Daihatsu Sirion

Road test

Years ago, I visited the Tower of London. The thing that fascinated me most was Little Ease - a cell so small its occupant couldn't stand or even sit comfortably. This memory came flooding back when I, at 5ft 11in, sat in this car, made for midgets.

The biggest problem is that you cannot adjust the steering wheel, so you're stuck with its cramped driving position. This results in frustration and the need for an osteopath.

Unfortunately, there's more to add on the negative side. The brake pedal feels alarmingly soft, and the over-eager power steering means the driver can feel very little through the steering wheel. Motorway journeys are a problem; the car takes forever to build up to a reasonable cruising speed, and engine noise is so loud that earplugs should come as standard.

But for all its faults, the Rally IV isn't as bad as I've made it sound. The four-wheel-drive system gives confidence in the corners; although it loses grip earlier than expected, you can still throw it round bends at quite a pace without saying goodbye to the road.

The only cosmetic changes compared with the previous version are to the lights, grille and bonnet, which make it look meaner, but it still looks as butch and scary as a puppy.

If you're under five foot and need a nippy little town car, this could be the one, but personally, I'd rather spend the #10,995 on something else. Psychiatric help, perhaps.

Claire Bell