FULL REVIEW: Rover 623GSI by…

By my ALL TIME Favourite Malaysian Car Magazine, “Highway Malaysia”. I was a BIG FAN of Highway Malaysia. Sadly, the magazine became a victim of 1998 recession, its last issue was published in October 1998. More on Highway Malaysia in later posts. This article was published in June 1995 issue (I was then a 15 years old) of Highway Malaysia. It’s unclear who wrote this article but from the editorial page, it’s either “Uncle Chips Yap” (Managing Editor) or Mr. Leeps P.S.Lee (Editor).

The reason I brought up this article was because it’s very well written. I loved this Rover 623GSI and it’s very rare. I wished to personally test it and write an original article but I can’t as the car’s VERY RARE in Malaysia. So I did the next best thing, share one of the best review SPECIFICALLY for Rover 623GSI to all of you. I truly enjoyed the article.

Before I present the article I’m here to say that the I’m interested to purchase this CLASSY car but market value of this car’s unknown as it’s so RARE. Few weeks ago, an owner advertised a 1995 unit for RM23,800 but I was too late, on the 2nd day, I called and… it was sold  . As usual, in my blog, I’ve dished up some owner’s review at the end of this article.

Here’s the article, enjoy!:

“COVER FEATURE: ROVER 623GSI. Not the Rover your father know…”


"The Rover 623GSI, the subject of this issue’s cover feature, is one of the latest model in Rover’s lineup. It’s an excellent example of best of both worlds – the reliable, user-friendly and motorsports-proven engineering of Honda and the snooty, prim-and-proper snobbery that reflects the pedigree of British craftsmanship and quality. The effects is such that although the car has some Japanese genes, it has been masterly crafted to feel very British. Don’t look for the “Accord in Rover” as the 623GSi is based on European Accord, built in the UK which has different styling.

TOP CLASS:

The 623GSI is one of the two 600 series imported by EOI (Edaran Oto Indah), Rover’s distributor in Malaysia (shutdown in 1998), the other being the 2.0L 620SLI.

Well designed cockpit area as seen through the sunroof.


As the flagship of its series, it comes with nothing less than Connelly leather for upholstery and panellings and genuine burr walnut trims (if a walnut panel is badly defaced or damaged, you have to change the entire set and not just the affected panel at a very handsome price, of course).


The much desired grains of the polished walnut wood are nicely matched to add the touch of British class inside the car. It’s polished dark brown shade complements the light gray leather upholstery.

The other power luxuries are for opening the windows (centrally located on the centre console), electronically adjustable door mirrors and opening, closing or tilting open the sunroof. Other niceties on the leather bound 4-spoke steering wheel include cruise control switches well within thumb’s reach with activation switch on the dashboard.

WESTERN WAYS:

Being British also means the turn indicators and headlight stalk is on the left and the wiper is on the right. We had to make a conscious effort to remember this setup as all our testers drive Japanese or Malaysian cars, but we expect that an owner would get used to it.

In the area of safety, there are 2 front airbags in the 623GSI.The instrument panel could be better organized. It has lots of information to offer, it looks rather cluttered with too many things in one place. The host of information could be offered without the over-crowded impression with a better layout.

An appreciated feature would be instrument panels incorporates a gear position indicators between the metres, with colour codes to separate driving gears (green) and others (red) such as Reverse and Park) something which we think all automatics should have for safety reasons.

DISTINCT LOOKS:

There is another area where the Rover stands out distinctly on its own and this is exterior design. The basic outline is so masterly redesigned that the British character comes out clearly. This impression is very much enhanced by the strong influence of the oblong chrome grille with vertical fins and the distinct Viking shop logo. It’s hard to imagine a Japanese car having such a frontal appearance.

The good looks are boosted by the nicely rounded body with its smoothly flowing lines. In case you are looking for styling cues from the current Honda Accord in the 623GSI, don’t bother, the rover was based on European Accord (built in the UK) which has a different styling.

The Rover meets all safety requirements including current European safety standards and the offset barrier impact performance proposed in the EU. Most of the Body panels are galvanized to protect against corrosion.

The colour coordinated bumpers are the energy-absorbing type, side impact bars are standard on all types and there’s an automatic fuel supply cut off device that is activated by impacts to prevent a risk of fire.

