Some of Rovers final outputs may not have been perfect, but they were the car of choice for many first time drivers and performed something only the likes of the Range Rover, the Mini or the Ford Capri had managed before: it appealed to all ages. It may have been 20 years since Rover launched the design onto the world but the design is the definition of timelessness. This car could have been launched tomorrow and it would still look just as grand. Controversial? Perhaps, as many don’t even give the Rover 25 GTi so much as a second glance, but stick with us on this one - the Rover 25 GTi is an overlooked piece of British beef.
British Beef for Sunday Lunch – The Rover 25 GTi
The Rover 25 GTi was a sensation in its day for the upcoming mechanic and enthusiast. Easily tuned, good looking, nippy and featuring keen handling and sporty suspension - it appeared to tick all the boxes. Furthermore, unlike a Ferrari or even a Cosworth, if you smashed it up then you could go and get another one.
Reliability seemed to be sorted, too, with the Rover 25 being the 3rd most reliable car to buy in a 2005 Warranty Direct Survey. It was also cheap on the road with the ‘Steptronic’ ECVT gearbox setup providing sublime control in town. The ventilation system was greatly improved while 2003 proved that 98% of vehicles had no faults, no faults, at all. Not even Toyota achieved that figure.
Yet, it was still a 'Rover'. It could have reached 60mph in .2 of a second and been made out of the finest albino hippo, but it would still have been ‘a Rover’. And its reputation didn’t get much above the water when little niggly things started to make themselves known to the 25 owner as time moved on. Electronics began to take their own life, ABS committed suicide, the 1.8 petrol engine began to self harm and the interior components dated worse than shoulder pads and the Waif look.
Pair this with the mediocre three stars NCAP crash test rating and the steering, which could begin wandering like a drunk giraffe as the car aged, and the reputation for the Rover 25 GTi entered the status chamber in unfavorable terms.
The political melting pot that was the Rover Company didn’t help things much, driving many potential customers away to 'the foreigners'. Influential journalists continued to rip Rover to shreds, hammering the nails into Rovers coffin at an alarming rate. It was the bullied child, unfairly so.
However, if you look long enough and find one unabated by the clutch riding behaviour of old folk or the madness of youth then you’ve got a friend for life. Like a mellow Labrador or a refined collie.
Although little had changed from the previous 200 series, the Rover 25’s range of engines were more efficient, robust and refined than its predecessor. In particular was the 1.4 16v unit which seemed to hide under the bonnet of the majority that left the factory. The biggest change, arguably, came in the form of the 2.0 diesel turbo – with its newly designed high-pressure injection system which gave the little Rover bags of torque, despite doing little for the horse power.
Engines were also borrowed from the MGF while the GTi option gave the VW Golf a damn good run for its money. Nearly every engine offers instant acceleration, it won't keep up with the modern equivalent but it gets more than the job done.
The interior changes are relatively minor between the 200 and the 25, with the coloured dashboard components often giving a nasty reflection off the windscreen in strong sunlight. The steering wheel is new, the airbag is bigger, there’s more storage, redesigned seats with new rear head restraints and three-point seatbelts. Other than that – it’s the bog standard Rover interior.
For a supermini it is surprisingly spacious, even if 5 passengers need to cosy up in order to fit in. The boot area may be slightly hindered by the opening but its large enough for the biggest of shops or average Ikea visits. Criticise it all you like but the interior plastics are well above your average supermini and there is polished wood in even the cheapest models in the range.
The mechanics, bar the head gasket on the 1.8 models, have yet to show common fatal failings while the drive is much, much better than the Fiat Punto or Peugeot 206, thanks to its thoroughly worked chassis development. All round, this car is great news for the used car buyer. As long as you check that servicing work has been carried out properly, it’ll practically be bomb proof – depending on how it’s been treated throughout its life so far.
Although humdrum in the light of the supermini kings, the 25GTi is always a good drive. It’s hardly boring and the weight distribution helps to prevent lolly-polly rolling around bends. Gearboxes and gear changes are as smooth as Roger Moore’s vocals.
The engine note isn’t over powering but neither is it yawn-inducing, except the GTi when pushed - which growls and spits like the badge suggests it should. Overall, the mechanics and the design are top notch. Although certain aspects have dated, there is very little that doesn’t now scream of retro-charm.
The Rover 25 was lampooned as a fancy Rover 200 with a chinsy grille -as undesirable as that sounds, it’s a well rounded car that can be had for as little as £500. Although this won’t be the best example, it’ll be robust enough to survive any thrashing with aplomb. Already a popular racer, they maintain their low purchase value through the sheer enormity of numbers that are still driving up the roads today.
A used Rover 25 allows extreme advantage of all the benefits that Rover had to offer at a knockdown price. Low mileage, last of the line examples are outstanding value. Their charm is high. The styling is very British. Mechanically sound. Robust and finally gaining some of the recognition they should have had decades ago.