Daihatsu updates the Diva

According to the general manager of Daihatsu SA, Pedro Perreira, the Diva has been extremely well received by women in South Africa, who have welcomed the concept of a car designed for female drivers with open arms and chequebooks.

“It is common knowledge that women in South Africa represent a substantial – and growing – market.

“The Daihatsu Terios Diva, and its successor, the new Diva Deluxe, is catering specifically to the needs of that highly selective and intuitive market,” he notes.

Perreira explains that there is another reason behind the launch of the Diva Deluxe.

“The sports utility market (SUV) is one of the most active sectors of the South African marketplace, with dozens of competitors within this segment.

“It is important to set yourself apart in this sector and to offer an innovative package … something that is unique and truly special within this segment,” he explains.

While the Daihatsu Diva was quite the good looker, the Diva Deluxe is even more likely to turn heads, thanks to a number of exterior enhancements.

The most obvious is the colour of the exterior decals and interior stitching. With the Diva, only one colour was available: orange. Now customers can choose from four colours: pink, turquoise, black and white.

The new Diva Deluxe decals on the vehicle’s exterior then come in that colour, as does the interior stitching.

Other head-turning exterior features include the incorporation of new halogen head lamps, a funky rear boot spoiler and elegant silver door handles. The Daihatsu badge now appears on the hard wheel cover.

The Diva Deluxe is not only a prettier face, safety features have been improved too. For instance, side airbags have been added, so it now has four airbags (there are driver and passenger airbags too). The passenger airbag deactivation switch is located inside the glove box.

Additional safety features include unrivalled all-round visibility, a revers-view camera, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, smash-and-grab window protection, ISOFIX baby seat mounting points, a crash-sensing fuel cut-off system, front seatbelts with pre-tensioners and force limiters, rear seatbelts (three-point ELR) and a high-level brake light.

These features have earned the Diva Deluxe a four-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

The interior boasts a number of significant enhancements. Climate control has been added, while the entertainment system is massively improved.

The existing CASKA entertainment system, which has received the thumbs-up from customers, has been retained but two DVD screens have now been incorporated in the headrests.

Those two screens have their own independent wireless headphones, meaning rear-seat occupants can watch their own DVDs.

Additional interior features include the new multi-info display/on-board computer (that displays fuel range, fuel consumption, temperature and time), an all-new glove box, chrome handles, a holder for sunglasses, a 12V AC socket in the boot and a stylish new gearlever.

The 1.5-litre petrol engine that delivers 77kW of power and 140Nm of torque has been retained.

It offers more than enough power and torque for daily commuting and, significantly, it is economical too – meaning trips to the petrol station are few and far between. The engine is coupled to a five-speed manual transmission.

Women are as passionate about technology as their male counterparts, so the Diva Deluxe continues to tick all the boxes in this department too. It has Bluetooth, iPod support, an in-dash GPS, reversing camera, DVD/CD/MP3 Playback and USB support. Its built-in hard drive allows the driver to store up to 60 songs.

The Daihatsu Terios Diva costs just R269 995 and is available from dealers countrywide, who will also service the vehicle every 15 000 km or once a year, depending on which occurs first.

The Terios is covered by a three-year / 75 000 km warranty.