When I first bought my ZR 160 I must admit the odd dash rattle did bother me but as soon as I got the car out on a country lane & put the foot down I had a smile on my face. The build quality is the main downside but how much fun it is makes that problem disappear.. Also now & again I was getting like 37mpg average with a combination of town & bypass/motorway driving which is pretty good to say the MG is rather nippy. Mine is lowered 30mm on PI springs & although it's abit of a firmer ride it flys round corners. I am also buying some new door speakers as the standards aren't too good but once that's done the car will be spot on. One more downside is the tax & insurance which are abit high but the actual price of buying the car balances it out nicely. A cheap but fun car :)

Ive just bought a 160vvc from owning a Honda. I must admit mines got a new exhaust on it, apoolo induction kit, uprated cams and remapped by remap science and it sounds mental when you put your foot down it can roar, it really can. 0-60 in 5.8 seconds which beat the Honda hands down. In trophy blue with red brmbo calipers and white powder coated straight 17" alloys.Build quality is poor though put together with double sided sellotape, always something falling off or rattling. The suspension is poor also, you can feel every single bump whereas the Honda was very smooth. Ive now had the car 4 months and the work ive had done is vvc belt,timing belt,water pump, new front and back brake pads,oil and coolant service, (i do this every 8k to keep up the history) Now the plastic cage bearings in the gearbox have failed also so i got a new gearbox off another 160vvc. I love the car and these things happen, fingers crossed though nothing else will break!.Them japs can build good quality,reliable cars but the MG's 160vvc is a fast mother!.

great car, great power for its money. It beats its rivals hands down such as the 2 litre st fiesta. As for people who say its faster than the type r, have a read up and you will find out that type rs are very poor track cars as they have poor torque levels, in a straight dual carriageway run the type r would win, also the clio sport is quicker and just as cheap.

xpower gray is the best one to go for with the wheel's gloss black. fun to drive fast for a 1.8 non turbo, i had a race with a 220 turbo an he couldnt get past me. thay sould have made the mg zr 160 with 2.0 turbo's that would have bin more fun.

Engine is really weak. I had my MG ZR 160 VVC with 54 plate with only 28,000 on the clock and the engine oil leaked out and the engine completely packed up no warning lights came on because the sensors are faulty. Took car to garage and I was shocked when they said I need a completely new engine rebuild. The conrod went through the side of the block and it would cost me £2,800 to get a new recondishioned engine. Also had a leak through the roof and the electric windows messed up. Engine is powerful but so weak and now that I have spent 9,000 on it would advise anyone not to buy one. I wish I bought a Honda Civic type R or Audi A3 1.8T quattro good solid engines that go for miles smoothly.
If only the MG ZR 160 had the honda civic Type R 2.0 DOHC it would be superb!

I owned one for two years & had to part with it for financial reason. It is the only car I have owned which I desperately missed & am considering buying another!

I purchased an 04 MG ZR 160 8 months ago and so far its been my best car to date. The throaty exhaust is backed up with excellent acceleration off the line. Hitting 6000rpm in 2nd will have you at 70 before dropping to 4000rpm in 3rd, incredibly useful for those country roads and boring motorway journeys. City/town driving is suprisingly comfortable for the sporty supension which certainly comes in handy when you get out on the open road. The 0-60 is incredibly impressive and cornering is nice and responsive.
Just had new tyres on and the standard's are pricey. Make sure to shop around as you can get plenty of good deals online. Locking system is also prone to issues.
MG ZR 160 is certainly impressive and you can pick up models with only 15-20k on the clock for around £5000-5500.

When I first saw the car I instantly fell in love with it, although slightly dated now the appearance is appealling. The car handles well but the suspension is very stiff so if you want a comfortable ride this car isn ' t for you, also because of the stiff suspension there a few rattles in the cab but nothing major. Fuel consumption is acceptable but I would not consider this car economical, also the insurance group for this car is 17 so it ' s pricey on insurance, but that could be due to me being only 20 years old. It sounds like a real sports car with the high revving engine and the twin exit back box that comes standard so on long motorway journeys it can get annoying. The sound system is average but as long as you ' re not a sound pumping idiot boy racer that you see on the streets then it will do. For what you get with the car for example air con, heated mirrors, 6cd disc changer (not sure if that ' s standard), leather interior etc, its is a bargain price I paid 4695 for mine, and last but not least the engine makes a tapping noise when idling as stated above, so if anyone has a solution for that I would appreciate it.

I've had my mg zr 160 about 10 months now and as soon as I first drove it on my test drive i knew i had 2 hav it.4 starters it is very quick it will thrash most hot hatches at the lights(type r etc) I even gave a porshe boxster a run 4 its money.ive had mine at 140mph b4 and it sounded and felt awesome. Even at speed in 5th it pulls. The handling is very responsive and stable 4 all them tight bends and twisty roads etc. It is also very spacious inside and will fit most things + has a good size boot.the build quality isn't 2 the same standard as a bmw or audi however no worse than any astra's, clio's etc. If you want a gud, fast, reliable and cheap car unlike a type r etc then this is the car 4 u. I cannot praise this car enough 4 how gud it is.

The car is one of the best cars that I have. Its fast off the mark and handles like a dream. with 160 bhp in a light weight car its amazing. This is a very good car to have but with it being group 17 on insurance that might be a bit pricey for a new driver.

The standard tyres and suspension give good road grip. 0-60 happens in 7.4s, 1st takes you up to 40 mph with ease, 2nd hits 70 mph.

That much power coming out of a 1.8 litre without a turbo is something to shout about.

I bought mine in 08/07 on a 05 plate. It runs well with no problems, juicy when you put your foot down. Over all, I think that the MG ZR 160 is a good buy,I am very happy!

When I told my dad I was buying an MG ZR he wasn't short of bad things to say about it,but when I took him out in it he soon changed his mind,most people say bad things about these cars until they drive one, mine being the 160 its very fast, handles excellent and sounds awesome! Its not so good on fuel though and me being only 19 the insurance is expensive but the car itself cost £4695 which is good for what you get.
As said above theres a lot of rattles in the cab but that should be expected due to the stiff suspension,the sound system is a bit basic and some of the controls are dated, however who cares about that I personally don't turn the radio up because I enjoy listening to those 160 horses roar when you hit 4000rpm and hearing the tyres screech on the roads,this car is not built for comfort or for good economy,its for the little boy inside you that wants an adrenaline rush every time you go out to play,i love the car and would recommend it to anyone

Loved this car since the day I picked it up even if it has spent a couple of trips on a break down truck! Fun, playful, great handling hot hatch.

This MG ZR 160 is all round general fun and reliable car for all the family. Would recommend anyone to buy one. Quick, reliable, economical, head turner, fun to drive but also very practical for a family car. Engine slightly noisy, build quality OK.

We got our pearl black MG ZR 160 three weeks ago and I think it is just brilliant! Ok, the panel fit isn't the best (it hasn't been dinged though) and the interior rattles away as the tight suspension finds every hole in the road, but it takes me back to mkI Golf GTi hot hatch days. It has a rawness about which I love, a nice tappy engine sound and deep exhaust which howls when you get it up past 4000rpm. It torque steers under hard acceleration but doesn't tramline & feels like it's set up just right. When the family is in it, it drives like a normal car but when I go out for a pint of milk, it turns into a tarmac chewing beast! I hate the key, it feels like it's going to snap every time I unlock the petrol cap and all the speakers need upgrading if only to drown out the noise of the rattly cabin but they're so cheap you'd be stupid to pass one up. Oh & it's definitely not a Rover. Go for the face lift model.