exterior features specially developed by the UK importer include twin exhaust tail pipes, special badges, a red background to the front and rear ‘Daihatsu’ logos and striking side stripes.

Inside, the UK model benefits from an aluminium foot-rest and leather-bound steering wheel, gear-lever and gaiter.

Finally, set into the instrument cluster are two ‘change-up’ lights for use in ‘Steershift’ mode. The first in green illuminates at 6,200 rpm to give the driver advanced notice that an upchange is needed. Then, when 6,600 rpm is approached, a red light advises that the ‘+’ should be hit.

Give 'em credit... they're trying!

[v8thunder]

Double-wedge styling? So that's their excuse for having fitted two pairs of front doors by accident, is it? There are some good hot hatches, some reasonable hot hatches, and some which should have never been thought about in the first place - just someone on the Daihatsu board of executives who thought every model in the range should be 'sporty' - despite the fact that it's a baggy, top-heavy mumsymobile.

[t1grm]

Interesting to note that the change up light doesn't comes on until 6200 rpm. How would it play on the warranty if some knob took it in for it's first annual service and the thing had the living s**t thrashed out of it only to find said knob had been taking it up to 6200 in each gear before changing up everywhere they drove it ? Would they pay up then ?

I think my Chimp's rev limiter used to cut in around 6K and I very rarely used to take it over 4.5 - 5K rpm unless I was on a track day.

Next time I hear a hairdryer that’s about explode coming up behind me I’ll know it’s one of these being driven by some dimwit that thinks they can’t change gear until the green light comes on .

[lx993]

hey, hang on - 6200 rpm isn't that much for a Jap engine.

Don't judge all motors by the standards of the Rover V8 - it's an ancient design.

Even my old 205 GTi is happy up to around 8000 rpm.

[zetec]

LOL can't wait to see that parked (wonky) in tescos

[ATG]

Thank God they remembered to fit massive front fogs.

[johnnystorm]

I gather you are all too manly to drive such a car Before my Fiat Coupe turbo I used to have a grey import Toyota Starlet GT Turbo. That was limited to 7200rpm and was the VVT-less version of this engine. The 0-60 is pretty poor compared to my Starlet, and power is down as well. With the slightest fettling this ugly box could be shaming your cars!

[v8thunder]

But even Clarkson praised the Starlet. It wasn't a 'bad' hot hatch because it's handling and light weight made it an ideal candidate for improvement - a little zing added to the tedium. This YRV, on the other hand, is just a bad place to start - top-heavy, hideous to behold and, due to probable weight distribution, a dreadful handler.

[v17]

nah m8z ur all lost.. how d hell can u compare v8s wiv a lil 1.3?!?! 6200rev aint much??? try gettin dat on a SAME 1.3 fiesta or clio.. u jokers 8.1s! wot bout d other SAME CLASS CARS? 10 secs and up! aight i admit d body needs lowerin but read d flippin name: YRV! its a recreational vehicle so it gotta hav bare space! oh and wots up wiv dat dude goin on about d red n green lights?! which dumb f**ker would do dat newayz?! allow u bias players man. u should jst stick to ur measly lil 106s wiv like 50horses. this aint no hot-hatch so stop tryin to compare it wiv d likes

[v8thunder]

Huh?!?!

[MrFlibbles]

v8thunder said: Huh?!?!

Good point

I particularly like the TURBO 130 decals down the side which are both tasteful and understated.

[iggysport]

v17 said:

nah m8z ur all lost.. how d hell can u compare v8s wiv a lil 1.3?!?! 6200rev aint much??? try gettin dat on a SAME 1.3 fiesta or clio.. u jokers 8.1s! wot bout d other SAME CLASS CARS? 10 secs and up! aight i admit d body needs lowerin but read d flippin name: YRV! its a recreational vehicle so it gotta hav bare space! oh and wots up wiv dat dude goin on about d red n green lights?! which dumb f**ker would do dat newayz?! allow u bias players man. u should jst stick to ur measly lil 106s wiv like 50horses. this aint no hot-hatch so stop tryin to compare it wiv d likes

Wastemanz

[anonymous-user]

iggysport said:

Wastemanz

nearly 10 year old thread, got to be a record..

[iggysport]