• CM has briefly driven both of Daihatsu's two new
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commercial vehicles: the Fourtrak Fieldman and the Italian-built Hijet microvan and pickup.
The diminutive Hijet's perky little 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine goes on and on—it doesn't seem rev-limited at all—but the chassis is its main limitation, with noticeable bump-thump and a rather queasy ride. Noise isn't too much of a problem round town—the offbeat engine note is quite attractive—but it is just as well that vehicles like this rarely see the motorway. The van's load space is easily accessible via a top-hinged tailgate and sliding doors on each side, and build quality (courtesy of Piaggio) seemed good. A full test of the Hijet will appear in CM soon.
The Fieldman—a VAT-friendly commercial version of the Fourtrak 4x4—comes in diesel short-wheelbase and turbodiesel SWB and LWB versions. The carlike driving position was surprising for an off-roader with such a chunky body design and massive wheel arch extensions. We found that lifeless steering and significant body roll made fast on-road progress less than pleasant, but ride was good (the suspension was well-damped) and cabin accommodation OK.
The turbodiesel is vigorous, and the Fieldman's low price (from £10,750 to £12,495 exVAT) offers value for money. Daihatsu expects the Fieldman to continue the Commercial's trend of taking a high proportion of Fourtrak sales: 1,400 last year, out of a total of 3,500.
The Fourtrak Fieldman will be the subject of a full road (and offroad) test in two weeks time.