MG Montego and Montego Turbo (1984 – 1991) Review

The MG Montego was another of those 'nearly' cars that marked out Austin-Rover's model range during the 1980s. Where it was good, it was very, very good - such as the interior room, handling and ride, and performance - but where it was bad, it was shocking - interior build quality and rust.

The earliest models had a digital dashboard and voice synthesiser (like the Maestro), but the 115bhp engine failed to thrill, despite offering more than reasonable performance. The same couldn't be said for 1985's 150bhp Turbo, which thanks to ample boost and an underdeveloped chassis produced vivid acceleration and matching torque steer.

That was soon tamed, and the MG ended up being a fine driver. Unloved today by classic car fans, but the MG Montego has a small but passionate following.

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