Is this what your dad drove? Ten circle of relatives automobile favourites from the 1970s-1990s and what they are price nowadays

Everyone recollects the automobiles their oldsters had once they had been youngsters. Many nonetheless recall the numberplate characters, so ingrained within the reminiscence are the motors from their early life.

So, as males across the nation rejoice Father’s Day nowadays, what higher option to mark the instance than to recall what dads within the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s usually drove.

Even probably the most maximum mundane fashions from those eras felt like one thing particular and the illusion of a brand new one at the driveway – and even higher, a go back and forth out to the native dealership for a poke round – was once one thing to be savoured.

This is Money has teamed up with vintage automobile insurer Hagerty to hide probably the most archetypal ‘dad’s automobiles’ spanning 3 a long time that any one kind of between the ages of 30 and 50 will recall driving behind as tots and youths.

Of route, no longer all dads are the similar and a few cooler oldsters drove one thing slightly other from the norm, be it a sports activities automobile, scorching hatch or a hulking MPV.

Now that you just – and your dad – are a lot older, we divulge what those motors are price nowadays… if you’ll to find one. 

Be positive to tell us within the feedback you probably have reminiscences of any of those 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s motors – and tell us what your individual dad drove again within the day if it wasn’t this kind of circle of relatives wagons.

Austin Allegro (1973-1982)

Value in 2025: £1,200 (Allegro 1.0 saloon) to £7,600 (Allegro Equipe, concours situation) 

The Allegro’s recent maladies are nowadays well known, however again within the day this was once a well-liked selection amongst circle of relatives automobile consumers and the ones benefitting from an organization automobile via employers – despite the fact that any individual lumbered with an Allegro because the latter had most probably disenchanted their boss at one time or some other to finally end up with this at the force.

Survivors are actually being loved via nostalgic sorts determined to stay its notorious identify a few of the ranks of the vintage automobile global. But there’s masses to argue that they’re profitable collector’s pieces, no longer least to rejoice the Austin logo, the automobile’s oddball styling and its distinctive Hydragas suspension.

Of route, it’s no longer a correct Allegro until it was once completed in a usually seventies sunglasses of Russet Brown and Applejack Green.

John Mayhead, editor of the Hagerty Price Guide in the United Kingdom, who painstaking displays the price of vintage automobiles by the use of policyholder values and public sale costs, says time has been type to this fashion and values of all variants had been incessantly emerging over the last ten years.

‘That’s rather a feat,’ John tells us. ‘Last year, only 7 per cent of all models in the Hagerty Price Guide rose in value.’

Ford Escort Mk2 – Mk4 (1974 – 1990)

Value in 2025: £600 (Mk 4 Escort L) to £93,600 (Escort Mk 2 RS1800, concours)

The Escort was once the default British circle of relatives automobile during its 1968 to 2002 run, and quite a lot of MailOnline and This is Money readers most probably rode behind Ford’s best-seller over the ones years and past.

While the Sierra was once arguably the extra standard circle of relatives selection within the 1980s and ’90s, it did not have the longevity of the Escort – and Sierra’s substitute (additionally featured on this record) had a some distance higher affect at the dad automobile marketplace. 

For youngsters born within the 1980s, your previous guy possibly had one in every of 3 generations: an previous Mk2 placing on from the former decade, the contemporary new front-driver Mk3 of 1980, or the tidily-styled fourth-generation Escort introduced in 1986.

The Mk2 would’ve nonetheless been driving top on rallying kudos even in its decrease trim ranges, whilst generations 3 and 4 maximised passenger house and software, because of the transverse engine structure, and the hatchback slightly than saloon design.

That, and Ford in point of fact expanded the Mk3 and Mk4’s fashion variants, from 3 and five-door hatches and estates, to a cabrio – plus the sporty XR3, later XR3i, and RS1600i variations. If your dad didn’t force one, your very best pal’s dad more than likely did.

Fast ahead to 2025 and there’s an enormous quantity of love for the Escort – despite the fact that predominantly the Fast Ford racing/efficiency variations are extremely collectable. Later, base fashion automobiles are nonetheless extraordinarily reasonable or even XR3 fashions are to be had from round £3,000, plus there’s a thriving membership scene.

