Faults:

Front Anti-roll bar bushes worn out.

Power steering fluid leak.

Drivers door seal broken.

Passenger seatbelt clip broken.

General Comments:

The car handles very well, it has a very good chassis in wet and dry conditions and drives as well (if not as quickly) as any hot hatch on a B road.

The Anti Lock Brakes are a bit too keen and cut in too early for my liking, maybe I will change my mind after the winter!

The Traction control is simply not needed, I have the supersport 17 inch wheels option fitted, and they grip just fine unless I am a real hooligan on a wet day, again the winter might prove the worth of this system.

The twin spark engine is fantastic, its torquey like a diesel, but revs to 7000 RPM with ease. The noise is great, and gets better if you fit an open air filter. Other hot hatches produce more power, but this motor is as smooth as silk. In comparison a Golf/Astra/Focus petrol engine feel like a cement mixer.

I average 33mpg commuting, it can vary by 5mpg either way, but its not too bad! A full tank of fuel costs £50 in Blair's Britain!

The interior is sheer luxury, full leather trim, top drawer materials and build quality throughout.

The styling is great, top of the class, in my opinion on a par with the Mercedes C Coupe and far better looking than the Audi A3 and BMW Compact. Please don't compare this car with the Golf/Astra/Focus clan, because that's the league below!

Some days I wish I had bought a Type R, or a T sport or even an RS, but when you spend most of the day in city traffic, its nice to have heated leather seats, climate control and a Bose stereo with built in subwoofer all factory fitted.

The only complaint I have is that the dealer service is poor, If I have 3 jobs to be done, it might take 3 separate visits to fix them. I am going to try another dealer next time and hopefully this one will be more customer oriented.

Faults:

Nothing at all!

General Comments:

This car has beautiful build quality and the most comfortable driving position I've ever sat in.

Do not buy one if you are in the market for a hot hatch because you are missing the point, but for a quick comfortable car with a decent engine note, it is unbeatable.

It could do with a bit more power, I might look to change the chip and cams when my warranty expires.

The ride is quite firm and the cornering very good in the wet and dry with switchable traction control to suit your mood.

The leather is very high quality and feels so soft and smells so good.

I have lusted after a 147 since I first saw one at the British motor-show, and now I drive one to work and back every day!

Its closest rivals, the A3 and 3 series compact look like banana crates when you park next to them.

Faults:

A Few rattles when its cold outside, bad fitment on panels, especially where the bumper joins the boot (as mentioned in other reviews) a creaking from the front of the car when going over speed bumps, seems worse in the wet for some reason. Petrol Cap has been fiddly and never been able to get it to lock since I have had it!

General Comments:

Bough the car from a Car Supermarket saving around 4k, went to a dealer who asked my budget then smirked and said "oh you will be looking for a f***ing demonstrator then" (Sidwell Street Motors, Exeter) so my decision was made for me. Drove to Mansfield for it, and was worth every penny.

Inside is fantastic, make sure you have the winter pack & leather, the stereo is great (even the none bose one) although I prefer to drive with the window open listening to the engine (yeah' sad I know)

The chicks love it because it looks great, my granny loves it for its heated seats, and I love it for the noise & the effortless coolness even for a 5 door!

Could do with a bit more poke for me, going to see the guys at autodleta for some tweaking!