Rover 25

Rover 25: which version to buy and why (1999–2005)

The Rover 25 exists as 1 generation (1999-01-01 to 2005-12-31), a Mini 5-doors with 9 listed versions, all FWD. There is no second generation in the data, so the buying question is not “which generation” but which of the nine Mini 5-doors variants matches the job. All nine share a 50 L tank, disc front / drum rear brakes, and a front, transverse four-cylinder.

The Rover 25 exists as 1 generation (1999-01-01 to 2005-12-31), a Mini 5-doors with 9 listed versions, all FWD. There is no second generation in the data, so the buying question is not “which generation” but which of the nine Mini 5-doors variants matches the job. All nine share a 50 L tank, disc front / drum rear brakes, and a front, transverse four-cylinder. The real splits are petrol vs diesel, 75–145 hp, Manual vs Variable, 120 vs 150 mm ground clearance, and whether fuel use was measured.

Rover 25 generations: what actually changed

1 generation (1999–2005), Mini 5-doors, 9 versions. Every version’s start and stop dates are 1999-01-01 to 2005-12-31. There is no restyling generation in the data. Chassis differences inside this generation still matter when you choose:

• 150 mm clearance, Independent, spring front / Semi-independent, spring rear: 1.1 MT (75 hp), both 1.4 MT (84 hp and 103 hp), 1.6 MT (109 hp), both 2.0 MT diesels (101 hp and 113 hp).
• 120 mm clearance, Independent, spring at both ends: 1.8 MT (145 hp) and both 1.8 CVT (117 hp).

That 30 mm drop (150 − 120) is the only ground-clearance choice in the catalogue. Gross weight also steps: 1500 kg on the 1.1/1.4 cars, 1520 kg on 1.6 MT and 1.8 MT, 1550 kg on 1.8 CVT, 1600 kg on both 2.0 MT.

Rover 25 engine specs by version

Use the names exactly as in the database. Two pairs share a name and must be split by power.

Petrol Gasoline engines use 4 valves per cylinder, compression 9.4 on 1.1 MT and 10.5 on every other petrol, multi-point injection, 95 octane. Both 2.0 MT diesels use 2 valves per cylinder, Turbo, compression 19.5; injection system not measured. Bore × stroke: 1.1 MT 75 × 62.5; both 1.4 MT 75 × 79; 1.6 MT 80 × 79; 1.8 MT and both 1.8 CVT 80 × 89.3; both 2.0 MT 84.5 × 88.9.

Specific output (hp per litre of displacement):

• 1.8 MT 145 hp / 1.795 L ≈ 80.8 hp/L — densest petrol in the line
• 1.4 MT (103 hp) 103 / 1.396 ≈ 73.8 hp/L
• 1.6 MT 109 / 1.588 ≈ 68.6 hp/L
• 1.1 MT 75 / 1.119 ≈ 67.0 hp/L
• 1.8 CVT 117 / 1.796 ≈ 65.1 hp/L
• 1.4 MT (84 hp) 84 / 1.396 ≈ 60.2 hp/L — same 1396 cc as the 103 hp car, 19 hp less
• 2.0 MT (113 hp) 113 / 1.994 ≈ 56.7 hp/L
• 2.0 MT (101 hp) 101 / 1.994 ≈ 50.7 hp/L

Diesels look “lazy” on hp/L because they are built for torque at 2000 rpm, not peak horsepower at 6000–6750.

Performance, mpg, and 0–100: what the numbers buy

Kerb weight per horsepower (lower is stronger on paper):

• 1.8 MT: 1090 / 145 ≈ 7.52 kg/hp
• 1.6 MT: 1050 / 109 ≈ 9.63 kg/hp
• 1.8 CVT: 1135 / 117 ≈ 9.70 kg/hp
• 1.4 MT (103 hp): 1030 / 103 ≈ 10.00 kg/hp
• 2.0 MT (113 hp): 1130 / 113 ≈ 10.00 kg/hp
• 2.0 MT (101 hp): 1130 / 101 ≈ 11.19 kg/hp
• 1.4 MT (84 hp): 1020 / 84 ≈ 12.14 kg/hp
• 1.1 MT: 1020 / 75 ≈ 13.60 kg/hp

Acceleration gaps (same generation, same FWD):

• 1.8 MT vs 1.1 MT: 13.5 − 7.8 = 5.7 s quicker to 100; 200 − 161 = 39 km/h more top speed; +70 hp; +10 kg kerb? Wait 1090−1020=+70 kg.
• 1.4 MT (103 hp) vs 1.4 MT (84 hp): same 1396 cc, +19 hp, +13 Nm, 11.8 − 10.2 = 1.6 s quicker, 180 − 168 = 12 km/h, kerb only +10 kg (1030 vs 1020). This is the cheapest performance step inside one name.
• 1.6 MT vs 1.4 MT (103 hp): +6 hp, +15 Nm, +192 cc, 0–100 0.1 s slower (10.3 vs 10.2), top speed +5 km/h (185 vs 180), kerb +20 kg. You pay displacement for almost no sprint gain.
• 1.8 MT vs 1.6 MT: +36 hp, +36 Nm, 10.3 − 7.8 = 2.5 s, 200 − 185 = 15 km/h, kerb +40 kg, clearance −30 mm, rear suspension Independent, spring instead of Semi-independent, spring.
• 1.8 MT vs 1.8 CVT: same ~1.8 L family, Manual 145 hp vs Variable 117 hp: +28 hp, +14 Nm, 9.5 − 7.8 = 1.7 s, 200 − 185 = 15 km/h. Mixed mpg: 7.5 vs 8.2 (CVT uses 0.7 more). City/highway on 1.8 MT 10.4 / 5.8; on the second 1.8 CVT 11.6 / 6.3 (+1.2 city, +0.5 highway).
• 2.0 MT (113 hp) vs 2.0 MT (101 hp): same 1994 cc Turbo Diesel, +12 hp, +20 Nm, 9.9 − 9.1 = 0.8 s, 185 − 182 = 3 km/h, same 1130 / 1600 kg. If you want a diesel, the 113 hp listing is strictly stronger with no weight penalty in the data.
• 2.0 MT (113 hp) vs 1.8 MT: diesel is 32 hp down but +86 Nm (260 vs 174) and torque peaks at 2000 vs 4000 rpm. Sprint: 9.1 vs 7.8 — petrol still 1.3 s quicker. Top speed 185 vs 200. Diesel fuel use not measured — do not treat it as “more economical” from this table.
• 2.0 MT (113 hp) vs 1.4 MT (103 hp): +10 hp, +137 Nm, 10.2 − 9.1 = 1.1 s, top speed +5 km/h, kerb +100 kg.

