1994 Rover - Austin Metro GTi review from UK and Ireland
"Powerful engine and highly understated!"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Radiator fins are wearing away. Car is 10 years old so shouldn't complain.
Minor rust on Rear wheel arch, very common!
Radius arms are going, again very common!
General comments?
Poor build quality and few safety features. It's not a car that you want to have an accident in!
Steering wheel and dash rattle like hell after 80 mph, but that's half the fun with this car and you feel involved about every part of driving it!
It has very quick pick-up in both 1st and 2rd gear, wheel spinning is possible in 2rd as long as those revs are high.
Had no problems seeing off a 106 GTI who eventually overtook me around a totally blind bend on a busy road, nearly killing himself. Idiot. However, I can understand his frustration, the metro's pace surprised me to!
Not as quick as the VTS, as you need to rev it hard to get the best out of it. Anyway 103 BHP in a small shell gives alot of power to weight. Excellent pull in every gear, seems to want to go faster and faster.
Brakes are good, but could be better.
Steering and handling are good, if far to heavy, this will almost certainly be because I have gone from power steering to NON. Steering in car parks and small spaces is like having a work-out, the clutch is heavy and offers good muscle tone for calf muscles located below back of knee. Steering lightens massiveley after 5 - 10 mph.
The multipoint Injection is faster, considerably, than the single point. Look for 7 cross-spoke on the MPI, also 1991 onwards.
Good gearbox, needs to be shown who is boss!
Suspension is very firm, could be better with springs rather than hydrogas, this would be more forgiving when you dont want a stressfull journey!
Piper-cross Induction gives a sporty note and offers minimal power gains.
Finally - This car is understated, it offers excellent hatchback credential for a dated car (1994) and a even a part-time enthusiast can see where Honda have played their part in the engine design. Be prepared to be shocked, I thought I knew my cars, but the Metro GTI has hidden well from better reports and reviews.
Highly tunable and very reliable K-series engine, just give it a service now-and-then and it won't fail you.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Year of manufacture | 1994 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2004 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.4 16v Multipoint Manual |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 6 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 60000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 61000 miles |
| Previous car | Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 Sport 16v |
| Date of Entry | 2nd June, 2004 |