Rover 200 vs Hyundai Kona

Our first-ever cover car meets our current Car of the Year

- Alex Ingram

'SECRET ROVER' read the headline splashed across the cover of the very first issue of Auto Express back in 1988. The car in question was the Rover 200, which went on to become one of the greatest success stories of the Longbridge marque.

A lot has changed in the car industry over the last 35 years, not only in terms of design and technology, but also with the brands at the top of the sales charts. Administration for the MG Rover group in April 2005 marked the sad demise of the Rover marque, and since then, other brands have established themselves as significant players.

Hyundai is one such winner. The Rover 214 was among the most popular family hatchbacks of its era, and the Kona very much fits that billing today. It's also one of the best; indeed, we rate it so highly that it took overall victory in our 2023 New Car Awards.

So to celebrate our 35th birthday, we put the 214 and Kona side by side, to see just how much has changed for car buyers. As we'll find out, levels of safety, efficiency and technology are unrecognisable between the pair, but the old guard still proves that there are areas where progress hasn't been altogether successful.

Rover 200 

Our first cover star turned out to be a highlight in Rover's history