CITYRover STYLE
Can The Top-Specification Level Bring A Touch Of Glamour To Rovers Urban Runabout? Steve Walker Reports
If we view Rovers CityRover range in terms of thoroughfares in our nations Capital, the entry-level Solo models could be likened to the cheap but cheerful Old Kent Road. Mid-range Select and Sprite variants are a little more mainstream, Trafalgar Square or Piccadilly Circus perhaps, and the range-topping Style trim level that we examine here would be Mayfair or Park Lane, naturally. You get the general idea but the question is can this most stylish of CityRovers exert a monopoly on the posh citycar market?
Citycars are a product of the modern urban environment, their purpose in life to get urban dwellers cheaply and efficiently from A to B. Performance and handling arent all that important because crippling congestion means nobody is going anywhere very fast. Far more valuable in the Citycars armoury is its diminutive size for nipping through gaps in the traffic and accessing tight parking spaces. Strong fuel economy is also useful, as are low emissions which reduce the tax burden, cut pollution and help cut instances of asthma amongst the pigeon population.
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Judged on these criteria, Rovers CityRover looks a reasonable product but reasonable might not be enough to triumph in the cutthroat citycar sector Theres only one engine available in the CityRover and choice is limited further by the absence of a 3-door bodystyle. Buyers can have the car in any configuration they want so long as its a 1.4-litre 5-door. The lack of a labyrinthine model range means the process of selecting between different CityRovers comes down to price and specification.
The Style is the most luxurious trim level chipping in with air-conditioning, a CD stereo, electric windows, remote central locking, ABS and twin front airbags. It reminds the world at large of its elevated status too by swanning around resplendent in alloy wheels, body coloured door handles and mirrors, body coloured sill extensions, a rear spoiler and front fog lamps. The car looks a cut above lesser CityRovers and it features most of the equipment youd want but itll cost you £8,895 and therein lies the rub.
"The 84bhp 1.4-litre engine makes the CityRover stand out against rival citycars"
Whereas the entry level CityRover Solo is tightly priced for a Citycar at £6,495, the Style is getting on towards £9,000, the sort of money that would secure you a supermini like Renaults Clio, Mitsubishis Colt or SEATs Ibiza. Not a basic model either, one with a decent amount of equipment. Admittedly, the CityRover is a shade larger than most citycars but as a product it may not be polished enough to win sales from the supermini elite. The 84bhp 1.
4-litre engine makes the CityRover stand out against rival citycars which tend to rely predominantly on smaller petrol engines. Many will like the relaxed character that the larger powerplant bestows on the car. You dont have to rev the engine to oblivion in order to make progress and it can handle motorway speeds without producing too much din. The 0-60mph acceleration time is a brisk 11.
9 seconds and keeping the pedal to the metal will result in a 100mph top speed eventually. The downside, of course, is fuel consumption. The 37.9mpg isnt bad but rivals, most of which utilise smaller and more modern engines than the CityRovers, will often return close to 50mpg.
The CityRovers CO2 emissions are measured at 167g/km which, by todays standards, is a little high for a 1.4-litre engine. The exterior styling is resoundingly inoffensive from every angle. Theres nothing to make the car stand out unduly but there are some nice touches, although it might be difficult to put your finger on them initially, and as a whole it hangs together quite well.
Space inside is a CityRover strongpoint. As weve already hinted, its dimensions are more supermini than citycar and theres ample room for four occupants. Space for legs and heads in the rear is surprisingly generous as is the luggage capacity of 220-litres. By Citycar standards, its a very practical car capable of extending its usefulness beyond that of short-trip urban runabout.
Inside, everything is sensibly laid out but the design lacks the individuality and quirkiness that the best citycars display nowadays. The seating is upholstered with quality fabrics and should you really want to travel in style, theres even the possibility of upgrading to leather trim not something were used to seeing on citycar options lists. The dash, however, is all rather old-fashioned and thats a product of the CityRovers origins. Lacking the development budget to produce their own small car,
MG Rover tapped-up Indian conglomerate
TATA and struck a deal to rebadge the TATA Indica citycar as the CityRover.
Steps have been taken to modernise the Indicas interior to appeal to European tastes, and the Style model features upper-class extras like a leather steering wheel and a sports gear knob, but some of the plastics and the overall build quality do occasionally give the game away. Up against mainstream Citycars, the CityRover looks a pleasantly grown-up proposition. Its larger, more spacious inside and the 1.4-engine means its quicker as well.
The equipment levels on the Style make it significantly more desirable than base CityRovers but they boost the price up to a level that encourages comparisons with lower-priced superminis and in that company, the CityRover appears less accomplished. If your heart is set on a CityRover, then the Style is definitely the ultimate model to go for but on taking the wider view, derivatives further down the range seem to have the edge in terms of value for money.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: MG Rover CityRover Style
PRICES: £8,495 on the road
CO2 EMISSIONS: 167g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 11.5s / 0-60mph 110mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 38mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin Front Airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 3702/1620/1467
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