ENGINE:



The engine is Honda supplied and fine tuned to Rover needs. It has a light aluminium DOHC 16valve cylinder head which allows better heat dissipation. Controlling fuel feed is an advanced electronic engine management system that provides responsive performance through its precise fuel metering and by injecting fuel only at the intake stroke of each cylinder. It’s obviously a Honda Module as the giveaway is the “PGM-FI (Programmed fuel injection) embossed on the intake plenum chamber which can be seen in Honda engines.


From the specifications, it appears to be a Honda 2.2 engine with a bigger bore 87mm to 85mm. The stroke is the same long travel 95mm. This has resulted in an increase in engine displacement from 2156cc to 2259cc. With a higher compression ratio of 9.8:1, the power delivery is high with 116kw (158hp) available at 5800rpm. Likewise, the torque is a generous 206Nm at peak revs of 4500rpm.

For the Malaysian market, only the 4 speed automatic variant is brought in. Going by the gear ratios, this appears to be a similar transmission unit to that in the Malaysian assembled Honda Accord 2.2EXI.

SMOOTH DRIVING:

The smoothness in engine power was immediately felt and appreciated as we departed from EOI’s showroom in Bandar Sunway. The low-end torque was initially not as strong as we had expected it to be until we realized we were in default automatic shift mode which gives optimum shifting, rather than deferred shifting for more zip.

In default mode, the gearchanges are designed to tap the torque curve rather than to change down to a lower gear to optimize the power build-up. As the torque is more mid-range than low-end, the excitement of the engine becomes better as revs pick up. When switched to sports mode, there was an immediate feel of power which impressed more than the relaxed feel in default mode.

The mid-range torque was found to be strong, allowing quick build-up of speed as the power took over and spurred the car strongly to 200km/h and on to the top speed of 214km/h.


The tall gearing was unmistakable in the pretty relaxed engine speed cruising along 80km/h to 110km/h, between 2200rpm and 3000rpm. At slightly under 3500rpm, the 623GSI was already tearing along at 130km/h, so fuel savings are to be expected in long-distance runs. However, the engine speed at which the other gears changed up was lower (about 5500rpm). Rover claims a 0-96 (60mph) time of 9.5 secs and our time achieved on a new car was 9.99 seconds for 0-100km/h.

Unlike some of the cars we had tested earlier, the 2.3 litre engine showed itself ever-ready to unwind on demand, making it a real delight to drive the car.
Similarly, response to kickdowns was equally breathtaking. We clocked a very quick 5.17 secs from 50 to 80km/h on kickdowns. This is pretty close to sportscar performance and felt the 623GSI has a lot more punch than its sedan lines would lead one to expect.

The fuel consumption was better than class-average as we covered 210kms on ½ a thankful in a variety of driving conditions. As we said, the high gearing does bring down the revs down significantly enough to save on fuel consumption.

FIRM RIDE:

There was a distinct firmness in the Rover’s ride that added to the stable feel. It was appreciated at speeds above 160km/h as the 623GSI hugged the road. The sense of speed was also played down by the low wind noise at high speed. Two of our testers could not help but keep commenting how the Rover felt like a Honda.

Ride comfort was good, something we have come to expect from a 4-wheel independent double wishbone suspension system that are now a common feature under Hondas. However, the firmness of the Rover achieved probably with harder spring ratings, did come across rather unpleasantly over some bumpy terrain. But with a higher performance capability, the firmer springs are perhaps useful, even complementary, if there is some sacrifice in ride comfort.

RIDE AND HANDLING:
The 623GSI also tracked well through corners with neutral tracking up to a fairly high limit before the tyres protested with squeals of understeer. The cornering speed could be pretty high and some drivers may be tempted into overdoing it through the car’s neutral feel. Body leans were also well controlled although the sensation inside the car suggested otherwise. This was probably due to the higher speeds in the passage through corners. That was how easily one could be encouraged to push the car.

The 4-wheel disc brakes (ventilated in front) were assuring with the assistance of ABS. There was a more immediate feel of the brake action than that found in Hondas which we found to have a softer feel.

The turning circle is a fairly big 11.2 metres so it was impossible to stay on the road in making U-turns on 2-laners. But this is not a demerit peculiar to the Rover as many other cars of its class and dimensions equally affected.

SPACIOUS ALL ROUND:



As expected, there’s a fairly roomy interior albeit with certain limitations. Tall people may find the rear a little cramped although most Asians of moderate build will find the elbow (and knee) room adequate to their comfort. Similarly, the headroom is not too bad if you are up to 182cm/6 feet. The seats are well padded, offering good support in right places. The rear seats are well padded, offering good support in right places. The rear backrests are split 60:40 and can be folded to enhance the luggage space in the boot, which is big enough to fit quite a lot of items.

