Daihatsu has had a long-lasting tradition of attaching interesting names to represent their cars. With the Boon, it was a result of both the English-derived meaning of the word and the way the word is an onomatopoeia of the sound that a car makes. The first generation and second generation shared a lot with the Japanese Sirion, the main difference being the addition of an automatic version for the Boon. Produced for European tastes, the Boon aimed to be larger and bulkier than its Japanese brother as well as have a bit more oomph. Considering the vast experience Daihatsu has in producing smaller cars, our starting expectations aren’t exactly low. Let’s take a close look at what the final product looks like.
For the first generation, the Boon was powered by one of four options, most notably a 936cc turbo straight-four engine and a 996 cc straight-three engine. These produced a power output of 131 and 70 horsepower respectively which provided decent performance for a 5-door hatchback of this price range. They were paired with a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic gearbox. While the performance slowly got improved over the generations it didn’t end very far from where it started. The current and third generation of the Boon has only one engine option available 0- a 996 cc straight-three engine that has a power output of 68 horsepower. Considering that this is mostly meant to be a family car, it does provide a decent driving experience both within a city and on the highway.
On the safety side, you do also get active systems like ABS, Brake Assist, and EBD. Combined with everything under the hood, the Boon feels stable, braking is great, and the steering feels quite responsive. The boon also gets options for 3-point seat belts and a child seat attachment mechanism.
For a car of this size, the cabin is surprisingly spacious and the large glass area offers great visibility for the driver, while the general interior offers a very acceptable level of comfort. The dashboard features an interestingly enlarged instrument panel and the gear lever has been placed on the console. One of the really interesting aspects is that the Boon offers a great amount of noise and vibration suppression that ensures a nice and comfortable driving experience even on the highway (something that is usually a problem for this type of car). The overall space is surprisingly nice and you won’t feel super cramped up as a passenger. Cargo capacity is also pretty decent for a hatchback thanks to Daihatsu’s decision to have a flat rear with high tail lights.
The interior has a nice list of standard features that come with the car including electric mirrors and power steering, a cd player, and remote keyless entry just to name a few. Additionally, you are able to get a navigation system with a nice LCD monitor, reversing camera, or a tachometer. None of this is revolutionary but it is nice that a lot of the expected features come standard.
As expected, Daihatsu has managed to put yet another car on the market that is small and convenient. While there have been a few misses over the years, the Boon is definitely one of the better-designed cars by the company. If you are looking for a small family car that is decent both for intercity and intracity driving, then the Boon is a great option to consider. It also helps that the fuel economy is great, which means that you get to enjoy your ride with fewer stops or general consideration for the closest petrol station.