The sub £500 section of Auto Trader is a dangerous place for me to rest my glance, particularly when hunting for a suitable vehicle to take to Santa Pod's Raceway's "Run What Ya Brung" drag racing event. It was for this reason that a few days ago, I happened across a little delight near where my mother lives, this 2003 Rover 25 1.4 iL. Upon speaking to the seller, I found out I was the first to enquire about this newly listed fine example of British craftsmanship, and made an appointment to see it that very evening.
Arriving at the address I was given, I was amazed how clean the bodywork was. In the early 2000s, lurid pastel shades such as this were quite common in mainstream cars, and I am quite grateful for this, especially with something as genteel as a Rover 25. This one has the 1.4 litre 16 valve version of the (in)famous Rover K-series engine, an all British design which started production in 1988, and eventually replaced most other engines in Rovers and MGs up until MG Rover's bankruptcy in 2005.
The K-series is not the smoothest or quietest engine, particularly when cold, but it does rev nicely, and makes a pleasant sound. This is the 103 bhp version and in a light car like the 25, it almost feels sporty. In fact, the basic level MG ZR (the racy sister of the Rover 25), had this exact engine. Very suitable for drag racing, then! I was pleased to discover that the car had had a modified head gasket, new water pump and new cambelt four years previously, as these are famous K-series trouble spots...
The test drive around the free flowing Hampshire roads was a lot of fun, although it reminded me of the slightly awkward driving position that the Rover 25, MG ZR and the slightly earlier Rover 200 (R3 model) share. This always seems to have the wheel too low and the seat too high, with no clutch footrest and pedals which are not evenly lined up. The cable-operated clutch in the 25 does take some getting used to, as it has a high biting point, and the gearbox can have a vague shift, particularly on a car approaching 100,000 miles like this one, but it is not too bad.
The handling of the Rover 25 is actually pretty good, with direct, communicative steering and relatively well-controlled lean in the corners. The MG ZR handles even better, but has quite a firm ride, so this strikes a good compromise for everyday use. Around town, the clutch can be a bit jerky, but the good visibility and responsive K-series engine make it easy to dart into gaps in traffic. In fact, due to having to ask a friend to drive my main car (a 2017 Seat Toledo) back from Hampshire later in the way, I have been using it for work for a couple of days, and it has performed just fine.
The driving position is not really suitable for very long motorway trips, and cramp can easily set in, particularly as no 25 was ever fitted with cruise control. See it, however, as a car which enjoys town work and flowing A and B roads, and it works a lot better. I dread to think what the fuel economy is like, though...
The interior space is average for the class, with a large boot, but relatively cramped rear seats. Bizarrely, the R3 version of the Rover 200, which preceded the 25, but was largely identical, was pitched up against Vauxhall Astras and Ford Escorts in Rover's price lists when it was new. It is certainly too small to do any good in that class, so the 25 was realigned against Fiestas and Corsas upon its launch in 1999, and did much better.
The interior is perfectly good for the time, but now seems very dated, despite the back on white dials, the soft touch dashboard, and the trademark dash of fake wood... The late 1980s Honda indicator stalks and exterior door handles give an even worse impression of the old Rover parts bin being raided, and sadly this was something the company was definitely guilty of right up until the end. The Rover 25, MG ZR and the slightly earlier Rover 200 (R3 model) all share a common platform in the earlier 200 (R8 model), which donated its front structure underneath the curvy body, although its rear suspension was changed for the one from the 1983 Austin Maestro. I don't really know why, but the car seems to handle well enough, so perhaps I shouldn't complain too much!
The car does have a few faults, with wipers that don't seem to have an intermittent function, non-functional air conditioning, slight external rust and a wobbly gearchange, but for just £400 for a car with a good service history, the modified head gasket and a clean year's MOT, it seems like a bargain. If you know what you are doing, Rovers aren't necessarily to be avoided, they can be loved and cherished too.
