20 classic cars that make surprisingly good daily drivers

Thought classics were just for the weekend? Think again

Classic ownership is simple: you use a modern car for the boring stuff such as the commute and the weekly shop, and keep a fun older motor tucked safely away for your leisure time.

But what if you can’t wait for the weekend and the good weather for your classic fix, or you can’t afford two cars? 

The good news is there are plenty of youngtimers from the 1980s and ’90s that are fast enough, reliable enough and sufficiently sophisticated to match a modern on the daily trek to work.

And despite the general rise in classic car prices, some of them are even fairly cheap, too. Here are 20 of our favourites.

Alfa Romeo 164

A cousin to the Fiat Croma, Saab 9000 and Lancia Thema, the Pininfarina-styled 164 has galvanised bodywork which’ll ensure it doesn’t dissolve like an aspirin when subjected to daily duties in winter.

The gutsy twin-spark 2.0 has enough poke to let the front-drive chassis sparkle and can be bought for as little as £2k. But if you can live with the fuel bills treat yourself to the 230bhp, 155mph 24v Cloverleaf.

Lotus Excel

The forgotten gem in Lotus’ ’80s line-up packs the same all-alloy 2.2-litre engine as that in the S3 Esprit, but with a far more family-friendly 2+2 set-up.

The transaxle layout ensures perfect 50:50 weight distribution and the glassfibre bodies last well, but watch for corroded door bars.

Saab 900

The last of the proper Trollhättan machines before GM poured in the cash and sucked out the character, the 1978-’93 Saab 900 marries much of the preceding 99’s quirkiness with the usability of a modern car.

Even non-turbo versions provide plenty of performance and many are now dirt cheap, but be careful: all cars are susceptible to rust, gearbox woes and the inevitable sagging headliner.

Toyota MR2

Japan’s slightly less rust-prone, usefully more powerful interpretation of Fiat’s fab but flawed X1/9 is a great daily alternative to the more obvious Mazda MX-5.

The Lotus-tuned chassis is supple and responsive, the 16-valve 1.6 soars to over 7000rpm and, with the Mk2 (W20) version at least, there’s even a decent boot behind the engine that can handle a week’s shopping.

Mercedes 190

Classier than its BMW E30 3-Series arch rival, the durable baby Benz is a brilliant starter or everyday classic.

Ex-taxi non-turbo diesels are painfully slow, while Cosworth-fettled 2.3- and 2.5-16s are now painfully expensive; instead, go for a fuel-injected (‘E’ badged) 2.0 four that’s quick enough to match modern traffic and won’t eat you out of house and home.

Jaguar XJ-S

While a V12 XJ-S drinks fuel so fast even oil sheiks might think twice about using one daily, its smaller 3.6-litre brother might just be frugal enough to justify on a short commute. 

It’s available in coupé or cabriolet form – as on the pictured XJ-SC – and unlike all but the early V12s it can be had with a manual transmission. It’s also a couple of grand cheaper than the V12 to buy; budget around £10-15k for a good one.

Austin/Morris 1300

BMC’s big Mini is as susceptible to tin worm as its little one is, but prices have yet to shoot, up so you needn’t feel guilty about subjecting it to the daily grind or grimy weather.

There’s no hatchback, unfortunately, but interior space is good and the hydrolastic ride is excellent. The sub-Cooper S-tune single-carb A-series is tough and torquey, while the twin-carb GT (as pictured) has more power but will cost more too.

MGB GT

Introduced in 1965, three years after the roadster, Abingdon’s fastback is perfect if you like the idea of driving a ‘B’ but want to stay warm and dry in winter.

Acceleration from the 90bhp B-series 1.8 is slightly dimmed by the extra weight, but lower values – especially for uglier ’75-on rubber-bumper cars – more than compensates.

Volvo 145 estate

Once the stereotypical antique dealer’s wheels, the tank-like 145 – and its frumpier 240 successor – can deal with pretty much anything.

The 1.8 and 2.1-litre petrol engines aren’t exactly frugal but they’re great mile eaters and the wagon variants are huge, with a perfectly level luggage bay.

