Copen — Installed a Sports ECU for More Power!

 The Copen’s engine revs beautifully,

and even in stock form, it offers plenty of enjoyable power.
I was really satisfied with it.

Compared to my other car — a Toyota Gaia —
the difference in throttle response, smoothness, and engine character is like night and day.
After driving the Copen, the Gaia feels more like a delivery truck! (lol)

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But... as humans, we always want more.

Honestly, I started to feel that the Copen's engine was being restricted by Japan’s kei-car regulations,
and wasn’t showing its full potential.
After all, it runs on regular gasoline —
whereas my old Skyline Turbo used premium!

So I decided to upgrade the Copen by installing a high-octane ECU.

There are several sport ECUs available for the Copen,
but I chose the one from D-SPORT.

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Why D-SPORT?

Simple:

• My Copen was purchased at Daihatsu CarNet Itami, a direct Daihatsu subsidiary.
• D-SPORT products are handled there, and I felt reassured knowing there was official Daihatsu support in the background.
• Also, D-SPORT doesn’t require you to trade in your original ECU —
  meaning I could revert to stock easily if needed (or if I decided to sell the car).

Another plus:
The kit included upgraded iridium spark plugs!

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Driving impressions after ECU installation:

→ Absolutely amazing.

Surprisingly, the biggest improvement wasn’t at high revs,
but rather in low-end torque.

Before the upgrade,
from 0 to about 3000 rpm,
the car felt a bit sluggish —
typical for a turbocharged kei-car with an automatic transmission.

Now, after the upgrade:

• There’s noticeably more torque between 2000–3000 rpm.
• Less throttle input is needed for smooth acceleration.
• Takeoffs from traffic lights are much smoother.
• Daily city driving is far easier and more comfortable.

Less throttle input at low speeds probably means better real-world fuel economy too.
(Though I haven’t measured it precisely yet, the fuel gauge is dropping more slowly.)

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Winding Road Test — Mt. Rokko:

Took the Copen up to Mt. Rokko’s winding roads.
At higher revs,
the improvement is just as noticeable.

• It feels like there’s "two levels" more torque at high rpm.
• Turbo lag has decreased.
• It almost feels like driving a large-displacement naturally aspirated car!

The engine pulls strong even beyond 7000 rpm,
and revs rise much more eagerly.

D-SPORT claims an increase from 64ps to about 80ps —
and based on how it feels, I’d say that's accurate.

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Highway driving:

The car accelerates effortlessly now.
Passing and merging are much easier — no complaints at all.

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Conclusion:

I highly recommend the D-SPORT Sports ECU.
It’s not a radical transformation,
but a solid, well-balanced performance upgrade.

(Just don’t expect miracles — if you set your expectations realistically, you’ll be thrilled.)

Let’s call it:
“A tasteful small upgrade — with a surprisingly big smile in return!”
(Though yes, it’s a pricey "s