The ten best cars of the last 25 years: How to bag one of the nation's favourite motors for as little as £395 (or more than £500k)

The Ford Focus has been voted for as the most popular car of the past 25 years, beating supercars such as the McLaren F1 and Aston Martin DB9.
The survey, by motoring magazine Auto Express, was carried out to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
A Ford Focus MK1 – produced between 1998 and 2005 – can be bought for as little as £395 today.

McLaren F1: Voted one of the most popular cars of the last 25 years - could you afford one second hand? (If you can find one first)

It was an immediate sales success with experts and owners hailing the modest motor for its design and performance.
And it appears its popularity has stood the test of time, with the 15-year-old MK1 model taking the title as the best car from the past quarter of a century.

 

The Focus came top with the Lancia Delta Integrale rally car taking second spot and the 240mph McLaren F1 third.

 

Making up the top five were the current Volkswagen Golf family hatchback and the Nissan GT-R supercar.
Other cars in the top ten include the Audi TT, Alfa Romeo 156, Aston Martin DB9 and Rover Mini Cooper.
Jack Rix, news editor for Auto Express, said: 'The Ford Focus has beaten a hot hatch with world rally championship-winning pedigree and the world's greatest supercar to the top prize.
'That may shock some of you, but for us it there is no more deserving winner.
'Why? Because when the Focus was introduced, it didn't just improve on the stodgy looks and driving dynamics of the Escort it replaced.
'It redefined what customers should expect from an affordable hatchback. Even today, it is a very comfortable car.'
This is Money took a look at how much you can snap up each of the top ten motors second hand by trawling the Auto Trader website compared to their original price - click on the cost now for the examples we found:

10. Rover Mini Cooper (1990 - 2000)

Cost new: £8,995

Cost now (from): £1,800
The Mini is a British institution (much like Cliff Richard below). Readers of Auto Express named the nineties model as the best - and it sneaks in at number 10 on the list. We found examples starting 80 per cent lower than its original price.

9. Aston Martin DB9 (2004-)

Cost new: £103,000
Cost now (from): £31,950
Luxury car maker Aston Martin has produced a number of motors that would be worthy of this list - Auto Express readers chose the DB9. It can be purchased as a convertible or coupe, a true British built beauty.We found examples starting 70 per cent lower than its original price.

8. Alfa Romeo 156 (1998 - 2006)

Cost new: £17,972

Cost now (from): £695
This Italian staple launched in the late nineties and even had glamour-puss Catherine Zeta-Jones in its advertising campaign. We found examples starting 96 per cent lower than its original price.

7. Bugatti Veyron (2005-)

Cost new: £839,300

Cost now (from): £585,000
This supercar, designed and developed by the Volkwagen Group, is a speed lover's dream. Its Super Sport edition is the fastest street-legal produced car in the world. We found (limited) examples starting 30 per cent lower than its original price.

6. Audi TT Mk1 (1998 - 2006)

Cost new: £24,050
Cost now (from): £1,995
The Audi TT has always had a futuristic and smooth feel about it. Auto Express readers agreed, placing this modern day classic as number six on the list. We found examples starting 92 per cent lower than its original price.

5. Nissan GT-R (2008-)

Cost new: £52,000
Cost now (from): £31,750
This sports car was launched in Japan in 2007 and reached these shores two years later. The GT-R has a huge following and this shows in the poll, edging into the top five. We found examples starting at 39 per cent lower than its original price.

4. Volkswagen Golf Mk7 (2012-)

Cost new: £16,495
Cost now (from): -
The Golf has built its reputation on being reliable and easy on the eye. It's latest edition has already wormed its way into the hearts of the British public - it's currently the third biggest selling motor of 2013. Being a brand new model, it's hard to find used examples for much less than new prices. 

3. McLaren F1 (1992 - 1998)

Cost new: £634,500

Cost now (from): - However much its owner wants
The supercar, famous for being driven into a tree by Rowan Atkinson - otherwise known as Mr Bean - is a powerful beast. The car is so popular worldwide that they have become collectors' items - it's near on impossible to find one for sale online. Let us know if you can in the comments section below.

2. Lancia Delta Integrale (1979 - 1994)

Cost new:  £25,500
Cost now (from): £8,990
A slightly kooky choice for number two in this list, but here it is - an old school Lancia Delta Integrale. We found examples starting at 64 per cent lower than its original price.

1. Ford Focus Mk1 (1998 - 2005)

Cost new: £13,350
Cost now (from): £395
The Focus cost £13,350 new and can now be picked up for as little as £500 today. The motor has been a hit with families since it launched as a replacement for the Escort 15 years ago. We found examples starting at 97 per cent lower than its original price.

AND THE CARS VOTED THE WORST (IN NO ORDER)...

Rover CityRover (2003)
Daihatsu Move (1997)
Mitsubishi Carisma (1993)
Suzuki X-90 (1995)
Renault Avantime (2001)
Skoda Estelle (1988)
Lexus SC 430 (2001)
Nissan Serena (1992)
Citroen C3 Pluriel (2003)
Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible (2005)

Motor joke: Skoda's have become popular vehicles in Britain - but in 1988 it had this: the Estelle

HAVE YOUR SAY: Agree with this list - what cars would you put into your top ten? And into your bottom ten?

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