Faults:

The car has been faultless.

The only maintenance it has needed has been service parts. (i.e brake pads, oil etc.)

General Comments:

This car is very easy and fun to drive.

It is quite quick for a car of it's size and handles well, but can get caught out on very bumpy corners.

Fuel economy is good under normal use, but if driven hard can fall away very rapidly.

The interior is comfortable and quiet, but a bit bland, being mainly plastic.

The air conditioning works well and is a definite plus point.

The only complaint I have is that the rearward visibility is not very good when trying to park. Even though I am 6'2" it is impossible to see the back of the car through the rear window.

Overall the car feels very solid and well put together.

Faults:

Exhaust back box fell off two months after purchase, Exhaust badly repaired resulting in MOT failure as well as worn disc pads. For second MOT car failed on worn suspension bushes costing a hefty 200 pounds to repair. Main bean headlights burnt out at the same time.

General Comments:

This car has very good acceleration and can out run most other family saloons, But the cars handling dent it's performance and it is only really fast in a straight line, Another point is the brakes, If applied firmly or the roads are wet the brakes tend to judder, The fuel economy is good for a 1.7 but as the car is not used much I suspect it would be less admirable with frequent use, The cabin although spacious and light can be described in two words Grey and plastic, The seats are fine for short trips, but after a while you want to get out and stretch your legs. On starting there is a slight whirr coming from the engine which sounds like the cam-belt needs replaced. Although the car is only five years old I have noticed some rust on the underside.

Faults:

Door check straps at 30,000 miles.

Boot lock at 31,000 miles.

Upholstery is more worn than it should be.

General Comments:

This is a great car to drive as far as performance and handling goes. Yes, it is a bit bumpy at low speeds, but I do prefer to 'feel' the road. The power steering is effortless and accurate and the engine is very responsive.

I think this is a very stylish car both externally and internally (especially the dashboard).

Down-sides are the upholstery which is wearing out rapidly and is difficult to clean and a few more rattles and squeaks than I'd like. Also the fuel economy is not too impressive especially when the engine is pushed.

Reliability has been very good apart from the niggling problems listed above.

The two dealerships I've encountered aren't too hot on customer service and seem a bit clueless at times!

These cars are very good value compared with equivalents (Mondeo and Vectra) and I'd say they're more fun to drive too.