IT'S a measure of the design success of MG-Rover’s team that its cars are still in demand years after the company went bust.
By the time it came up with the chunky MG ZR, the Rover 25 it was based on was already well behind the times.
But the rework turned a staid family car into great looking and properly fucussed warm hatch.
It’s agile and fun to drive even with the smallest 1.4, 104bhp engine - partly thanks to a close ratio gearbox.
And with those spoilers, fat tyres on pretty alloys and bright in-your-face colours, it has appealed to a wide range of buyers who would never have considered buying the 25.
Marvellous suspension gives excellent grip and road-holding and sharp power steering with a chunky wheel gives all the right road feel. The downside is a pretty hard ride but many will be happy to live with that.
Other engines include a 115bhp 1.8 and the range topping 157bhp tuned version of the same size. There is also a 2.0-litre turbo diesel with 100 or 111bhp.
Interior
Inside are all the 25's failings of a poor driving position and cramped rear leg and headroom for taller people.
But it is available as a three or five door hatch and the re-worked interior is much more funky to look at and good to live with.
FAST FACTS
MG ZR
Price: Pay around £2,120 for an ‘04 04-reg “+” 5dr, £2,440 for a standard ‘05 05-reg 1.4 3dr
Mechanical: 102bhp, 1,396cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 5-speed manual gearbox
Max speed: 111mph
0-62mph: 10 seconds
Combined mpg: 41
Insurance group: 7
CO2 emissions: 164g/km
BIK rating: 18%
Marks: 8/10
Main rival: VW Polo 1.6