Japanese manufacturer Daihatsu has launched a New Year five-year ‘peace-of-mind’ warranty campaign on selected models.

Both the Terios mini-SUV and Sirion five-door supermini will come with five years’ unlimited mileage warranty plus five years’ UK roadside recovery to support their already excellent whole-life costs.

The offer is designed to continue Daihatsu’s sustained sales growth which saw car sales increase by more than 24 per cent in 2007. 

The award-winning Terios 1.5 S costs £12,995 on-the-road despite a high standard specification which includes air-conditioning, power-steering, ABS with EBD and full-time four-wheel drive with electronic centre diff-lock.

Also standard on the Terios are driver, passenger and side airbags, radio/CD player, four electric windows and even reverse parking sensors.

Being considerably larger than the previous Terios – and boasting a generous 380 litre capacity boot – the Daihatsu flagship also has three rear-seat three-point seat-belts.

Running costs are low for a 4x4 with a ‘politically-correct’ Extra Urban fuel consumption of 40.4 mpg for the Terios 1.5 S and a highly-competitive Group 7D insurance rating.

The Terios was voted a ‘4x4 Of The Year’ winner for the second year running by 4x4 magazine. It now holds the title of: ‘Budget Class Winner – 2008’.

Meanwhile, the popular Sirion supermini which enjoyed a 54 per cent sales increase in 2007 – holds the title of: ‘Best Buy For Under £7,500’ with What Car? magazine.

The ’08 Sirion range of 1.0, 1.3 litre – and now 1.5 hatchbacks – start at £7,495 on-the-road with, again, generous equipment which includes air-conditioning, ABS with EBD, driver, passenger and side airbags, radio/CD player, four electric windows and remote central-locking.

The Sirion also has outstanding fuel economy, recording 64.2 mpg on the Extra Urban Cycle for the 1.0 litre version which also has an ultra-low CO2 of 118 g/km.

This results in a £35 per year Road Fund Licence and potential to be ‘Congestion Charge-free’ under new proposals for London due to come into effect this spring.