For driver’s convenience, the power window has one-touch operation but only for the downward movement (for safety reasons). The factory-installed security system works in tandem with the central locking and immobilizes the engine in the event of break-in. However, if a door locking system is activated by remote control, then the car should be unlocked in the same way. If the driver accidentally open the doors with the key, the security system will automatically immobilize the engine.

To activate the system and start the engine, one has to use the special number code that comes with each car security system. This will indicate the number of times the door has to be opened and locked with the key in certain sequence. Just hope that the code isn’t too high as you may lose count opening and locking the door.

CONCLUSION:
Our experience with the 623GSI, as a representative of today’s Rovers, was certainly a pleasant one. Unlike British cars of the 1960s and 1970s, today’s Rovers are light years more durable, reliable, efficient and undoubtedly on par with the best Japan can offer in each class. The plus point is the British character which is hard to imitate and which makes a Rover a special type of car to own."


SPECIFICATIONS: Rover 623GSI (A)

ENGINE:

Front engined, FWD 4 cylinder in line 2259cc DOHC 16valve, Electronic multipoint Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI)

Bore/stroke: 87/95mm
Compression ratio: 9.8:1
Light alloy cylinder head and cylinder block

POWER:
Max power: 116kw @ 5800rpm (158bhp@5800rpm)
Max torque: 206Nm@4500rpm
Weight/power ratio: 11.8kgs/kw
Kw/litre: 51.3kw
Catalytic converter: YES

DRIVETRAIN:

Gearbox: 4 speed automatic with dual driving modes
Ratios:
1st: 2.710
2nd: 1.370
3rd: 1.030
4th: 0.730
Rev: 2.050
Final ratio: 4.290

BODY AND CHASSIS

Side impact bars: YES
Front suspension:
Independent, double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers

Rear suspension:
Independent, double wishbones, coil springs, telescopic dampers

Steering sys: Rack and pinion, power assisted

Wheels and tyres: 6Jx15 alloy, 195/60R15

Front brakes: Vented discs ABS
Rear brakes: Discs ABS

DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT:
Overall Length: 4650mm
Overall Width: 1950mm
Overall Height: 1380mm
Wheelbase: 2720mm
Front/rear track: 1480/1480mm
Kerb weight: 1380kgs
FUEL Tank Capacity: 65L
Turning circle: 11.2 m

PERFORMANCE:
Top speed: 214km/h
Acceleration:
0-100km/h (0-62mph): 9.99 secs
50-80km/h (overtaking): 5.2 secs
RPM @ 100km/h in OD: 2700rpm

FUEL CONSUMPTION:
TESTED MIXED: 9.2kms/litre (26mpg)

NB: Performance tests weree carried out at 728kms on a testcar supplied by Edaran Oto Indah Sdn.Bnd. Actual performance might vary depending on mileage clocked, engine tuning, atmospheric conditions etc. Bridgestone Potenza RE88 tyres were fitted on the testcar.

PRICES:
Retail price: RM187,000 (excluding insurance)
Insurance: RM5,088.20 (w/o NCB deduction)
Annual roadtax: RM602.20

Price includes: Air conditioner, central locking, 4 power windows, elec. Adj door mirrors, anti-theft system, Audio system with CD-Changer, Elec. Sunroof, ABS, 2 airbags, leather seats, cruise control.

NOTE: TODAY’S PRICE as estimated by Jeff Lim as at MAY 5 2008. 1994: RM16,000, 1995: RM19,000, 1996: RM27,000, 1997: RM33,000. Note the big price gap between 1995 and 1996, it's due to the car inability or slim chances of getting loan due to the age. Hence most are cash buyers. It's EXTREMELY HARD to find in the market. Last seen advertised was 2 weeks ago, a 1995 unit, owner asking RM23,800. It's a GREAT BARGAIN as it was priced at a whooping RM187,000 when new.

END OF SPECIFICATIONS. Without further ado, let’s proceed to OWNER’S REVIEW:

OWNER REVIEWS: Visit:

http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/rover_-_austin/600/



END OF A LONG REVIEW. Thank you for having the patience to read it.

PS. I hope this is not a plagiarism work. Because I already acknowledged the editor’s work and stated out the source clearly (Highway Malaysia, June 1995). Therefore, I’m confident I won’t be sued for plagiarism.