Reliant Scimitar (1975 – 1986)

Value in 2025: £3,300 (honest) to £9,000 (concours), GTE SE5a 

Not everybody’s dad drove an ordinary saloon or property; some controlled to wangle their method into one thing much more thrilling to boost his trip.

With practicality a essential issue, a Reliant Scimitar GTE was once a tempting choice. Think of it as the inducement for Aston Martin to supply the Rapide and Porsche its Panamera – efficiency motors providing four-seat layouts in order that better halves across the nation may well be tricked into considering they’re authentic circle of relatives automobiles.

The GTE’s in fact a fashion of the overdue 1960s, however spiritually it is living within the 1970s. As sports activities automobiles move, it’s admirably sensible, from that 2+2 structure to its glass hatchback and correct boot, well-proven Ford mechanicals, and a fibreglass frame that you just’d no longer be treating for rust in two or 3 years.

At round £2,300 in 1973, it was once a viable selection, price-wise, to an upscale saloon like an Audi 100 or 3.0-litre Granada GXL, too.

Today, Scimitar GTE values have taken one thing of a slight dip, however till 12 months in the past had remained relative flat since 2016, John tells us. Despite this, some had been restored to an overly top usual and feature been marketed for costs above Hagerty’s most sensible price.

‘Lots of very cheap restoration cases available, but not for the faint hearted,’ he says.

Austin Montego (1984 – 1995)

Value in 2025: £800 (Montego 1.3 saloon) to £11,000 (MG Montego Turbo, concours) 

When you bring to mind bland, dull circle of relatives motors of a forgotten generation, the Montego will have to most sensible the record of any individual who’s reminded of its existance.

Hagerty not too long ago claimed it to be the ‘most ordinary’ automobile of all time – particularly, a saloon, in blue, inbuilt 1989 which, if you’ll suppose again on your early life, would had been parked for your driveway or a neighbour’s.

This is as a result of Montegos had been apparently all over the place within the ‘80s, albeit just about extinct by the 1990s.

They weren’t rapid, a laugh, thrilling, or lovely (despite the fact that the MG model had been authentic ‘warm’ efficiency automobiles) however they had been the type of forged circle of relatives selection that Austin had constructed its popularity on for many years – and it bought properly because of this.

‘The Montego is another model that has increased in value in 2025 following a period when prices remained flat,’ John says. That stated, £800 will purchase you a half-decent base-spec automobile nowadays.

Citroen BX (1982 – 1994)

Value in 2025: £900 (S1 1.4 hatchback) to £10,100 (BX Sport, concours) 

Plenty of youngsters of the 1980s and ‘90s would have ridden in the back of a dad’s Citroen BX. And that suggests they had been blessed/traumatised via its floaty hydropneumatic experience. Let us know if that is you and whether or not your bring it to mind as stress-free or vomit-inducing on lengthy trips.

But that’s no longer the one highlights of the French saloon that spanned 1982 to 1994.

Marcello Gandini’s incredible geometric styling was once a big good fortune, with the kudos via affiliation that comes together with his identify’s affiliation with the Lamborghini Countach, amongst different way more thrilling fashions. And in case your dad was once specifically gentle footed, then there weren’t many frugal diesels within the eighties higher than the BX’s lineup of XUD four-cylinders.

UK call for for outstanding high quality examples of the Citroen BX nowadays haven’t rather reached the heights observed in France, the place a well-preserved 1992 BX 16S bought for over €47,000 in 2021.

That stated, good-quality, later automobiles, particularly Sport fashions, had been emerging in price right here, too, Hagerty’s valuations guru explains.

Renault Espace Mk1 (1984 – 1991)

Value in 2025: £1,100 to £12,400 (Turbo D) 

If you had been a sprog of the 1990s then you may actually have spent a few of your youth in probably the most (a number of) again seats of Renault’s seminal people-mover.

The Espace famously flopped in its first 12 months on sale in 1984, however Europe’s oldsters temporarily realised its price, making it more uncomplicated than nearly any automobile that had come earlier than to load youngsters into the again.

It additionally gave the ones youngsters a just about unrivaled view out throughout the huge glasshouse slightly than forcing them to look on the sky.

