What are the most common problems with a Rover Streetwise?

At MOT, drive shaft (cv) joints is flagged more often than on other cars the same age.

What should I ask the seller before buying a used Rover Streetwise?

Any recent work on the drive shaft (cv) joints? (Flagged at MOT 2.4× as often on the Rover Streetwise as on other cars the same age.) Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Used car guide · 2003–2006

Rover Streetwise common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Rover Streetwise, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 1,153 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

1,153MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model

861on the UK register

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

2006 2005 2004 2003

What usually goes wrong with a Rover Streetwise?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Rover Streetwise in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Rover Streetwise MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Petrol

Drive shaft (CV) joints
up to 2.6× usual

Stands out on cars registered in 2004.

Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

Rover Streetwise MOT pass rate by year

Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

Year	Pass first time	All cars that year	MOT tests
2005	64%	57% +7	197 (small sample)
2004	60%	57% +3	761
2003	60%	57% +3	195 (small sample)

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Rover Streetwise

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

Any recent work on the drive shaft (cv) joints? (Flagged at MOT 2.4× as often on the Rover Streetwise as on other cars the same age.)
Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Rover Streetwise?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score