Rover’s high-revving K-Series unit is available in 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 litre forms. It’s a nice unit to use and even the 1.4, which is only available in the hatchback offers reasonable performance. The one issue is this units potential for blowing its head gasket prematurely. There’s also a 2.0 diesel unit that comes with two power outputs. If you crave more performance, then look at the MG ZS sister model which is available with a V6 unit.

A strength of the 45 is its handling and ride quality. It is a composed, surefooted handler that behaves entirely predictably, although it’s not really set up to excite the driver. A comparatively long wheelbase helps contribute to a very relaxing ride quality. Designed for graceful rather than hasty progress.