2002 Rover - Austin 75 Connoisseur SE CDT 2.0 diesel

Summary:

Exceptional value for money and a beautiful car to own and drive

Faults:

Intermittent loss of one dipped headlight (loose connection somewhere). Otherwise nothing.

General Comments:

A very comfortable, reliable and (for it's size) reasonably economical car. A bit sluggish first thing in cold weather, but I didn't expect a racing car with a diesel automatic.

Very comfortable for long or short journeys. Very good build quality and high level of trim and accessories (sat nav, rear blind, computer, TV etc. etc.) -all of which work in a four year old car.

Get around 38-44 mpg (more than double my old Mercedes) with better performance all round, so I'm more than content.

The best car I've owned (and I've owned all sorts, inc. BMW's and Mercedes). Incredible value for money at the moment because of Rover's collapse. Well worth considering if you want a high-end, very comfortable family or business car.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 14th March, 2006

2002 Rover - Austin 75 Club SE 1.8

Summary:

This is what Rover is all about

Faults:

Absolutely nothing.

General Comments:

The finest car that unfortunately was sold on our shores. How can manufacturer of such an almost perfect car go into administration where the likes of BMW, Mercedes and Audi's, continue to make dull and tawdry un-reliable cars?

Anyway, the car is superbly built. The ride quality is the best, this side of a Rolls Royce - and yet the handling is still superb, very direct and quite communicative. The car suffers very little body roll considering the suspension set up- this is what I call true Engineering. Anyone can make a car handle well - BMW M-series for instance - but it takes a real engineer to make it handle well and give more than decent ride quality.

The interior is the most inviting I have ever been in. Certainly a lot better than Jaguars recent efforts, and from sitting in the Rovers interior into a German /Japanese car - you would want to go back to the Rover without a doubt!

For a 1.8 the cars gives a decent performance. Its not going to blow anyone away from the lights. However, on the motorway, it can keep up with the best of them, and at no time do you feel as though the car is slow. I have also been getting 38mpg around town, and reaching nearly 50mpg on the motorway! Absolutly fantastic!

The equipment range is high too. Mine came with the intelligence pack - including rear parking sensors, automatic wipers, auto dimming rear view mirror. Full dual zone climate control system, e/windows all round, front fog lamps, 16" Union alloys, r/cl, electric mirrors, PAS, walk me home lights, on board computer. The list goes on.

I have always been a Rover fan, and even if the sad fact that a Rover badge never may appear on a new car again, I shall certainly be keeping my 75, or at least replacing her with a 2.5V6 or a 4.6V8.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th May, 2005

2002 Rover - Austin 75 Tourer Classic SE 2.0 CDT

Summary:

Still an old man car

Faults:

Clutch at 7000 miles started slipping and completely failed a few miles later.

Boot does not always open as it should.

Few cosmetic things falling off/breaking.

General Comments:

3000 revs at 90mph - so cruising is very comfortable.

Bad on diesel usually 36/37mpg best I've had is 40mpg driving pretty carefully, stated figure is about 50 - total lies.

A 1984 golf gti did better on petrol for me - and what a performance difference!

Lazy engine annoying lag for it to get going (diesel) - poor performance becomes frustrating.

You could imagine this was a hearse.

Pretty good load space.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 29th November, 2002

8th May 2003, 14:47

I have driven a Golf GTi, and other more recent versions of cars by that manufacturer, and could not possibly compare the spartan, noisier, interior of a VW (OK cars though they unquestionably are) to the sumptuous levels of comfort - and virtually inaudible noise levels of the Rover 75. I have only owned one Rover 75 so far... I will certainly own another!

21st Dec 2008, 14:37

I have owned a 20L CDT Rover 75 and would buy another. Mine too was sluggish when I first bought it. There is an air filter/sensor that required replacing near the front bumper and, once changed, ensured the engine moved swiftly. Perhaps the reviewer on this thread has/had the same problem?

I'm currently looking to purchase my second 75 :)

Scarbs.

2nd Mar 2011, 16:43

Well you certainly won't achieve the claimed economy figures doing 90 MPH! I get about 700 miles from a tank in my 75 on cruising on A + B roads driving normally (and despite the vehicle's image I'm under 35!). However, I once crossed Germany in a hurry between 90 and 100 MPH and only got 360 miles from a full tank of diesel.