Faults:

Front seal on rear removable roof leaks.

General Comments:

This is the second Sportrak I have owned, and I still own both. This 1996 Anjou is a lovely looking 4x4 with Rose metallic paint and contrasting grey roof and wheel arch extensions.

The comfort level inside, though adequate, is below the standard of the 1991 version that I have owned for 12 years. Even the carpets are thinner, if that were possible, and the seats narrower.

Beneath the bonnet, other than a lowered radiator with long neck, nothing has changed, with the 1598cc reliable lump still performing well.

Front suspension remains as before, but on the Anjou there are no adjustable shock absorbers and the rear leaf springs have been reduced from 5 leaf to 3 leaf. This may account for the more supple ride, and to be honest the adjustable shocks were a waste of time.

Externally the car has a more modern style at the front, but the standard of paint finish to the bumpers and the body is a lot poorer. The plastic wheel arches are secured using steel self tapping bolts and steel clips, and this combination encourages rust formation beneath the arches. I have repaired this and replaced the extensions using stainless nuts and bolts.

The Anjou comes with standard alloy wheels, which are very nice and because of the tyre profile, do not suffer from kerbing. Their finish is very good with no peeling to date.

Overall the car is still excellent value, but in comparison to the 1991 version, cost cutting is obvious, and a shame as these are very robust vehicles.

On the road, the engine is less eager when cold than the earlier version, which could well be a quirk of this car, but once warm is quite responsive. Overall, I feel the car would struggle more on towing, and will prove to be less robust than the earlier models of the same car.

Faults:

Ignition coil has failed twice.

A rear spring has broken and the electrically adjustable rear shocks have burst.

The radiator top filler neck broke off.

General Comments:

The car is very reliable and has never let me down. The problems with the coils were probably poor replacement parts as one lasted six months.

The bodywork and underside are perfect with absolutely no rust. The interior is very good with no signs of ware.

The engine is a little sluggish when pulling a trailer. Otherwise the car is nippy and very comfortable on both long and short journeys and the driving position is very commanding.

Spares are not easily available in France, but the UK network is very good with most parts being sent within 48 Hours.

The car handles very well both on and off road. Fuel consumption has always been above 30 mpg and approaches 40mpg on long trips. The engine is very strong, but lacks grunt at the top end, but is happy to cruise at 65mph all day. Its major problems are the lack of air con. and the lack of boot space.