Daihatsu introduced the Gran Move in 1996 on the small MPV market to offer more interior room for its customers and excellent fuel-efficiency.
The Gran Move was built on the same platform as the Charade. Its front-wheel-drive architecture allowed the Japanese carmaker to create a taller cabin with a higher seating position. Thus, it solved the problem with the interior space and all-around visibility.

While it wasn’t the best-looking vehicle in the small-MPV segment, the Gran Move was one of the best-engineered ones. The design team was inspired by the Japanese kei-car segment, where the vertical panels and flat surfaces brought more efficiency, but the smaller windows were not the best idea they had.

Inside, the higher front seats and bench allowed better legroom for the rear seat passengers. There was room for two in the back, or three if they were very close friends. Daihatsu had to make a concession to the trunk space, but at least it offered a 50/50 split-folding bench. The dashboard featured a closed glove-compartment and an open storage area in front of the passenger. For the driver, the carmaker installed a small instrument cluster with three dials. Its speedometer took center stage while the tachometer claimed the right side. The third dial featured the coolant-temperature and fuel-level gauges.

Daihatsu installed only one engine option under the hood; a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired to a standard five-speed manual gearbox.