The Life On Cars
cars I’ve actually driven
50. Rover 214SEI
Unremarkable now but a definite step in the right direction for Rover when it was new. Makes the list largely because my own example offers comfort and faultless reliability despite costing just ÂŁ300.
49. MINI Cooper (2001)
Great fun to drive, built like a bunker, endless options for customising and stylish inside and out. As much as I hate to admit it, I like BMW’s remake of a small car icon. Just keep it close to your chest...
48. Renault Wind
Let down only by the unfortunate name. And the cheap interior trim. And Renault’s decision to pull it from the UK showrooms prematurely. Even so, the Wind transformed the Twingo into a fun little roadster.
47. BMW Z4
Has all the right ingredients but BMW’s rear-wheel-drive two seater is just a little bit too smooth and refined for my liking, because it what it gains in style it loses in character. A good sports car but not the best.
46. Smart Midnight Orange
The Smart these days is outsmarted by Toyota’s IQ but this special edition still manages to bring a smile to your face. It’s as likeable and daft - a mode of transporter as a spacehopper. And as orange.
45. Ford Galaxy
As a rule of thumb I generally give people carriers a miss but if you must have one make it a big one that’s well built, imposing to look at and surprising fun to drive. That’ll be the Ford Galaxy, then...
44. Peugeot 306
Criminally underrated these days. Smooth, stylish and cheap to buy and run, the 306 was the driver’s hatch of choice until Ford’s Focus arrived. GTI-6 and Rallye particularly sought after these days.
43. Hyundai i30
Proves better than any other offering that Hyundai can now take on the motoring establishment with confidence. The i30 is tough enough to survive mauling by monkeys - while still being an enjoyable drive.
42. Vauxhall Ampera
An electric car you can take to Inverness. Oh, alright, it’s got a petrol engine as well but the point of the Ampera is that it’s green, does all you could ever ask for and doesn’t cost the Earth to buy or run.
41. Chevrolet Camaro
Let down because Chevrolet - at the time of writing, at least - are only planning on offering it in the UK with left hand drive. The Camaro is a cartoonishly good looking car, packed with character and V8 punch.
40. Vauxhall VXR-8
Loveable but ludicrous. Aussie-built supersaloon is a hoot to drive and fearsomely fast but cheap interior and the sheer thirst of its V8 engine prevent it from earning a higher place here. Epic experience though.
39. Alfa Romeo Giulietta
Just look at it! The Giulietta has the packaging, the performance and the quality to take on the Golf and the Focus but unlike either also brings passion to the table. The best styled hatch on offer today.
38. Vauxhall Meriva Turbo
Far more fun that any minature MPV has any right to be. The latest Meriva is cleverly packaged - check out those rear doors - but it’s the pace and handling which surprised me most with this turbo tearaway.
37. Ford Transit
Like the Meriva but on a much, much larger scale. Ford’s freight king is a van that seems to revel in corners just as much as carrying things. Best driven in carefree rented form on a sunny summer day.
36. Volkswagen up!
Silly name but proof VW can still come up with a cracking city slicker. A blend of second-to-none build quality, tidy handling and clean looks make this a safe bet. But it’s not the best of the current city hatches...
35. Fiat Panda
...because Fiat’s Panda is. It might not have the VW’s sense of quality but it’s more fun to drive, more of the time. It’s a sensible five-door runaround that thinks it’s a go-kart. Frantic but endlessly amusing.
34. Peugeot RCZ
Not, if I’m being honest, the last word in driving enjoyment - there’s not enough feel from the steering for that - but nonetheless a great car. Beautiful to behold, it’s one of Peugeot’s best efforts in years.
33. Renaultsport Twingo
Definitely a hot hatch for those who favour thrills over frills. A little too raw for my liking - I prefer my roadgoing rockets with a few more creature comforts - but still a great companion for B-road blasts.
32. Jeep Grand Cherokee
Tricky to explain why this is in the Top 50 when the BMW X3, which is better on paper, isn’t. Jeep’s grandest offering has an indefinable X factor which makes it a joy to be with even it it’s not a great handler.
31. Citroen DS3
The cooking version of the DS3 is everything a modern Citroen should be - forget the idiosyncratic gadgets and go for chic styling and involving handling instead. Far better than the MINI or Fiat’s 500.
30. BMW 520d Touring
All the car you could ever ask for - if you’ve got £30,000 to blow on it. A mile muncher on the motorway, and a smile generator when it isn’t, the latest 5 Series takes just about every task imaginable in its stride.
29. Volkswagen Scirocco
I’ve driven most of the small coupes over the years and so far none have beaten the Scirocco’s blend of poise, posing and practicality. It’s not as good as a Golf GTI in a pretty dress - it’s much better than that.
28. Lexus IS-F
Japan’s answer to the M3 is licence-losingly quick. Thanks to having a 414bhp V8 at its disposal the IS-F pulls like a jumbo jet in a straight line, but I just know that intoxicating torque would get me into trouble!
27. Range Rover (1970)
Too slow, too thirsty, too noisy and too roly-poly for 2012 motoring, but I couldn’t help falling in love with a true off-roading original because it has character and panache in spades. A genuinely brilliant car...
26. Range Rover Evoque
...but narrowly beaten by its much, much younger cousin. The Evoque might be a bit of fashion accessory but you’ll forgive it because it’s as easy to drive as an Astra but packed with Range Rover pedigree.
25. Abarth 500C Essesse
Forget the TwinAir - if you’re going to get a 500 this is the one to go for. The bodykit adds just the right amount of menace to its looks, the exhaust note is sports car furious and it goes like stink. Big, big fun.
