Rover STREETWISE GSi 1.8i STEPSPEED
With Supermini Underpinnings And 4x4 Styling Accoutrements, The
Rover Streetwise Is An Interesting Proposition. Steve Walker Looks At The Range-Topping GSi 1.8-Litre Stepspeed Model
When some bright spark at Rover chirped up with the Urban On-Roader tag line for use in explaining the Streetwise to a confused public, they probably didnt suspect that it would go down as a classic in the annals of marketing-speak history. "A car that you use in urban areas, on the road? This Streetwise must be something truly groundbreaking and definitely not a Rover 25 with some 4x4 styling accessories spread about it." This was the desired public response that never quite materialised. If Rover had played it straighter, perhaps the Streetwise would have been more successful. When viewed objectively without the façade of promotional gobbledygook, its a nice looking vehicle and the 1.8-litre model makes for a fun urban runabout.
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The Streetwise is
Rover, the last bastion of traditional Britishness in volume car production, trying to get down with the youth market. Some sort of clever marketing strategy was obviously called for but trying to big the Streetwise up as a lifestyle 4x4 may not have been it. The Streetwise is a trendier, edgier younger brother to the 25 supermini and a car that should appeal to younger buyers wanting something affordable and out of the ordinary. The 1.
8-litre Streetwise model is the priciest in the range but thats mainly because this engine is only available with Rovers Stepspeed CVT gearbox. The engine produces 115bhp at 5,500 rpm which is a fair amount for a car with the mass and dimensions of the Streetwise. Acceleration is blunted by the automatic box so that the 1.8-litre model is actually slower to 60mph than the 1.
6-litre manual ones. Youll perform the 0-60mph sprint in 9.3s at the wheel of a 1.6-litre Streetwise but the same feat will detain you for 9.
9-seconds in the 1.8. Still, anything under 10s is reasonably quick and itll certainly best most compact 4x4s you care to put up against it. The Streetwise patently isnt any kind of 4x4 and thats good news when driving in the urban on-road conditions for which it was created.
The Rover 25 chassis has been raised slightly to give an improved view of the cars surroundings and supplement the offroader styling theme but other than that, the Streetwise is identical to its supermini sibling. That means that theres little of the bodyroll from which true 4x4s often suffer and the Streetwise feels nippy, manoeuvrable and responsive in tight urban situations.
"The Streetwise patently isnt any kind of 4x4 and thats good news when driving in the urban on-road conditions for which it was created"
The Stepspeed CVT gearbox isnt the best of its type and its type isnt the best of todays automatic gearbox systems but assuming the Streetwise is going to be used in urban areas with abysmal traffic conditions, it does save a lot of effort on the drivers part. The driving experience is pleasantly relaxed when you select fully automatic mode but you can flick up and down the gears manually if the fancy takes you. Fuel consumption does suffer, however, and the 1.8-litre Streetwise can only return an average of around 34mpg compared to 38mpg in the, admittedly less powerful, 1.
6-litre car. Having said that, its not a massive difference and many buyers will be only too happy to forgo 4mpg in exchange for not having to use a clutch. Engines and gearboxes are all very well but the Streetwise is always going to be defined by its image and the way it looks. When you think of the classily understated lines of the Rover 25 base, you have to agree that the designers have done a decent job in instilling some attitude into the package.
The dark grey plastic cladding around the front end encompasses the headlights, grille and fog lights before spreading round the sides over the flared wheel arches and into the side protection mouldings. Its a much more aggressive look than the 25s with the big intake below the numberplate and the prominent silver beam beneath that. Roofbars also add to the effect, as do the 16" alloy wheels that come with this 1.8-litre model. The Streetwise is definitely not going to be to everyones taste but its offroader styling cues combine to a chunkily purposeful effect that should appeal to the young target market. Packing the largest petrol engine and solely available with the CVT gearbox, its hardly surprising that the 1.
8-litre model is the costliest in the Streetwise line-up. It only comes in five-door GSi form priced at £13,245. For that, you can expect to find air conditioning, 16-inch alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, electric heated mirrors, remote steering wheel audio controls, front foglamps, drivers
seat height and lumbar adjustment and electric rear windows. ABS, silver roof rails, a CD stereo with four speakers, rear headrests, body-coloured door mirrors and electric front windows are also included.
Inside, you should find the interior quite spacious. The Rover 25 has long been one of the larger superminis and the Streetwise has inherited its roomy dimensions. The seating in the front is comfortable with pronounced side bolsters for support should you want to indulge in some aggressive cornering manoeuvres and in the back two adults can be accommodated without too much moaning or groaning. The layout of the dash and the absence of much storage capacity hint at the platforms advancing years but theres a solid feel to the switchgear and some good quality materials are employed.
Call the Streetwise what you like. Rover must have been on to something in creating it because since then rivals have been spawned left right and centre. Citroens C3 XTR, Volkswagens Polo Dune and even Fords less extrovert Fusion have all attempted to get in on the high-riding, supermini-come-mock 4x4 act. The Streetwise was the original article and that might count for something but more important will be its stocky styling and any urban chic kudos Rovers marketing department can attach to it.
The 1.8-litre model may be the thirstiest and not the quickest in the range but that CVT transmission will undoubtedly tempt buyers who want a relaxed vehicle for cruising city shopping districts.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Rover Streetwise GSi 1.8i Stepspeed
PRICES: £13,245 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 6
CO2 EMISSIONS: 199g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 9.9s / 0-60mph 108mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 25.3mpg/ (extra urban) 43.1mpg / (combined) 34.2mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver's Airbag, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 3990/1690/1420mm
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