Fuel: only three rows have any mpg. 1.8 MT mixed 7.5; both 1.8 CVT mixed 8.2. City and highway on the first 1.8 CVT listing are not measured; the second 1.8 CVT listing is the one with 11.6 / 6.3 / 8.2. Every other version’s consumption is not measured. CO2 and eco class: not measured on all nine. Wheel sizes: not measured on all nine.

Dimensions, weight, tank, clearance

Payload (gross − kerb): 1.1 MT and 1.4 MT (84 hp) 480 kg; 1.4 MT (103 hp) 470 kg; 1.6 MT 470 kg; 1.8 MT 430 kg; 2.0 MT both 470 kg; 1.8 CVT 415 kg. The lightest cars carry the most extra mass. Heaviest kerb is 1.8 CVT at 1135 kg — 115 kg more than 1.1 MT.

The two 1.8 CVT listings match on power, torque, times, weights, and mixed 8.2; they differ only in that city and highway are not measured on the first listing and 11.6 / 6.3 on the second. Treat them as the same Variable 117 hp package unless you need the city/highway figures printed.

Which Rover 25 version to choose

Need the fastest Mini 5-doors in this data: 1.8 MT — 145 hp, 174 Nm, 7.8 s, 200 km/h, 7.52 kg/hp, mixed 7.5. Trade-offs written in the numbers: 120 mm clearance (30 mm less than the 150 mm majority), Independent, spring rear, kerb 1090 kg, payload 430 kg.

Need a clutch-free 1.8: either 1.8 CVT (117 hp). Versus 1.8 MT you give up 28 hp, 1.7 s, 15 km/h, and 0.7 mixed L/100 km, and you sit at 1135 kg / 120 mm. Variable has no gear count in the data (not measured). Buy CVT only if Manual is off the table; it is not the quicker or the leaner 1.8.

Need diesel torque without dropping to 120 mm: 2.0 MT (113 hp) — 260 Nm @ 2000, 9.1 s, 185 km/h, 150 mm, 1130/1600 kg. Skip 2.0 MT (101 hp) unless that is the only diesel available: same weight, same 1994 cc Turbo, 12 hp and 20 Nm less, 0.8 s slower. Diesel mpg is not measured, so do not pick diesel “for economy” from this catalogue.

Need the best petrol sprint without the 1.8 chassis drop: 1.4 MT (103 hp) — 10.2 s, 180 km/h, 10.00 kg/hp, 150 mm, 1030 kg. It beats 1.6 MT to 100 by 0.1 s while using 192 cc less. 1.6 MT wins only top speed (+5 km/h) and +15 Nm.

Need the lightest, cheapest-feeling spec on paper: 1.1 MT — 1020 kg, 150 mm, 480 kg payload, 75 hp. Cost in motion: 13.5 s and 161 km/h, 13.60 kg/hp. 1.4 MT (84 hp) is the same 1020 kg with +9 hp, +15 Nm, 1.7 s and 7 km/h better. If 1.1 MT and 1.4 MT (84 hp) sit on the same lot, the 84 hp car is the rational small-petrol buy.

Avoid mixing up the twins:

• Two 1.4 MT: take 103 hp, not 84 hp, unless you only need 84 hp — +19 hp for +10 kg.
• Two 2.0 MT: take 113 hp, not 101 hp.
• Two 1.8 CVT: same 117 hp / 9.5 s / 185 / 8.2 mixed; use the second listing if you need city 11.6 and highway 6.3.

What extra displacement does not buy: moving from 1.4 MT (103 hp) to 1.6 MT does not improve 0–100. Moving from 1.8 MT to a larger engine is impossible in petrol — 145 hp / 1795 cc is the petrol ceiling. The 1994 cc diesels are larger but slower than 1.8 MT and only the 113 hp diesel matches 1.6 MT’s 185 km/h top speed.

Reliability / problems: not in the data — not measured. Choose on hp, Nm, seconds, kg, and millimetres only.

Short ranking by job (1 generation only):

1. Performance: 1.8 MT 2. Auto: 1.8 CVT (117 hp) 3. Diesel / low-rpm pull: 2.0 MT (113 hp) 4. Balanced 150 mm petrol: 1.4 MT (103 hp) 5. Smallest useful petrol: 1.4 MT (84 hp) over 1.1 MT 6. Skip unless you specifically want 1588 cc: 1.6 MT (almost the 103 hp 1.4 in a sprint) 7. Skip unless 101 hp is the only diesel: 2.0 MT (101 hp)