24. Vauxhall Insignia VXR
Love-it-or-loathe-it looks and a big ask at £36K but there’s no doubt this is one of the real world’s great ground coverers. With 326bhp, a four wheel drive system and tidy handling, it’s an enticing package.
23. Jaguar XKR-S
All 542bhp and £103,000 of it. Most hardcore Jag since the XJ220 is the fastest, priciest and most powerful car I’ve ever driven but it isn’t my favourite. Which says more about the next 22 cars than this one.
22. Ford Focus (2010)
Arguably the best all-rounder on offer today, because the Focus does almost everything brilliantly or least very well. Great to drive, easy to own and cheap to run, all it lacks is the impact the original Focus had.
21. Lotus Evora S
Surprised to see a truly English supercar only reach 21? Don’t be. The Evora S handles sublimely and is every bit as quick as a 340bhp featherweight should be, but it’s too wide for Elise-style enjoyment.
20. Jaguar XJ40 dirt racer
Only when you’ve raced a Jaguar on Somme-style mud can you truly appreciate why it’s more fun than a brand new Lotus Evora S. It’s 3.2 litres of pure wheelspin and silly amounts of oversteer for just £100.
19. MGB GT
Specifically, my MGB GT. Thirsty and not particularly brilliant at doing anything, but it’s wormed its way into my affection because it looks great and makes a wonderful noise. A flawed but adorable old classic.
18. Morgan 4/4
The automotive equivalent of a Smiths record - you either get it or you don’t. The classic Morgan might be outdated and expensive on paper but feels alive behind the wheel. Fully deserves its loyal following.
17. Jaguar XF 2.2D
The jewel in Jaguar Land Rover’s increasingly shiny crown, the XF just gets better and better, and now has the styling (thanks to a neat facelift) and the engine to beat BMW’s 5-Series. Truly superb saloon.
16. Suzuki Swift Sport MK2
Possibly the best brand new hot hatch on sale today - except for the DS3 Racing. New Swift Sport loses a little of the original’s intensity but still proves to a hit in the handling stakes, wherever you take it.
15. Vespa PX125
The only car in this list which isn’t actually a car, the Vespa joins this list because a) it’s cool, b) it’s a design classic and c) I owned one and it was my first experience of the fun of motoring. A hoot to ride.
14. Renault 5
Proof that ÂŁ100 is all you need to enjoy the automotive experience. My 5 might have been old and terminally rusty, but it was also fun to drive and had bombproof reliability. Austere but memorable motoring.
13. Renault Twizy
Don’t laugh unless you’ve driven it. The Twizy is mid-engined, rear wheel drive and has Lamboesque scissor doors and a Renaultsport tweaked chassis, which may explain why it’s my favourite electric car.
12. Citroen DS3 Racing
Turbocharged hot hatch hooligan version of the DS3 (see 31). As long as you avoid some of the siller styling options the Racing is a riot to drive, offering a touch of torque steer to go with the grin on your face.
11. Ford Fiesta (2009)
A fussy dashboard design is my only real gripe with the Fiesta, which does just about everything else in an annoyingly accomplished sort of way. Fun and frugal, a decent go-faster version is all the Fiesta lacks.
10. Lotus Elise S
Sublime at doing all the things a really keen driver will ask of it, the Elise is a masterclass in feel, balance and handling. A pain to take to the supermarket but unparalled at tackling tricky mountain passes.
9. Skoda Yeti
Tough, roomy, reliable, affordable, enjoyable, refined, good looking, quiet, well equipped, punchy, surefooted and capable in the corners. The Yeti is all of these things and so much more, which is why I love it.
8. Ford Focus (1998)
A landmark car which turned the hatchback world upside down when it was launched, the original Focus still ticks all the right boxes today. The first car I’d recommend to anyone looking for a secondhand buy.
7. Honda CR-Z
The first and only hybrid to truly win the petrolhead vote, the CR-Z makes up for being a tight squeeze inside by being truly entertaining. Scirocco more practical but if you don’t need the rear seats, get this.
6. Mazda MX-5 MK3
Endlessly entertaining, affordable and you know it’ll let you down - the three reasons why the MX-5’s still the small sports car to bear. Does the latest version really need cruise control and Bluetooth, though?
5. Morgan Threewheeler
It’s cramped, unbelievably noisy, exposed and looks like something out of the Biggles books. Which is exactly why I hold the mad Morgan in such high esteem. The world needs more cars like this one.
4. Mazda MX-5 MK1
I’m a big, big fan of the current MX-5 but the 1990 original is better still, because it’s lighter and better balanced. Delicate in more ways than one but buy carefully and it’s a modern classic in the making.
3. Toyota IQ
A packaging masterpiece packed with clever techn, four seats in the same space as the Smart’s two, a whizzy engine and a set-up giving it surefooted handling. Pricier than an Aygo but worth every penny.
2. Suzuki Swift Sport MK1
A Fiesta might be a better all-rounder but for the things that matter to petrolheads - handling, feel, punch - this is a genuinely great little car. Only one other beats it on the smiles-per-pound Life On Cars scale...
1. Mini Classic
Bouncy, badly built and lacking in boot space - yep, it’s the best car Life On Cars has driven. The Mini is an icon for many reasons but what amazes me that it’s still a great drive fifty years later. Epic car.
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Motoring views, reviews and test drives from across Sefton and West Lancashire, as published each week in The Champion since 2009