Rover 25

The story

The 25 was a sharpened-up version of the 1995 Rover 200, with a new face and firmer suspension. After BMW left in 2000 it carried on almost unchanged until MG Rover collapsed in 2005.

Inside

A touch of wood and chrome in a compact cabin. It was showing its age by the end.

In period colours

Tap a colour to respray the drawing.

Meanwhile, in 1999

A total eclipse of the sun crossed Cornwall, and leaded four-star petrol was about to be withdrawn.

Best-selling single of 1999: ...Baby One More Time by Britney Spears

Before you buy a 1990s car

• On petrol engines, check the cooling system and any sign of head gasket trouble.
• Ask when the timing belt was last changed, where fitted.
• Parts for mass-market cars are widely available; specialist and low-volume models can be hard to find.

General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.

Rivals of its day

Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.

See the real thing

These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.