2014 Copen Robe Test Drive Impressions

Haha, you noticed that slip did you!!

Actually, it is theoretically my wife's car just for the first two years, then subject to my daughter's academic achievements and passing her test we have promised it to her. A sort of "carrot on the end of a fishing rod" scenario.

But... both of them have to sleep sometime and you know the old saying about what mice do when the cats are away!! Muahahaha!!

 

With respect to this point that keeps coming up in this thread, I did some digging and I found this page
https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/overview

Where there is no European Certificate of Conformaity, an alternative route might be "IVA" or "Individual Vehicle Approval Scheme".

...and the pdf document covering this is at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa..._data/file/277534/guide-to-the-iva-scheme.pdf

In particular, read section 5.6 on page 17.

And if you really want to dig deeper, try this...

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...data/file/354071/M1_IVA_inspection_manual.pdf

Not sure how much all this would cost, and how much time it would take but if someone were dedicated enough it may well be possible to get a new personal import on the road immediately. And, if my brief scanning was correct, if you can show that someone else already conducted an IVA test on the same model, then for those that follow, it sets a precedent that can be followed more easily.

Just a thought....

 

Final point for today.

I have now translated all the necessary fitting and operating instructions for the CEPINC add-ons for footwell lights, speed canceller and remote roof control kits. I also made a nerdy wiring diagram which is far better than the originals.

So if anyone does buy one of these kits and needs the instructions in English, let me know.

 

Hi guys and gals,
Well, the day arrived today, we picked up our brand new Copen Robe S this morning and have had a wonderful day cruising around in cool but sunny conditions. It was 9 degrees but with the seat heaters on and the heater on 24 degrees, we were very comfortable.
I absolutely fell in love with the flappy paddle gearbox.

To answer one question above the oil changes are every 5,000km or 6 months, whichever comes first. The first one is at 1,000km.

First piccy is the Copen alongside the old Swift Sport at the car dealership. Then several after we got it home. Finally had the OZ wheels fitted in the afternoon so he looks just that little bit more enticing.

A point about the number plate. I mentioned that this might become my daughter's car if and when she is 18 and gets herself into university. The top line "長野583" is regional for Nagano prefecture. Then we have "き(ki)　19-99" for my daughter whose name is Kimberleigh and born in 1999.

My wife seems to have settled on the name of "Gibbs", being a fan of NCIS. Oh well, Gibbs it is I guess

 

Update...
Now I have a bit more spare time (at work, bored, Monday afternoon!!) so there follows a little more information about the weekend's driving experience, not exhaustive - just some ramblings, and all done at moderate engine speeds while we let him run his little engine in a bit.

So, in no particular order...

The idle stop function is only active if you have selected full auto gear and if the engine is warmed up (sensible). When you come to a halt at traffic lights, idle stop kicks in immediately by default. The first few times this happened, I had the strange feeling that I was in a manual car and had forgotten to depress the clutch as we stopped and had stalled the engine - it's an odd feeling that takes a little getting used to. Not sure yet but there may be a delay timer setting that you can adjust to your own preference - we need to study the Japanese manual a little more.

The engine will re-start as soon as you change the pressure on the brake pedal, you do not even have to take your foot off completely. In fact, I even managed to start the engine by increasing the brake pedal pressure a couple of times. This is also very sensible, as you can just ease off the brake pressure a little to pre-empt the lights changing or traffic starting to move to get the engine started in time for a decisive getaway. I did see some mention of hill-start sensing in the instruction manual so it will hold itself a little to ensure no rolling back as the engine is starting. We haven't tried this out yet.

This is our first experience of a car with idle stop so we don't know if all of this is standard run-of-the-mill stuff. Anyhow, it is very impressive to us and feels very natural in use.

If you shift into sport mode all idle stop functions are inhibited and the car turns into a completely different little beastie. Actually, "S" is indicated in the panel but full auto gear function continues as normal until such time you give a manual input either at the stick or paddles, then the indicator shows the selected gear and you are in charge of when and how the gear changes. The only exception to this is if your road speed is not appropriate for the gear you are selecting. If so, there is a little warning beep and no gear change will occur. In one of my earlier test-drive reports, I mentioned it has 5 manual gears but that was a mistake. I believe that was simply because we were not traveling fast enough to engage 6 and 7. No, that is not a typo, it has 7 manually selectable gears!!

When coming to a halt, you can use engine braking by shifting down through the gears, or if you wish you can simply forget about changing down and 1st will automatically be pre-selected for your next start.

Pulling away in manual mode with the paddles is a real joy. I was actually looking forward to red lights for the first time ever so I would have an excuse to blat up through the gearbox again. Since this is a small car with 7 ratios to choose from, you effectively have an incredibly close ratio gearbox and since there is no clutch to mess around with you can really zap up through the gears.

