Rover 45 in general

In the past 12 months I have had the opportunity to drive various motor vehicles, some brand new, and some hardly in pristine condition..And have to say that some I approached with a built in predjudice..The Rover 45 D was one such..As I have a deep loathing of the Rover Metro.. However..I found this car a delight.. Comfortable, roomy, with plenty of leg room and boot space, and clear well positioned instrument dials..This car is a gem to drive.. Gear change is smooth, steering responsive, and the acceleration a bit of a surprise! Moreover it cruises at 90+ m.p.h. ( I know I should not admit to speeding) in fifth, very quietly for a diesel.Even fully ...  Read the complete review

I am now on my 3rd Rover 400(45)in 4 years and I can only say that I am very pleased with every one that I have owned. The Rover 45 may not have the style of a Aston Martin or the head turning capability of a Ferrari, but then it does not come with the price tag either. The 45 is a lovely car to drive and gives excellent road handling.The 1.6 holds its own on the motorway with plenty of power even with 5 adults in the car and is very good on petrol (and it needs to be with the price petrol). Inside you have walnut trim, plush comfortable seats, electric windows, driver and passenger air bags and the all the other refinements you would expect from a Rover. When actually ...  Read the complete review

Do not mistake this for the Rover 400. The industry assumed that this was a 400 with a few additions, and they were right to an extent, but the additions have completely changed the character of the vehicle. Whereas the 400 was underpowered in 1.6 form and overpowered for the handling in Diesel Turbo guise, the 45 has a minimal 'relaxed' sports experience to offer in 1.6 form and in Diesel Turbo form a surprisingly satisfying drive. It feels long legged on the motorway and has a good quality finish. Although most of the changes visible are to the front end shape, such details as the CD option as fairly standard and the improved shift grip and seat adjustment all ...  Read the complete review

Rover have improved a very old model that they acquired from the Honda car company with a change in styling and improved driveability. However, the 45 is a very old model in terms of shape, which in its day was the class of the field. Therefore, replacement of the model would not have been far off under BMW. However, with the sale of Rover to the Phoenix Group, this is very unlikely. This is a shame as the 25 and 75 have been given the thumbs up by a large variety of motor experts, including Top Gear. Although the car is good, the dashboard is still in the early '90's, and the front looks awful with a grille, just 'stuck' onto the bonnet. If it were to ...  Read the complete review