1991 Rover - Austin Metro S review from UK and Ireland

Clutch judder, back brakes squealed all the time, rear wheel arches rusted badly, front wheel bearings wore out, engine hesitated on acceleration due to sticking enrichment valve in carburettor, suspension needed pumping up, front suspension knuckle joints needed replacement at 55K, sometimes hard to start from cold but generally dependable enough.

Generally quite good. Reliability was OK but it suffered a few irritating niggles. Not all spares are cheap - a new clutch would cost around £400 according to a Rover main dealer. Not too bad to drive - handling good when I first got it but it became a bit vague as the miles increased. Ride is good, especially at high speeds but perhaps a little firm around town.

Seats not too bad but the interior and boot are ridiculously small. I'm 5'9" and found it lacking in headroom in the front making it a bit uncomfortable. Driving position gets uncomfortable after a while. Cabin is dated and too similar to the old Metro but materials are decent quality.

Feels a bit vulnerable on motorways and gets blown all over the place in strong winds. Build quality a bit dubious - rattles and squeaks from every part of the car. Paint finish excellent and didn't fade.

Fuel consumption fine - 55mpg on longer runs. Small fuel tank means lots of trips to the pumps. I part exchanged it recently and had to fight hard to get a decent price as they are supposedly hard to sell on as it's a Metro, but they are decent small cars and will last well if looked after. I know someone who has a Metro 1.1C that has done 130,000 miles and still goes well. Enough said?