KICKING TYRES

Rovers might look like fossils to some but they can still do a job

- James Ruppert

After a rather wonderful old Rover turned up on the drive (see right), I felt compelled to celebrate the reliability and enduring desirability of late-model examples. They might look like fossils to some but can still do a job in the real world. With that in mind, what can we actually go out and buy?

Our first random Rover in banger territory is an excellent Streetwise, the model that predicted the SUV future but it was so much better. By not even bothering to engineer in all that unnecessary 4x4 plumbing, it's even nippier, and more frugal, than any off-road barge. This 2005 example with not even 50,000 miles and just one careful owner comes with two keys and a fresh service - and incredibly this 1.4 is ULEZ-compliant. Price? A measly £975.