Daihatsu Charade History

Daihatsu Charade

The Daihatsu Charade was a subcompact car sold from 1977 to the present.

1977

The first generation (G10) appeared in 1977. It was available as 3-door or 5-door hatchback, powered only by a 993 cc 3-cylinder engine with 50 hp JIS (37 kW).

1983

The second generation (G11) was released in 1983, again as a 3 or 5-door hatchback. It featured several variations of the 3-cylinder 1.0 L engine, including, for the first time, a turbocharged version with 68 hp JIS and a Diesel version. A 5-speed manual transmission was available for the first time.

1987

The third generation of the Daihatsu Charade (the G100 series) was released in 1987. It originally shipped with a 1.0 L, 3-cylinder engine. A 1.0 L turbo diesel, a 1.0 L twin-cam turbo, named GTti and delivering 105 hp JIS (77 kW), and a 1.3 L fuel injected 4-cylinder were later added. It was released in a 3-door and a 5-door hatchback. A 4-door sedan was released with the 1.3 LL EFI engine in 1988. In Japan, the GTti was available with 4WD.

The third-generation car was sold in the United States for just four years, from 1988 through 1992. The car sold poorly, perhaps because of its high price, poor sale sites, and unforunate translation in English, and the company withdrew permanently from the US market. .Sales for 1989 were 15,118.

1994

The fourth generation was introduced in 1994, again with hatchback and sedan bodies. A 1.0 L engine was the base model in Japan, but in many European countries, the SOHC 1.3 L was used. The sedan, introduced in 1996, featured a 1.5 L engine with optional 4WD. The turbocharged GTti version was replaced by a more conventional GTi with a 16-valve 1.6 L engine, but power remained at 105 hp. Diesel models were dropped.

The Charade was restyled in 1996, only two years after release, and was produced until 2000, when it was replaced by the Sirion/Storia.

2005

In 2005, the Charade name was resurrected in the UK and Australia. The new Charade is now a rebadged Mira (called Cuore in other European markets, and it's available only as a 5-door hatchback with a 1.0 L engine.