Daihatsu · 1989–2000

Daihatsu Applause

The Daihatsu Applause (Japanese: ダイハツ・アプローズ, Daihatsu Apurōzu) is a compact car (C-segment in Europe) manufactured by the Japanese automaker Daihatsu for British and Australian markets. The Daihatsu Applause was manufactured from 1989 to 2000. It is most notable for its unusual body style, which, despite appearing to be a 4-door notchback sedan, is in fact a 5-door liftback with a notchback-shaped 412-litre trunk and a tailgate.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Daihatsu Charmant · Successor: Daihatsu Altis

All Daihatsu Applause data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years → + Compare

History

As Daihatsu firmly established itself as Toyota's compact car specialist brand, compact cars were the biggest vehicles marketed by the company. When replacing the long-running Charmant, the company decided to try a unique approach at the segment, with the intention to capitalize on the preferences for sedans, while at the same time offering the flexibility and convenience of a 5-door liftback body. Resulting from such thinking, the Applause was presented at the 1989 Geneva Motor Show in production-ready "concept" form, as the MS-X90. The engine was also a new development, a 16-valve 1.6-liter inline-four shared with the F300-series Rocky/Feroza/Sportrak. Daihatsu took the opportunity to introduce a platform that was not shared with an existing Toyota platform that the previous Charmant used when the Toyota Corolla was changed to front wheel drive with the Toyota Corolla (E80) in 1983. A high-performance concept called the Applause MS-R was showcased at the 1989 Essen Motor Show. Developed in collaboration with German tuning company Oettinger (fi), it featured a new suspension setup and a turbocharged engine with an intercooler, producing 180 PS (132 kW; 178 hp). In the first year in the market, Applause's reputation was tarnished by widely publicized incidents of gasoline spurting under excessive air pressure while refuelling, which could lead to very hazardous accidents. Daihatsu fixed the problem in the 1990 model, named Applause Theta, to highlight the improvement. The car was engineered from the beginning to be equipped with four-wheel-drive, a model which appeared only a few months after the introduction. It came equipped with a viscous coupling, sending up to 47 percent of the power to the rear wheels. In the spring of 1991 Daihatsu presented a cabrio coach protot

Drivetrain

The Applause was a FF layout car with transversely-mounted engine. A full-time AWD version was sold from late 1989 to 1994. Engine. All models were powered by various versions of the Daihatsu HD 1589 cc straight-four 16-valve SOHC engine. HD-F carburetor, 91 PS (67 kW; 90 hp) - 1989–1992 (export markets) HD-F carburetor, 97 PS (71 kW; 96 hp) - 1989–1992 (domestic market) HD-E EFI, 105 PS (77 kW), 134 N⋅m (99 lb⋅ft) of torque - 1989–1997 (export markets, FWD or AWD) HD-E EFI, 120 PS (89 kW), 140 N⋅m (103 lb⋅ft) of torque - 1989–2000 (domestic market, compression ratio increased from 9.5 to 10.5 in 1997) HD-E EFI, 90 PS (66 kW), 123 N⋅m (91 lb⋅ft) of torque - 1992–1997 (selected export markets) HD-E EFI, 99 PS (73 kW), 138 N⋅m (102 lb⋅ft) of torque - 1997–2000 (export markets - replaced both former engines, increased compression ratio) Transmissions. 5-speed manual (not available with 120 PS (88 kW; 118 hp) after 1997) 3-speed automatic (105 PS (77 kW) engine, FWD setup, export markets) 4-speed automatic (97 PS (71 kW), 120 PS (88 kW) engine, FWD setup, became standard transmission from 1997 for domestic market)

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

Daihatsu Applause (A101/111S)

Manufacturer

Daihatsu

Production

1989–2000

Assembly

Ryūō, Shiga, Japan (Daihatsu Shiga Plant)

Class

Compact car (C)

Layout

Front-engine, front-wheel-drive (A101S), Front-engine, four-wheel-drive (A111S)

Body style

5-door liftback sedan

Engine

1.6 L HD I4

Transmission

5-speed manual, 3/4-speed automatic

Length

4260 mm (1989–1992), 4310 mm (1992–1997), 4340 mm (1997–2000)

Width

1660 mm

Height

1375 mm (FWD), 1390 mm (AWD)

Wheelbase

2470 mm

Kerb weight

920 –

Predecessor

Daihatsu Charmant

Successor

Daihatsu Altis

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q945485CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daihatsu_ApplauseCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1376575418 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MHV_Daihatsu_Applause_01.jpgPublic domain · Photo: MartinHansV · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

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