Daihatsu eco-friendly SUV for the city

The latest city car concept from Daihatsu could redefine the SUV (sports utility vehicle) for city dwellers who want the flexible load space and lifestyle associations of an off-road vehicle, but have no need for four-wheel drive and want to significantly reduce the environmental impact of their motoring.

The ‘Basket’ seats four, has a removable roof canopy and the rear seats that fold flush to create a pick-up configuration.

Lighter car, lower bills

The Land Rover Discovery 3, a popular 4×4 in some urban areas, weigh 2,740kg – over three-and-a-half times more than the 700kg Daihatsu Basket. A combination of low kerb weight and an efficient three-cylinder, 660cc engine delivers an impressive 70.6mpg.

A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “A car like the Basket would be a more practical and environmentally-friendly choice for many of the people who drive SUVs in cities.”

In comparison with other cars on the market, lightweight vehicles like the Daihatsu Basket benefit from a lower road tax rate and insurance.

Battery, hybrid or petrol engines?

No one knows for certain which of the emerging car fuel technologies will prevail, but as Nissan banks on all-electric and Toyota invests in electric-petrol hybrid technology, the latest concept car from fellow Japanese car manufacturer Daihatsu uses lightweight manufacturing and a small and efficient combustion engine to improve fuel economy.