The tiny Daihatsu Copen is making a big comeback in 2024

The Daihatsu Copen is one of the cutest and weirdest-looking cars to grace the Australian market in recent years. You’re guaranteed to snap necks when you cruise past people in this micro machine. Granted, not all reactions are of the “wow, that’s a cool car” kind, and are more likely to stray into, “What the heck is that thing? And why does the back look like the front?”.

A mixture of conversations frequently arises when stepping out of one. Sometimes, people will tell you they remember when they came out, but mostly it's people who have never seen one in person before.

This is largely because only 401 were ever brought to Australia, sold at Daihatsu and Toyota dealerships from 2003 to 2006. With many being crashed or stolen over the past two decades, a thinning number of Copens are left in the country.

Falling into the Kei car category of Japan, the Daihatsu Copen is powered by a 660cc turbocharged four-cylinder, making the Kei regulated maximum 47kW. While that might sound lethargic on paper, these little rocket ships weigh in at just 850kg and have a redline of a whopping 8000rpm. It's a recipe for fun.

Enthusiasts often overlook the Copen because of its front-wheel drive configuration. But the FWD layout is ideal in this instance, allowing enough space for a decent boot, electric roof and a raft of compatible parts across much of the Daihatsu range.

I have owned three of these, with one currently sitting in my driveway. Technically, I’ve owned the same car twice. I sold my first Copen and then promptly repurchased it on the side of a racetrack after it ended up in the wall just two weeks later (pictured above).

Having stripped down one to a bare shell and having inspected countless others, I am wholeheartedly confident that I can ensure you jump in the right one.

So what do you need to look out for if you’re thinking of buying yourself a little Daihatsu Copen? Read on…

The Copen signifies an odd-ball car that not many people have seen before. Its micro size and odd styling catch the eyes even of people who aren’t necessarily into cars. The Copen even manages to make the Mazda MX-5 look huge!

Cost-wise, there aren’t many electric roof convertibles that sit in the Copen’s price range. The average price for a Daihatsu Copen in good condition is around $10,000-12,000. However, I have personally paid as low as $6000 for one in the past.

Having just a 0.7L engine means you don’t have to re-mortgage your home to fill the car up, either. For a full tank of 98-octane, you can expect to pay $55-65 per fill, and you’ll get around 350-400km per tank, depending on the type of driving you’re doing.

Since the Copen has such a small engine, they frequently have a low amount of mileage on them. Most owners tend to stay away from the freeway or avoid driving them every day. They are, in the end, a fun car.

As Marty from Mighty Car Mods put it in their recent Instagram video, “… it does everything. It’s a convertible, hardtop, sports car… it has power, and it handles good.”

If you’re into modifying cars, then you’re in luck with the Copen. There is a plethora of Japanese tuning companies that focus solely on this car. Every single part has an aftermarket option to make it go faster, handle better or just look cooler.

Pandora makes body kits that make the Copen look like a number of different Porsches, while KM Copen has a body kit that makes it look like an Aston Martin. And there are a number of other brands that completely transform the look of these cars.

Despite its small size, the interior accommodates a wide range of heights! I’m six feet (183cm) tall and have no issues comfortably driving one daily. Even my dad, who is 193cm, has no problems finding a comfortable seating position in the Copen.

Many tall owners will often opt for a lower seat and seat rails, which are widely available in Japan for import into Australia. The steering wheel has a height adjustment option so you can comfortably fit your knees under it.

Despite these cars only being 20 years old, they do tend to get spots of rust on them. It’s always a good idea to look for one that’s been kept inland rather than spending its life enjoying open-top sunshine on the coast.

When inspecting, checking the lower sill panels for rust bubbling under the paint is a good idea. Always keep in mind that when rust bubbles, it’s always worse than what appears on the surface.

The rear wheel arches and where the rear bumper bolts to the car are prone to rust bubbles. The rest of the car is typically safe from rust, but it’s always an excellent idea to check under the rear carpet and shine a light under the car as a whole.

The most common fault with is the roof not working. This is caused due to water leaking into the boot and getting into the ECU that controls the roof mechanism.

It is not a good idea to buy a Copen if the roof does not work. You can no longer buy the required ECU from Daihatsu, and most of the used ones in Japan can be quite expensive. If you have some electrical knowledge or are uninterested in ever putting the roof down, then it’s not a bad buy if you can get one with a non-working roof on the cheap.

It’s also worth noting that higher kilometre Copens tend to blow the turbocharger. It’s not the end of the world if the turbo dies, as they’re typically easy to find, but it is an expensive endeavour.

Test drive a few different cars and make sure the one you’re most eager to buy isn’t blowing smoke or doesn’t feel too sluggish.

Keep in mind these do have a small engine that revs very high, so it’s a good idea to rev the car out on your test drive to ensure it’s smooth all the way to redline.

Other than that, ensure it’s not leaking any fluids. If in doubt, pay for a pre-purchase inspection from a trusted mechanic!

The boot is actually quite roomy when the roof is up. There’s enough space in the boot to fit a weekly shop, a week's worth of clothes for two people, or even two wheels and tyres.

With the roof down, you’re plain out of luck. There’s about enough space for a very small and narrow bag, and not much else. But nothing is stopping you from dropping your luggage off first on a weekend away before dropping the roof and enjoying some sunshine in this mighty micro-machine!

So, what do you think? Have you ever owned a Daihatsu Copen? Do you own one now? Tell us a bit about your experience in the comments below.