Rover - 25

1999-05 

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The 25 is best regarded as a large supermini rather than a small family car. It drives well, looks classy and is fairly affordable, but it's getting on a bit.

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	Smart, sporty looks; a bigger-than-average supermini
	Engines are quite lively and responsive
	Roomier than many supermini rivals
	An old design based on mid-Nineties Rover 200
	Safety standards fall behind class leaders
	Obsolete model from defunct car maker

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Developed from the mid-Nineties Rover 200, the 25 offers polished styling with a touch of Rover class. It's too small to compete in the Focus/Astra/Golf class, but it's practical and easy to live with provided you don't often need to carry adult rear seat passengers.
It's rewarding to drive, with lively performance from all except the 1.1 litre engine, plus enjoyable handling and precise steering. Suspension is rather firm, which is great for body control but means that the ride is quite hard and a bit noisy.
The 1.4 is the most common choice; in 103 bhp form, it does 0-60 mph in about 10 seconds and gives around 40 mpg. The 84 bhp version is quite adequate but no more economical. The 2.0D performs briskly but is much less refined.
Depreciation is quite steep, making used prices look tempting; they start at under £3000 for a basic 1.4.