Daihatsu Move, A Compact Kei Car with a Spacious Interior

You might think that small vehicles always have less space. If you have this mindset, the Daihatsu Move is going to throw your mind off. It is a small vehicle but has a spacious interior. The reason why it is roomy is because of its more vertical design. Interested in learning more about this tiny car? In that case, start reading this article.

Get to Know Daihatsu Move

First of all, you must get rid of your mindset that small cars must be limited in space. Daihatsu brings along this idea to create a new car that provides a much more spacious area in a tiny automobile. 

Daihatsu Move is a kei car or city car made by Daihatsu that arrived in the automotive market in 1995. After all, the Move was designed based on the Daihatsu Mira chassis but with a taller body. The Move’s appearance in the market was Daihatsu’s response to the Suzuki Wagon R that had appeared two years earlier.

In addition, the first generation of the Move was designed directly by I.DE.A in Turin, Italy. During the marketing period, this kei car came in two models, a 659 cc three-cylinder engine called L600 for the Japanese market and an 847 cc ED-20 engine called L601 for the export market. 

Daihatsu produced and sold more than half a million models of the Move to the Japanese market and parts of Europe. However, the Move’s presence in the automotive market is a testament to how a small vehicle can be so roomy just by applying a taller or vertical interior design. 

Three years after the release of the first generation, the second generation of the Daihatsu Move arrived on the market. In total, this versatile little car from Daihatsu has six generations with various changes and developments that have occurred. If you’re curious about the aspects of each generation of the Move, then read on!

Daihatsu Move Generation Explanation

As discussed, Move offers different generations in different periods. What are they? Read the following explanation for more insights. 

1. The First Generation of the Daihatsu Move

As you already know, the Move produced by Daihatsu first appeared in 1995 which is also the first generation. In addition, there are two models available based on the market location, the L600 and L610 for the Japanese market and the L601 for the export market.

Other than that, the shape of the Move is a tall cube with a smaller block at the front. Also, there is a flat front fascia that features a bumper slightly in front of the headlights as well as an elongated curved line. The seats in the interior of this car are mounted high to provide more legroom to both the driver and passengers.

What are the differences between the models for the Japanese market and the export market? The most basic difference lies in the use of engines as the L600 model uses a 659 cc three-cylinder engine while the L601 model uses an 847 cc ED-20 engine.

In addition, there is also the L602 model which uses the JB-JL 659 cc turbocharged aluminum four-cylinder engine. For the L602 model that uses the JB-JL 659 cc turbocharged aluminum four-cylinder engine, it can produce 64 PS (47kW: 63 hp) of power.

On the other hand, the model for the export market, the L601 that uses the 847 cc ED-20 engine can produce about 44 PS (32 kW: 43 hp) of power with the highest speed of up to 130km/h.

2. The Second Generation

Three years later, in 1998, Daihatsu introduced the second generation Daihatsu Move. The company hired Giorgetto Giugiaro to design its second-generation model in order to outperform its competitors in the kei car segment in Japan where regulations were strict.

Even so, Daihatsu’s move was successful as the company managed to create a unique shape for a four-door minivan. There are three models available based on the engine used such as the basic EF-SE engine with 45 PS, the 12-valve EF-VE engine with 58 PS, and the EF-DET for 64 PS.

What about the shape of this Move’s second generation? For its shape, this kei car comes with a flat front fascia coupled with a steep hood. In addition, the Move also sports rectangular headlights located behind the front grille while featuring the Daihatsu badge and horizontal chrome trim.

As for the inside, the Move offers enough space for four people. In fact, the dashboard of this kei car is tall and curvy-looking, providing ample space for comfort. In addition, the interior of the Move is also equipped with climate control, an audio system, and other standard kei car features.

3. The Third Generation of the Daihatsu Move

How about the third generation of the Move? For its third generation, the Move appeared in October 2002. The time span of the third generation of the Move is between 2002 to 2006 through the L150S model. Moreover, there are two types of L150S available, using the pre-facelift and the facelift.

4. The Fourth Generation

The fourth generation of the Daihatsu Move was first introduced in October 2006 with the L175S. For this generation, the minivan design comes with a boxy look that is different from the previous generation. However, this L175S model is available in a non-turbo engine type KF-VE and continuously variable transmission or CVT.

5. The Fifth Generation

The fifth generation of Move first appeared in the automotive market in December 2010 with the LA100 model. Not only that, this kei car model was also sold by Subaru as the second-generation Subaru Stella series.

6. The Sixth Generation of Daihatsu Move

In December 2014, the sixth generation of the Daihatsu Move was introduced in the Japanese automotive market. The distinctive features of this generation of cars are the high-strength yet lightweight body structure, the upgraded suspension system, as well as the power mode switching steering switch to change engine control.

Have You Known Daihatsu Move? 

To conclude, the Move by Daihatsu is a mini kei car that comes with spacious interior dimensions, suitable for four passengers. For its generation, this kei car has six generations with several different models. How about the price? The used one is around $1,191 to $13,364, while the new one is around $5,339 to $11,043.

If you are interested in buying this car, ensure your going to buy Daihatsu Move is in good condition. Then, you can drive away with your little family and enjoy quality time together. Hope this article helps you a lot! 

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