Exceptional unexceptional classics you can buy for £800

The Festival of the Unexceptional (FotU), described by organiser Hagerty UK arsenic a "celebration of the mundane motors that were erstwhile commonplace", returns to Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire, contiguous (Saturday 25 July).

Only cars registered betwixt 1971 and 2001, and preferably successful entry-level trim, volition beryllium eligible for introduction to the show country and to the the main event, the Concours de l'Ordinaire.

The judges volition beryllium looking for the quirkiest, astir charming and archetypal examples of unexceptional classics to grant the apical honours to.

Hopefuls volition besides request to person a bully communicative to archer astir their car and, connected the time itself, formal to impressment successful play clothes. We privation each entrants the champion of luck.

But if you're tempted to instrumentality portion successful this awesome show of mundanity, here are 10 inexpensive and unexceptional cars nary older than 2001-reg that we've recovered for merchantability that could marque perfect contenders for adjacent year.

Skoda Favorit

A Favorit won FotU past year. Launched successful 1987, it was Skoda's archetypal front-engined, front-wheel-drive car and this, positive its crisp design, were what persuaded Volkswagen to bargain the company.

We found: Skoda Favorit 1.3, 1990/H-reg, 63,000 miles, £2695 

It's ever been garaged and has a afloat work history. "No powerfulness steering, nary cardinal locking, nary CD/radio, nary electrical windows, nary electrical mirrors," brags the seller.

Rover Metro

Including the aboriginal Rover 100, much than 2 cardinal Metros were sold during the model's 17-year accumulation run. Alas, its bully sanction was tarnished by the 100 version's dismal clang trial performance.

We found: Rover Metro 1.1L, 1991/H-reg, 42,000 miles, £2995

Described arsenic "superb", this Metro has been garaged each its life. Being the Rover version, it should thrust smoothly acknowledgment to its interconnected, front-to-rear Hydragas suspension system.

Daewoo Lanos

The Lanos's main attraction erstwhile caller was its estimation for reliability - astonishing considering that conscionable 3 years earlier the exemplary was launched successful 1997, Daewoo had been churning retired rebranded Vauxhall Astras and Cavaliers. A Lanos featured successful the 2024 Concours de l'Ordinaire.

We found: Daewoo Lanos 1.4 SE 5dr, 1999/T-reg, 99,000 miles, £800

This "sold to wide without warranty" part-exchange looks a agleam small happening and is described arsenic a "cheap small runaround".

Nissan Primera

Like its Bluebird predecessor, the Primera was built successful Sunderland. In fact, the Mackems did specified a bully occupation that immoderate of them were exported to Japan. Just arsenic my neighbour's 2002-reg illustration is, galore surviving Primeras are inactive putting successful the hours.

We found: Nissan Primera 1.6 Precision 5dr, 1996/N-reg, 59,000 miles, £2500

This first-generation Primera comes with a work publication groaning with stamps - 24 of them nary less, each with supporting invoices. Apparently, it "drives similar new".

Daihatsu Charade

Autocar readers of a definite vintage volition callback the turbocharged and intercooled Charade 1.0 GTti of 1987. This is not that car. Instead, it's the aboriginal fourth-generation Charade, which took dullness to caller depths.

We found: Daihatsu Charade 1.3 GLXi car 5dr, 1998/S-reg, 35,000 miles, £1495

The work publication of this one-owner car has 22 stamps. Being a GLXi, it's replete with features specified arsenic electrical windows and cardinal locking.

Peugeot 309

The 309 was overshadowed by the 205 hatchback it was based on. Still, it was reliable and resisted rust tolerably well. It was designed successful the UK but you would hardly telephone it pretty, with its stumpy, notchback boot. It's a existent FotU underdog.

We found: Peugeot 309 1.6 GLX, 1990/G-reg, 45,000 miles, £3000

"Starts and runs but conscionable needs a spot of TLC," says the seller. We're not wholly definite what they basal that connected due to the fact that it was past MOTed 18 months ago. It looks tidy enough, though.

Rover 25

The roundly susceptible 25 was launched conscionable arsenic BMW sold Rover to the Phoenix Four for £10. At the time, income roseate connected the backmost of nationalist sentiment. Five years later, the institution went bust. Driving your humble 25 to FotU volition beryllium similar tipping your chapeau to the mediocre people who built it.

We found: Rover 25 1.4 G727 WKV Impression 3dr, 2001/Y-reg, 40,000 miles, £1490

This illustration is finished successful unblemished Sienna Gold and has a afloat work past and lone 3 erstwhile owners.

Volkswagen Golf Convertible

For this soft-top variant of the Mk4 Golf, VW restyled the Mk3 cabrio to look similar the aboriginal model. No matter: arsenic a Mk4 Golf it enjoyed the extortion of a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty - a uncommon happening backmost past and a motion of assurance justified by the galore rust-free examples astir today.

We found: VW Golf 1.6 SE Convertible, 2000/w-reg, 76,000 miles, £1499

No soft-top car has yet won FotU but that doesn't regularisation retired driving to the lawsuit successful this. It's a bright-looking happening with a caller hood and, says the seller, a "folder afloat of work invoices".

Citroën BX

The BX takes america backmost to a clip erstwhile Citroëns were genuinely weird creations. In 2019, a 1989 BX DTR bagged the Junior Judge's Choice grant astatine FotU, its proprietor having a beardown idiosyncratic communicative to archer astir it. (The car was archetypal sold by the aforesaid store his begetter had bought his Citroëns from.)

We found: Citroën BX 19 TGD, 1990/H-reg, 106,000 miles, £2500

"A well-maintained BX," claims the seller. Apart from immoderate lacquer peel, the assemblage appears to beryllium successful bully information and escaped of rust.

Hyundai Pony X2

In 1982, erstwhile Hyundai came to the UK, the archetypal exemplary it offered sceptical buyers was the Pony, which was loosely based connected the Ford Cortina. Forward 10 years and erstwhile its successor, the Pony X2, came out, Hyundai had raised its game. With styling by Giorgetto Giugiaro and engines by Mitsubishi, the new, well-equipped Pony was a batch much acceptable.

We found: Hyundai Pony X2 1.5 Spritza, 1994/L-reg, 75,000 miles, £2000

This is 1 of the past X2s successful the UK and remarkably escaped of rust. In Spritza trim and with a caller MOT and upgraded dependable system, it's acceptable to WOW the crowds astatine FotU.

Past winners of FotU

With the objection of the Toyota Hilux, the rotation telephone of FotU winners successful caller years betrays a fondness for supremely dull cars of comparatively youthful vintage. However, anterior to 2021 (due to Covid, determination was nary 2020 FotU), they were much of a mixed bag, and 1 oregon 2 don't look to person been dull enough. For example, the Alpine was a tasty car portion the Cherry GTi, albeit the comparative of the unloved Alfa Romeo Arna Ti, seems a tad flash.

2014 1985 Nissan Cherry Europe GTi

2015 1978 Ford Escort 1600

2016 1980 Morris 575 pick-up

2017 1983 Datsun Sunny 1.5 GL

2018 1977 Chrysler Alpine

2019 1977 Morris Marina 1.3 Deluxe Estate

2021 1989 Proton 1.5 GL Black Knight

2022 1994 Vauxhall Astra 1.4 Merit

2023 1991 Daihatsu Applause

2024 1982 Toyota Hilux

2025 1992 Skoda Favorit Forum