Looks like yesterday’s spyshots of the Daihatsu Move Custom were not a one-off – the pint-sized kei tallboy has been spotted again, this time by reader Wong Han Yu. This adds more fuel to the possibility of Perodua developing a next-generation version of the Kenari – the original was based on the second-generation L900 Move, after all.
Why do we say so? Well, the trade plate this car carries belongs to Perodua – you may recognise it as being identical to the one fitted to a Daihatsu Ayla, when the latter was seen in Malaysia prior to the Axia’s launch.
The more complete and detailed photos here identify this particular Move as the base-spec naturally-aspirated Custom, differentiated by the simpler eight-spoke alloy wheels, as opposed to the spiffier two-tone wheels on the higher-end Custom “Hyper” and turbo Custom RS models. As such, this car is powered by the NA version of the 658 cc three-cylinder engine, producing 52 PS at 6,800 rpm and 60 Nm at 5,200 rpm.
Side-by-side with the Toyota Innova seen in one of the photos, the Move looks absolutely tiny. That of course is due to the size regulations of the Japanese kei car class, which requires it to be just 3.4 metres long and 1.48 metres wide. By contrast, a maximum permissible height of two metres allows the Move to reach a rather lofty 1,630 mm.
Despite the petite size, the Move Custom is packed with kit – we spot LED head- and tail lights and keyless entry, both standard-fit in Japan. But the most interesting piece of equipment is what appears to be the Smart Assist II driver assistance system. A large console can be seen at the base of the rear-view mirror, which looks to be carrying a single forward-facing camera, while a radar sensor is found