I saw a report on Top Gear some time ago where a flappy paddle supercar was being praised (by Hammond I think) for not changing gear too quick or smooth, it still had a slight rough edge that reminded him that he was driving a real car rather than being transported by a high tech robot. Well, I am not sure whether it was by cost-cutting, by accident or by design but the little Copen gave me that same kind of feeling when shifting up aggressively. The gear change is not too fast and has a slight surge, but not what you'd call a jolt. This, coupled with fact that the exhaust note now sounded like a manual (not that horrible semi-tone changing sound that autos make) and was bouncing off buildings and tunnels gave a very pleasing experience. It almost makes you sound like a professional racing driver shifting up through a sporty manual gearbox!!

In Sport mode, either the gear stick or paddles can be used to change gear, but to be honest I don't think I used the stick once. I am now officially a paddle fan!!

Finally, back to a point about full auto. Even when full auto drive is engaged, you can manually override it simply by tapping a paddle. Useful if you are are cruising in auto, then want a burst of "kickdown" for overtaking, or just to make some noise in a tunnel.

I already said it earlier in this thread, but I must say it again. If you ever get the chance to buy a Copen Robe, I cannot stress how good this auto box is, and the paddles are absolutely the icing on the cake.

When I suggested a ride with the roof down to my 16 year old daughter, she was a bit negative at first because she didn't want to get cold or have her long hair messed up or so she started off with a blanket on her lap. But, we were all very impressed how warm and draught free the cabin is at up to 100km/h (top speed for this weekend). The sun was shining, but the air temperature was only 8-9 deg C, the cabin heater was set to blow on our feet at 24deg C and we had the seat heaters on. The end result was that my daughter tossed aside the blanket, had literally 2-3 strands of hair come loose, and my left ear got a little chilly (Did I mention I am 6ft tall). Later when I was passenger to my wife, it was my right ear that got a little cold. Finally, we found that the seat heaters were actually too good and we had to turn them off after 15-20 minutes.

Coming back to the exhaust note, with the roof down, the tone is very pleasantly throaty in manual mode without becoming annoying. Both my daughter and I were grinning from ear to ear every time we pulled away next to a wall or buildings. As you'd expect, in full auto mode the exhaust tone is considerably quieter so it is also possible to "turn it down" and cruise if you wish.

Handling wise, I really can't fault it. We have the "S" version with the Bilstein shocks which are not excessively hard, just firm and comfortable. On numerous winding and bumpy roads with a few pot-holes, the ride was firm yet controlled and never bone shaking, even when we hit a couple of big bumps. All the driving at the weekend was with the roof down and as I reported earlier, scuttle shake was slightly evident occasionally but never got excessive. For example, the rear view mirror never got to the point of blurring. Unless you are a real poser or enthusiast, there is absolutely no need for any of the after market stiffener bars that you can buy.

As for steering, well I can only say that it was so natural and balanced that I really didn't notice it, and I mean that as high praise. It was almost as if I was thinking where to turn and the car understood my thoughts and just did what was needed without kicking up a fuss. When I sit here and read that sentence back, it sounds incredibly corny but honestly, that is how it felt.

The Recaro seats are super comfortable, much better than the Recaro's in my wife's previous Swift which tended to pinch a bit on the hip joints. The whole feel of the car is snug and comfortable, just like slipping into a well fitting pair of running shoes with support in all the right places. The only thing I missed a little was an arm rest for my left elbow (but that is because I am spoilt by my own car which has what they call in Japan a "Captain's Chair" arm rest).

My wife had been really fretting about letting the Swift go because she really felt comfortable in it but after a couple of hours in the Copen I think she forgot all about the Swift.

So far I only have two very minor negative comments about the Copen Robe S. I can't even use "dislike" as that would be too strong a word.
1. Seat heaters ideally need 2-3 settings for temperature. They were a little too hot in for open air driving even in March.
2. The intermittent wipers only have one setting, not adjustable.

Seriously - that is all I can come up with that is at all negative.

Now it is Monday and I am at work, so I am doubly depressed because my wife has the car today. Also, my face literally aches from smiling so much for two whole days - it really is an absolute little joy to drive. But then again, I am sure all you other Copen drivers already know that particular feeling.

(I am off on a 3 week business trip in a couple of days so sorry if I don't reply or update for a while)

 

At the moment there are 6 variants;
Copen Robe manual & auto,
Copen X-Play manual and auto,
Copen Robe S manual and auto.

Only the Robe S auto has paddles, along with Momo steering wheel, Recaro seats, Bilstein shocks and some other minor cosmetic touches.

All the auto versions have the same functionality from the auto gearbox, but the paddles in the S version just make the experience so much better in my humble opinion.

 

:-(-(-(-((
I am on my business trip, currently in the USA siting in my hotel room.

Skyped my wife last night at home, this weekend the weather is perfect for going topless in the Copen.

:-(-(-(-((

 

Copenpants, when I get home in a couple of weeks, I will take a photo from the driver's eye-line when seated normally and post it here.

