Daihatsu Gran Move: the little MPV built on Charade bones

DAIHATSU

Daihatsu Gran Move
A Daihatsu Gran Move. Photo by Guillaume Vachey from Chalon sur Saone, France, CC0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Daihatsu Gran Move was a mini MPV built from 1996 to 2002 and sold in Japan as the Pyzar. It used the chassis of the G200 series Charade and offered a tall body with a folding rear bench. The name Pyzar came from the Mongolian-era Silk Road traffic permit, the paizah.

Daihatsu Gran Move at a glance

Daihatsu Gran Move key facts
Maker Daihatsu, Japan
Also called Daihatsu Pyzar
Production 1996–2002
Class mini MPV
Chassis G200 series Charade
Rear seat 50/50 split folding bench
Seats four in most countries
Load length 1,500 mm with the rear seat folded
Engine 1.5 1,498 cc HE-EG, 90 PS export, 100 PS Japan
Engine 1.6 1,589 cc HD-EP, 91 PS export, 115 PS Japan

The English Wikipedia article covers the car under its Japanese name, Pyzar; this page covers the same model sold in Europe as the Gran Move.

History of the Daihatsu Gran Move

A tall Charade

1999 Daihatsu Gran Move
A 1999 Gran Move. Photo by free photos & art, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Pyzar was introduced in 1996 as a small people carrier based on the chassis of the G200 series Charade. Its tall body gave more interior height than a hatchback of the same length. The rear bench was split 50/50 and folded flat, which meant the car was registered as a four-passenger vehicle in most countries; with the rear seat folded, the cargo compartment was 1,500 mm long.

Engines and the facelift

Two engines were offered, both 16-valve single-overhead-camshaft four-cylinders. The 1,498 cc HE-EG produced 90 PS in export markets from 1996 to 2000 and 100 PS in Japan from 1996 to 2002. The larger 1,589 cc HD-EP, with 91 PS for export from 2000 to 2002, was stronger in Japan at 115 PS from 1999 to 2002.

After three years on the market the Pyzar received a mild facelift: the front fascia was slightly altered, with clear turn signals in the headlamps, and the body decals were rearranged to match the styling of the smaller L600 series Move. At the same time a 1.6-litre version replaced the 1.5-litre engine in export markets, while in Japan both engines were sold side by side until sales ended in August 2002. In Europe the car was marketed as the Gran Move.

Design and features

  • Mini MPV body: a tall, short car with more headroom than a Charade hatchback.
  • Folding rear bench: a 50/50 split seat that turns the car into a four-seater van.
  • Charade chassis: shared mechanicals with the G200 series car.
  • Two engine sizes: 1.5 and 1.6-litre four-cylinders, tuned differently for Japan.

Daihatsu Gran Move versions

  • Pyzar 1.5 (1996–2002): the original engine, sold in Japan throughout.
  • Pyzar 1.6 (1999–2002): the larger Japanese engine.
  • Gran Move 1.6 (2000–2002): export version after the facelift.
  • Facelift model (1999): clear turn signals and new decals.

The Gran Move used the chassis of the Charade and sat above the Move in the range. More cars are in the Daihatsu collection.

Sources