Daihatsu has a longstanding reputation for giving its vehicles rather odd names: the Applause, Charade and Move being just three. So you have to wonder what the thinking was behind the YRV label.

Well, for a change it was quite logical. YRV or Young Recreational Vehicle expressed Daihatsu’s hopes that this supermini would become the preferred choice of transport for surfer dudes and extreme mountain bikers.

In reality the YRV missed its demographic by a generation or two and has proven more suited to the school run and bowls club outings.

Partly this is because of its no frills appeal. When it was launched in early 2001 the range consisted of one engine size, one body style and two trim levels. The 1.3 litre four-cylinder petrol engine produced 86bhp, enough to power the five-door hatchback from 0-60mph in a touch over 10sec and return around 45mpg in mixed motoring. Combined with insurance ratings of around group 5 or 6 the YRV promised economical ownership costs.

The entry level model offered electric windows front and rear, electric mirror adjustment, body coloured bumpers, central locking, power steering and a driver’s seat height adjuster. For around £300 more on the secondhand market a Premium model adds alloy wheels, air-conditioning and remote control central locking.

In July 2001 Daihatsu added two further models to the line up, the cut-price Radical with manual rear windows and matt black bumpers and the 4trak, a four-wheel-drive version based on the Premium model.

With a price tag of nearly £11,000 the YRV 4trak was always going to struggle – after all, few potential buyers actually needed a supermini that could drive across a beach. The entry level Radical proved more successful, and with a price tag of less than £8,000 it undercut many competitors, not least the Toyota Yaris with which it shared some of its mechanicals.

Daihatsu added one final model some two years later with the introduction of the YRV Turbo 130. With a healthy 127bhp from its turbocharged 1.3 litre engine this version felt much quicker and boasted decent performance too – 0-60mph in just 8sec.

Daihatsu hoped that the introduction of a hot model would appeal to young buyers in the way it had always intended and tempt them away from sporty Citroën Saxos and Peugeot 106s. The inclusion of a Formula One style semi-automatic gearbox controlled via buttons on the steering wheel was not enough to ignite sales, but it certainly makes an interesting used car buy.

On the road the Daihatsu YRV is more at home in the city than on the sweeping A-roads. The relatively narrow tyres and tall body results in a fair bit of body roll and the relatively flat seat bases do little to hold occupants in place. At higher revs the engine also becomes harsh and noisy, so sustained high-speed motorway cruises are not the most relaxed of journeys.

But challenge the YRV to a shopping trip and you will be playing to its strengths. The light steering and slick five-speed manual are a doddle to use, the deep side windows make for good visibility and the relatively narrow body can thread through the traffic. The clever rear-seat operation means it can be slid forward a full 6in or folded completely flat for really large loads, giving the YRV a usefully large and flexible carrying capacity.

The last new Daihatsu YRVs sold in the UK were registered in early 2005 and used examples are relatively easy to find. Time has proven them to be reliable and capable workhorses and owners report few faults with their cars. The YRV may not have appealed to the Young Recreational Vehicle buyer in 2001 but then they have got older along with the car. So if you are of an age at which practicality, economy and ease of ownership appear on your list of priorities then maybe the Daihatsu YRV is the car for you.

Gearbox Five-speed manual is light to use and robust. F-Speed, Daihatsu’s name for its semi-automatic gearbox, comes with steering-wheel-mounted buttons but just four gear ratios

Wheels Alloys standard on all but the entry level model

Steering wheel No height or reach adjustment

Upholstery Check for rips, stains and other damage that young passengers may have inflicted on the school run

Bumpers Colour-coded bumpers on all but Radical models. They can be easily scuffed in tight town driving

4trak Off-roading may be rare in this supermini but check the underbody, suspension and front and lower edges of the front and rear bumpers

Front tyres Overzealous starts can spin the wheels and shorten tyre life; turbocharged models can dispatch them at an alarming rate

Servicing Due every 12 months or 12,000 miles. Check low-mileage examples have still visited a dealer annually

Model Daihatsu YRV 1.3 Premium

Engine 1298cc, four cylinders

Power 86bhp

Transmission Five-speed manual

Fuel 47.1mpg (combined cycle) Acceleration 0-60mph: 10.3sec

Top speed 109mph

The one to buy

A 2003 53 Daihatsu YRV 1.3 Premium five-door with 30,000 miles. Pay £4,325 at a dealer, £3,500 privately

Mileage 20,000 30,000 50,000

2002 52 Trade £2,825 £2,675 £2,350

Retail £4,125 £3,975 £3,675

2003 53 Trade £3,225 £3,025 £2,700

Retail £4,525 £4,325 £3,995

2004 54 Trade £3,650 £3,475 £3,125

Retail £4,950 £4,775 £4,425

Or for similar money

2002 02 Toyota Yaris 1.0 VVT-i Colour Collection

2002 02 Citroën C3 1.4i SX 2003 03 Mazda Demio 1.5 GSi

2004 04 Vauxhall Agila 1.2 16v Envoy

2005 04 Suzuki Ignis 1.3 GL

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