UNLIKE the original model, the latest Daihatsu Terios compact Sports Utility Vehicle has hit the spot having grown up to be a larger, more practical vehicle with the benefit of a five year warranty.

The original Terios was neither one thing nor the other. It was not comfortable enough and lacked the overall driving qualities for regular on-road use and just could not cut the mustard as a practical rough roader. To be fair it was ahead of its time as a small SUV but was an ideal candidate for a major rethink.

Daihatsu got to work on the Terios and the result is a larger vehicle with a gutsy 1.5 litre engine plus full time 4WD with a diff lock giving a degree of genuine off-road capability.

And Daihatsu has also upped the specification with a roomy four-door five seat body equipped with air conditioning, power stering, anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, driver and passenger airbags, reverse parking sensors, electric windows and much more.

But the big news about Terios is the price. The entry model 1.5S manual costs just£12,725 and this vehicle, the Terios 1.5 SX manual, weighed in at at £13,995.

There is also an automatic version, the 1.5 SE automatic at £14,680. And this particular lily is gilded with a very low insurance grouping of 7D for the 1.5S. Take into account the five year unlimited mileage warranty and the Terios becomes a much more attractive vehicle in many ways.

It follows on from the Sirion in offering a strong European flavour to its styling, packaging and dynamics.

This once Cinderella of a vehicle has become one of the most stylish of the small 4x4s and is aimed at young families and older people seeking the traditional 4x4 qualities of visibility, bad-weather traction and versatility allied to small car running costs and ease of driving.