DAIHATSU DEBUTS A TRULY DELUXE OFFERING
The Daihatsu Terios Diva heralded a new era for female motorists in South Africa: for the first time, a vehicle had been launched that catered specifically to the needs of the fairer sex. Now the company has further upped the ante with the launch of the new Diva Deluxe.
According to the general manager of Daihatsu SA, Pedro Perreira, the Diva has been extremely well received by women in South Africa, who have welcomed the concept of a car designed for female drivers with open arms and chequebooks. “It is common knowledge that women in South Africa represent a substantial – and growing – market. The Daihatsu Terios Diva, and its successor, the new Diva Deluxe, is catering specifically to the needs of that highly selective and intuitive market,” he notes.
Perreira explains that there is another reason behind the launch of the Diva Deluxe too. “The sports utility market (SUV) is one of the most active sectors of the South African marketplace, with dozens of competitors within this segment. It is important to set yourself apart in this sector, and to offer an innovative package … something that is unique and truly special within this segment,” he explains.
And that’s precisely what the new Diva Deluxe achieves: it represents an innovative and highly targeted vehicle quite unlike anything else on the market.
While the Daihatsu Diva was quite the good looker, the Diva Deluxe is even more likely to turn heads – thanks to a number of exterior enhancements. The most obvious is the colour of the exterior decals and interior stitching. With the Diva, only one colour was available: orange. Now customers can choose from one of four colours: pink, turquoise, black and white. The new Diva Deluxe decals on the vehicle’s exterior then come in that colour, as does the interior stitching.
Other head-turning exterior features include the incorporation of new halogen headlamps, a funky rear boot spoiler and elegant silver door handles. The Daihatsu badge now appears on the hard wheel cover.
The Diva Deluxe is not only a prettier face – safety features have been improved too. For instance, side airbags have been added, so the Diva Deluxe will have a grand total of four airbags (there are driver and passenger airbags too). The passenger airbag deactivation switch is located inside the glovebox.
Additional safety features include unrivalled all-round visibility, a reversing camera, ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, smash and grab, ISOFIX baby seat mounting points, a crash-sensing fuel cut-off system, front seatbelts (three-point ELR with pre-tensioners and force limiters), rear seatbelts (three-point ELR) and a high-level brake light. These features have earned the Diva Deluxe a four-star Euro NCAP safety rating.
The interior boasts a number of significant enhancements. Climate control has been added, while the entertainment system is massively improved. The existing CASKA entertainment system, which has received the thumbs-up from customers, has been retained – but two DVD screens have now been incorporated in the headrests. Those two screens have their own independent wireless headphones, meaning rear seat occupants can each watch their own DVDs.
Effectively, this means that three DVDs can be played at once in the Diva Deluxe (there’s also a main DVD screen up front, which plays through the car’s speakers).
Additional interior features include the new multi-info display/on-board computer (which displays fuel range, average fuel consumption, temperature and time), an all-new glovebox (which comes with a lock and lighting), chrome handles, a holder for sunglasses, a 12V AC socket in the boot and a stylish new gear lever.
The existing 1.5-litre petrol engine, which delivers 77 kW of power and 140 Nm of torque, has been retained. It offers more than enough power and torque for daily commuting and, significantly, it is economical too – meaning trips to the petrol station are few and far between. This engine is coupled to a five-speed manual transmission.
Diva fans will be delighted to discover that a number of other innovative features have been retained. These include those wonderful heel-protecting carpets as well as the seat and boot organisers. The seat organiser, which hangs behind the front seat, is ideal for storing anything from bottles and nappies to make-up and iPods. The boot organiser, on the other hand, helps to separate items carried in the cargo area.
Women are as passionate about technology as their male counterparts, and so the Diva Deluxe continues to tick all the boxes in this department too, with its Bluetooth, iPod support, an in-dash GPS, reversing camera, DVD/CD/MP3 Playback and USB support. Its built-in hard drive allows the driver to store up to 60 songs.
Naturally, the Diva’s intrinsic features are still there too. “We know that our female customers really appreciate the Terios’ high ride height, good loading capacity and ease of parking. Women are especially security conscious, so the safety film window coating in the Diva has also been retained,” says Perreira.
The Daihatsu Terios Diva costs just R269 995, and it’s available from dealers countrywide – who will also service the vehicle every 15 000 km or once a year, depending what occurs first. It is covered by a three-year/75 000 km warranty.
“We are thrilled with the success of the Diva and, given the array of enhancements, we expect to attract even more customers with the Diva Deluxe. It truly is a deluxe offering … and it’s purpose designed specifically for women,” concludes Perreira.
