The Daihatsu Sneaker, known in Japan as the ダイハツスニーカー, was a microcar concept built around a specific design philosophy aimed at drivers who wanted a characterful, comfortable vehicle for short trips around town. It was shown by Daihatsu as a high-tech small car study, built with a three-door, three-seat body layout, with only a driver's seat positioned at the front.
The Sneaker was fitted with a tiny 547 cc three-cylinder OHC engine, sourced from the Daihatsu Cuore, producing 32 hp at 6000 rpm and 43 Nm of torque at 3500 rpm, paired with a two-stage automatic transmission controlled via a steering column selector, with the parking brake operated by pedal. Its wheelbase measured 190 cm, with track widths of 121.5 cm and 120.5 cm, and overall dimensions of 288 cm in length, 139.5 cm in width, and 156 cm in height. Wheels wearing 155/60 R12 tyres sat close to the corners of the body.
Features included a high roofline, double-hinged doors, a flat floor, remote unlocking, fully automatic climate control, automatic defrosting, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlight dimming, head-up instrument displays, a hot/cold storage compartment for shopping, a proximity alarm, a lower side window for kerb visibility, and a retractable rear wheel that reduced the turning circle from 3.7 to 2.1 metres to aid parking in narrow spaces. It also included an onboard route-finding system.
