Toyota Motor Corp's small-car making subsidiary, Daihatsu, has unveiled a new generation of its Move mini in Japan. The five-door hatchback has been redesigned from the ground up and is claimed to be the most fuel efficient, non-hybrid, gasoline passenger car in Japan achieving up to 27.0km/liter, which is equal to 65.5 mpg US and 3.7 lt/100km.
The pint-sized model from Daihatsu measures just 3,395 mm in length (the new Fiat 500 is 3,546mm) with a wheelbase of 2,455 mm. The Japanese maker said it has shaved 35 kg or77 pounds over the previous model through a series of measures such as reducing the weight of instrument panel and door trim as well as CVT unit and other components.
The 2011 Move is offered with a newly developed second-generation KF engine equipped with what Daihatsu describes as the world's first i-EGR system that detects the combustion state using ions as well as Japan's first plastic electronic throttle body. The 0.66-liter unit, which features a start-stop system as well, is rated at 52HP and 60Nm (44.3 lb-ft) of torque, and is linked to a revised CVT.
Daihatsu offers the new Move in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive confrontations with retail prices (excluding tax) in Japan ranging from 1.066 million Yen to 1.372 million Yen (US$12,700-16,310) for the standard Move and from 1.247 million Yen to 1.534 million Yen (US$14,830-18,250) for the more hip Move Custom. The automaker said the monthly sales target for Japan is 12,000 units.