Reliant Scimitar GTE

This bargain British GT’s combination of plastic body, simple Ford oily bits and huge Tom Ogle-designed shooting brake rear make it a surprisingly practical daily driver.

On the minus side is the 3-litre Essex V6’s thirst – the 2.8-litre Cologne V6 in the SE6B model is slightly better – but some cars have been converted to LPG. Stylish and criminally undervalued at less than £7k for a good model.

Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk2

Rising prices mean most of the classic ’80s hot hatches that haven’t already rusted away are now safely locked up, only venturing out on sunny Sundays.

But VW’s Mk2 Golf GTi is easily hardy enough to cut it as a daily driver. There’s ample room for a family, the Bosch injected 1.8 is strong and frugal and there’s even a five-door option.

Porsche 924

Overpriced when new, the 924 is now one of the only affordable ways left to get into a classic Porsche.

Skip the later 924S and chunkier 944 with their expensive balance-shaft belt changes and instead go for a simple 2-litre 924. Not fast, but definitely fun to drive thanks to the transaxle layout and precise steering. And with that huge tailgate and decently sized boot, they’re practical, too.

BMW 525e

Fancy a classic straight-six sharknose BMW but not the running costs? The ‘e’ in 525e stands for ‘Eta’, the Greek word for efficiency, and points to the low-revving long-stroke 2.7 under the bonnet.

Mated to a fairly sophisticated four-speed ZF auto ’box, it’s good for almost 40mpg on a gentle run – diesel economy from the days before diesel execs were the norm. Yours for £5k.

Subaru Impreza

Having survived the ‘Max Power’ years, Subaru’s rally icon is now finding its feet as a desirable new-era classic.

Low-key UK MK1s came with around 208bhp as saloons or wagons, but the classified listings are awash with faster WRX and STi grey imports.

Find one that hasn’t been destroyed by rust or tasteless mods and you’ve got a brilliant all-weather supercar.

Triumph Dolomite / Dolomite Sprint

Rocketing values making you feel guilty about driving an Escort RS2000 or Mexico through the winter? Try the Triumph alternative.

The Dolomite’s handsome Michelotti styling will definitely turn heads in traffic, and for a fraction of the price of the Ford. And even if your budget can’t run to the Sprint there’s enough muscle in the regular 1850 models to keep you interested (and as a further bonus they’re more reliable, too).

Renault Espace

Originally a Chrysler project that was then built by Matra, the Espace was rejected by PSA as too radical – and to add insult to injury was instead a hit for rival Renault.

The plastic-bodied, one-box people carrier was flexible – with seating for up to seven and a myriad of configurations – but also handled well and kicked off a 20-year boom in MPVs.

Ford Sierra XR4x4

When the original three-door, rear-drive XR4i didn’t catch on, Ford changed tack, adding four-wheel drive hardware to the 150bhp 2.8 V6 and slotting it into the family-friendly five-door shell to create the XR4x4.

While Cossie Sierras have rocketed in value recently, these cars are still relatively cheap; spend your £5k on a later car with the superior 2.9 engine and stronger MT75 ’box.

Land Rover

No need to fear a return of the Beast from the East when you’re driving the beast from the West Midlands.

With more than 2m produced during a near 70-year lifecycle there are plenty to choose from, while the myriad body styles (long and short wheelbases, pick ups, single cabs, double cabs…) ensure there’s something to suit everyone.

Audi S2 Avant

The little brother to the legendary RS2 currently costs almost one third the price of that monster, but by transplanting the original 20-valve quattro’s 230bhp running gear into the Audi 80 wagon shell, it’s hardly a shrinking violet itself.

A coupé version was also available, but in creating its first quick, compact estate, Audi hit a seam it’s still mining today.

Mercedes-Benz SLK

The car that kickstarted the craze for modern retractable hardtops, though Peugeot actually got the the T-shirt way back in the 1930s.

Dull steering and modest four-cylinder power means they’re not as much fun as they look, but with prices starting at just a couple of grand, this is an awful lot of swagger for the money.