The Day My Copen Came Home

 Finally, a Copen has arrived in my garage!

Since it was a used car, the delivery after signing the contract was quick.

Although it's second-hand, the previous owner wasn’t an ordinary person — it was Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. itself.
This Copen was used as a company demo car for test drives, and I purchased it through Daihatsu CarNet, a direct sales outlet.

It was registered in June 2005, with about 11,000 km on the odometer — a bit high for a car like this.
Still, it had clearly been well cared for.
Aside from some tire wear, it feels almost brand-new.
I’m driving it as if it's a brand-new car!

Equipment-wise, aside from no audio system, it's fully loaded.
In fact, this Copen is a Second Anniversary Edition — a special model celebrating two years since Copen’s launch.
It comes with some features that really tug at the heartstrings of an old car enthusiast like me:

• RECARO sports seats (red and black two-tone)
• MOMO steering wheel (red and black two-tone, airbag-equipped)
• Discharge headlights (HID)

Honestly, I'm a sucker for these brand-name parts! (lol)
When I was younger, I dreamed of owning RECARO and MOMO gear but couldn't afford them.
At the shop, there were four Copens on display — but I chose this one without hesitation.

Before buying, my biggest worry was:
"Will I even fit inside this tiny car?"

After all, I'm 183 cm tall, 81 kg, with a waist size of 88 cm!
But when I actually sat in it...

Wow — it fits perfectly!

By sliding the seat all the way back and adjusting the telescopic steering wheel, I could just manage to find a comfortable driving position.
My hair barely brushes the roof, thanks in part to the RECARO seats being 1–2 cm lower than standard ones.
But honestly, if you have a taller torso than me, it might be difficult.

As for the drive itself — to be honest, I underestimated it.
I thought: "It's a cute kei-car, but probably not much fun to drive."

I was gloriously wrong.

This little Copen is the real deal.
Small, but truly high-quality.
You can feel Daihatsu’s serious commitment.

The best part is the engine:
Even though it’s a 660cc turbocharged 4-cylinder making 64 horsepower (the kei-car limit in Japan), the power feels totally sufficient.
Even when climbing winding mountain roads like Mt. Rokko, I felt no stress.

Instead, the fun comes from using every bit of the available power.
The turbo kicks in around 3,000 rpm, and the engine eagerly revs all the way to 8,000 rpm.
(Although technically the redline starts at 8,500 rpm, that's a bit optimistic.)

The ride is very firm — maybe too firm for people who expect a soft ride based on the car's cute looks.
But if you enjoy sporty handling, it’s phenomenal.
The car hardly rolls in corners, making it feel like it's on rails.
Compared to my family car Gaia’s heavy front-end understeer, the Copen's nimbleness is amazing.
Thanks to the RECARO seats, cornering is just pure fun.

The discharge headlights are also outstanding.
Once you experience them, regular halogen headlights feel like candles.

Although many people associate the Copen with its electric folding roof,
I haven’t opened it yet.

But you know what?
Even if this car wasn’t a convertible, I would have bought it anyway.

That’s how charming, pure, and fun this Copen is.

It has rekindled my love for driving.

And yes — I'm commuting with it every single day!