 

Hi Guys & Gals,
Thought it was time I updated this thread. (Copenpants, I haven't forgotten - will upload a photo soon)

Got back from my business trip last week on Thursday and as agreed with wifey, little Gibby the Copen Robe was sitting there waiting for me (she was at work in the other car).
So - time to start playing with the electrics, as a reminder I have a floor illumination kit, Speed Canceller kit for the roof to operate while moving at up to 30km/h and Smart Roof that allows one-touch and remote operation. Since they all require access behind the dash and aircon panels, I wanted to fit them all at the same time. Also, because I am a nerd, I had already translated the instructions into English and made my own color wiring diagram for all three kits in one - took some time, but it was really worth it for making the job easier.

One thing about this job, I am a fairly fit and active 50 something and in places it nearly killed me getting access into tiny areas, stripping sleeving and connecting wires. Knees, back, ribs, fingers all took a battering. If you have a bad back, don't attempt it and if you have a good back, then by the end you will know how a bad back feels!!

Anyhow, started with the floor illumination kit as it looked the most simple with only 6 connections to make. Hooked up all wiring in a couple of hours and two cups of tea. Reconnected the battery and hey presto! We now have programmable LED floor lighting with different functions for;

1. Doors open (no sidelights) - White
2. Doors closed, sidelights on, Park engaged - Color cycling (1 minute)
3. Doors closed, sidelights on, driving - Reduced brightness, color cycling (several minutes)
4. Sidelights on, doors open. - Flashing RGB like a disco (my daughters idea!!)

Those are just the colors I have set, but its easy to re-program to anything using one button.

Then called it a day as I still had jet-lag and wasn't confident I could finish everything before dark.

So, next morning was dry and perfect to dive into the roof control system, started with the speed canceller as it was the next one up in difficulty with 8 wires. Actually went very well with only the aches and pains causing the problem, so after a couple of hours I was ready to connect the battery and test. So now, with engine running, gear in Drive the roof can be opened closed. Handbrake is not used in the roof circuit in this car as it is an auto - "Park" is the inhibitor. Even tried running the car backwards / forwards slowly (with dashboard hanging out) and it works like a dream.

Great, so onto the big challenge, the Smart Roof system has 19 wires to connect in 5 different locations, the utter worst of which was the one behind the interior fusebox (Grrrr!!).

Well, I finally got it all connected, reconnected the battery with a little trepidation and started testing. This system allows the following;

1. One-touch operation of the switch (i.e. press and release, the roof function will continue by itself)
2. Instant stopping of the roof by any switch operation
3. Operation with engine / ignition off
4. Windows can be programmed to finish in closed or open position.
5. Roof close / open function using long press of the lock / unlock button on the driver's door
6. Remote control roof close / open function by three presses of the door lock / unlock button on the car's remote.

Of course, you still need to release the catches manually for item 5 and 6.

So with everything functioning, it's time to replace all the panels and tidy up the wiring. Then, thirty minutes later I was nearly weeping. After testing it again, it started okay - windows down, roof opens, boot closes......but no window up function??? Even using the window switches, the windows were completely dead - Oh Shit!!! Do I have to start taking panels off again, did I dislodge a wire??

OK, have a cup of tea, mellow out a bit, check the drawings, look at the panels to be removed....eye flits around....scans over all the controls....hmm, window lock button near the driver's right knee...seems to be pressed in....release it, test again....Yippeeeeeee!!!! Everything is working fine, I must have hit it while re-assembling....Phew!! Just saved myself hours of frustration!

So, took it for a test drive and it is wonderful - so much more freedom. Sitting at lights and it starts to rain, just flick the switch, lights start to change - no problem, just keep it under 30km/h until its closed. Or, get home, leave the roof down, go indoors, hmm getting cloudy, where is the remote? three clicks and the roof starts closing by itself - brilliant.

And then of course there is the enhanced pose factor of walking away from the car in the car park, three blips of the remote control over the shoulder and the roof closes as you nonchalantly walk away!!

BTW, not sure if this is the same on the Mk 1 Copen, but when the roof closes, the catches engages into a couple of recesses's in the bracket on the windscreen so it is positively engaged even without locking the manual catches. It means that even if you don't manually lock the catches, it seems impossible for the roof to be lifted either by wind when driving or by ne'er do wells while parked. The manual catches just function as an extra layer of safety and security.

 

One more thing to add.

Daihatsu claims for fuel consumption are like all other makers, to be taken with a healthy sized pinch of salt. In the case of the Auto, they claim up to 25km/L and so far we have been averaging around 13km/L

But, on Sunday the weather was really pleasant, our daughter was out with her boyfriend so my wife and I made our first proper "drive" out instead of just going to the shops or to work. We drove into the next valley to Matsumoto Castle to enjoy the cherry blossom with the roof down all the way. The road was mainly like a UK B road, twisting, through many villages with a climb of about 400m above our home town then down the other side. Most of this was done tootling along at a maximum of 45-50mph in full auto, but where the road got interesting a couple of time I put it into sports mode for a bit of "ahem", spirited driving.

Final result after a 140km trip (90 miles) was exactly 20km/L or around 56mpg which we are quite happy with.

 

Copenpants,

As promised (finally) here is a view from the driver's eye viewpoint. As you can see, the top of the audio binnacle is lower than the windscreen wiper line of view so it doesn't create any blocked line of sight. For reference I am 182cm (about 6ft).