Daihatsu Charade

The Daihatsu Charade is a supermini car produced by the Japanese manufacturer Daihatsu from 1977 to 2000. It is considered by Daihatsu as a "large compact" car, to differentiate it from the smaller compacts in its line-up, such as the Daihatsu Mira. It replaced the Daihatsu Consorte, although the Charmant took over from the bigger-engined Consortes.

In China, the Daihatsu Charade is called Xiali and is produced by FAW Tianjin, under the registered mark of "China FAW". From September 1986 to 2009, it sold over 1.5 million units in that country.

First generation (G10, G20; 1977–1983)

The first generation (G10) appeared in October 1977. It was a front-engined front-wheel drive car, originally available only as a five-door hatchback, powered by a 993 cc three-cylinder, all-aluminum engine (CB20) with 50 PS (37 kW). Japanese market cars claimed 55 PS (40 kW) JIS at 5,500 rpm. The three-door hatchback version ("Runabout"), introduced in the fall of 1978, received two little round opera windows in the C-pillars. The Charade was a surprise best-seller in Japan, where ever tighter emissions standards had made many observers consider the one-litre car dead in the marketplace. The Charade became an overnight success and also became the Japanese "Car of the Year" for 1979.