Daihatsu Esse
Daihatsu Esse was built from 2005 to 2011, as a 5-door hatchback. Powertrain: Petrol: 658 cc KF-VE I3. Layout: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive; Front-engine, four-wheel-drive. Size: 3,395 x 1,475 x 1,470 mm (L x W x H). Weight: 700 – 780 kg.
Composed from the specifications below, so it states nothing the specs do not. The picture illustrates the body shape, not this car; a photograph is added when a licence-safe one exists.
Overview
The is a kei car manufactured by the Japanese automaker Daihatsu. With a base price of ¥680,000, it was one of the cheapest new cars in Japan when launched in December 2005. According to Daihatsu, the name was derived from the Latin root for the English word "essence", but also serves as a backronym for "Eco, Simple and Smart, and Easy".
Design
The Esse was sold as a 5-door hatchback in five trim levels (Eco, D, L, X, and Custom), with front- or four-wheel drive. The Esse Custom, introduced in November 2006, had a front lip spoiler, fog lights, side skirts, and sporty seats, but received no mechanical changes. All versions are powered by a 658 cc KF-VE three-cylinder petrol engine producing 58 PS at 7,200 rpm.
Source: the English Wikipedia article on this model, CC BY-SA 4.0. Text may be shortened; read the full article for the complete text.
Not yet sourced for this model. Used prices swing with year, mileage, grade and country, so we publish a market range only when it comes with a named source and a date, and never an estimate. For a live figure, use the landed-cost tool with the price on the auction sheet.
Against the other hatchback models in this database (76 with this body type). Computed from the dimensions in the specifications, so it changes as the database grows.
- about the same as the median of 3,395 mm, and shorter than 71% of the 70 other hatchback models in this database.
- about the same as the median of 1,475 mm, and narrower than 74% of the 70 other hatchback models in this database.
- 70 mm below the median of 1,540 mm, and lower than 77% of the 44 other hatchback models in this database.
- about the same as the median of 2,390 mm, and shorter than 53% of the 66 other hatchback models in this database.
Who it suits
- City and mixed driving: hatchbacks are compact outside and flexible inside.
Check before you buy
- Test the four-wheel-drive system (transfer case, differentials) and look for uneven tyre wear.
- Inspect for corrosion at sills, floor, subframes and suspension mounts, and replace perishable rubber (hoses, bushes, boots) at import.
- Read the auction sheet grade and notes, and verify the odometer against service and inspection records. How to read an auction sheet
- Run a history check (accidents, flood, mileage) before you bid. History check guide
- Import age rules: this generation already qualifies in Canada, United Kingdom. Confirm the rule for your exact vehicle with customs before buying. Landed-cost calculator
General guidance for this type of vehicle, worked out from its body, powertrain and age. It is not a finding about this particular model; use an inspection and the auction sheet for the car you are actually buying.
Worked out from this generation's production years and each country's age rule. Rules also depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.
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Can I import a Daihatsu Esse from Japan?
By production year alone, Daihatsu Esse is inside the age window for Canada, United Kingdom. The earliest examples become eligible later in: United States (2030); Australia (2030). Rules depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.
What powers the Daihatsu Esse?
Per its encyclopedia infobox, engine: Petrol: 658 cc KF-VE I3.
How big is the Daihatsu Esse?
3,395 mm long and 1,475 mm wide and 1,470 mm tall, on a 2,390 mm wheelbase (5-door hatchback). For container loading, use the container packer.
Answered from this page's own data, not from outside claims. See the sources below.
- en.wikipedia.org (retrieved 2026-10-19)
Confidence: single-source (Wikipedia infobox). Specifications differ by market, trim and model year; the auction sheet or the vehicle's registration document is the final word on a particular car.
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