Although the Daihatsu Applause can be said to have looked very modern and be at least on par with competition in terms of size back in 1989, after seven years in the market it began to appear quite dated and smaller than newer compact cars.
Daihatsu found it economically unjustifiable to replace the car with an all-new model, but rather gave the car an extensive facelift in hope of reviving weakening sales.

The refreshed Applause debuted at the 57th Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1997.
Totally new front and rear fascias provided for a much more "formal" appearance, along with a small increase in length.
However, the car remained the same with regard to all other measurements, including cargo capacity.

The facelift did not help sales result much, so the model was discontinued altogether in May 2000, without a direct replacement for export markets.
In Japan, the Daihatsu Altis, which was in essence a rebadged Toyota Camry, took over its role as Daihatsu's largest sedan.
Although the Daihatsu Applause can be said to have looked very modern and be at least on par with competition in terms of size back in 1989, after seven years in the market it began to appear quite dated and smaller than newer compact cars. Daihatsu found it economically unjustifiable to replace the car with an all-new model, but rather gave the car an extensive facelift in hope of reviving weakening sales.
The refreshed Applause debuted at the 57th Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1997. Totally new front and rear fascias provided for a much more "formal" appearance, along with a small increase in length. However, the car remained the same with regard to all other measurements, including cargo capacity.
The facelift did not help sales result much, so the model was discontinued altogether in May 2000, without a direct replacement for export markets. In Japan, the Daihatsu Altis, which was in essence a rebadged Toyota Camry, took over its role as Daihatsu's largest sedan.
Daihatsu Applause