The early Espace has transform just a little of a cult vintage and is a design vintage because of its daring box-shaped styling.

It’s nonetheless extra car-like to force than you’d credit score too – MPVs would possibly have received a name for being beasts of burden, a automobile for the ones with overactive loins, however the reasonable Espace motive force wasn’t dropping out a lot to their opposite numbers in a extra standard Renault 21 of the generation.

‘Early versions of this groundbreaking vehicle are beginning to become very collectable,’ John informed us.

‘Now rare in any configuration, they are not expensive cars and if you can find one, a fair runner could be under £2,000.’

Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk2 (1983 – 1992)

Value in 2025: £900 (Driver) to £23,800 (GTI 16v) 

If dad was once just a little of a petrolhead then the Golf GTI would’ve been top up on his buying groceries record (or, if he was once fortunate, the corporate automobile record). For youngsters of the 1980s and ‘90s, this was most likely the second-generation VW hot hatch.

Unlike its Mk1 Golf GTI predecessor, the Mk2 was available as a five door, making it a much more viable practical car, while Volkswagen’s reliability popularity made it a very simple promote too to mums asking if the circle of relatives in point of fact wanted a motor in a position to greater than 130mph.

While it would have misplaced probably the most authentic’s hooligan edge, there was once no query that the Mk2 was once a extra grown-up automobile with stepped forward convenience, higher gasoline economic system and more room – but nonetheless fast sufficient to embarrass a couple of sports activities automobiles at the faculty run.

If you had been considering one would possibly make a nice funding nowadays, you could have already neglected the boat. ‘For a long time, Mk 2 Golf values lagged far behind their Mk 1 predecessors, especially in the iconic GTI configuration, but in the last couple of years, they have gained ground,’ John says.

‘There’s numerous love for this fashion, and despite the fact that costs are down slightly from their 2023 top, the overall development has been enlargement for the previous 12 years.’

Ford Mondeo Mk1 (1993 – 2000)

Value in 2025: £800 (first-generation 1.6) to £8,500 (ST220)

After debuting in 1993, Mondeos had been completely all over the place. It become one of these commonplace sight on mid-nineties roads with homeowners so feature of a undeniable demographic that interesting to ‘Mondeo Man’ become a key guiding principle of Labour’s 1997 election technique. 

Mondeos served as personal motors, corporate cars, police automobiles, business workhorses, or even traded blows within the British Touring Car Championship.

What made it one of these good fortune each off and on the observe was once the common-or-garden Mondeo’s composed experience and dealing with, fuzzy velour seating, and the fitment of a typical motive force’s airbag. So forward of its time, no person in 1993 sought after a Vauxhall Cavalier because of this. Their road-furniture standing within the ‘90s and 2000s means that Mondeo nostalgia will surely hit hard in the near future.

‘Excluding motorsport variants, the Mondeo is a very affordable classic with even performance versions being available for under £5,000,’ says John.

‘First generation cars are becoming very rare, especially in base spec, and will undoubtedly become increasingly collectable.’

Rover 75 (1999 – 2005)

Value in 2025: £900 (2.0 CDTi) to £16,100 (MG ZT, concours)  

If your dad sought after one thing other to the default selection Vectra and Mondeo within the overdue ’90s, and a flash European BMW 3 Series or Alfa 156 was once regarded as too unique, then Rover had simply the automobile to tick the ‘best of British’ checkbox he was once in search of.

Debuted in 1999, the 75 had unfashionable design inside and outside, and majored on elegance and luxury slightly than a thrusting symbol or rock-hard suspension.

The styling controlled to draw extra granddads than dads, and it did not see a dramatic footfall of consumers determined to position down a deposit. In reality, BMW bought extra E46 3 Series cabriolets than Rover did 75s in general. Rover’s tie-up with MG to supply the ‘hot’ ZT did carry some lifestyles to the celebration, but it surely was once nonetheless slightly area of interest.

Fat forwards to nowadays and Britain’s pothole-riddled roads, and the 75 is a automobile that is sensible with its cushiony experience that received’t rattle a unmarried Werther’s Original misplaced in its packet.

John says looking for a nice one nowadays could be very tricky, despite the fact that, with examples a rarity. However, those who have survived are conserving their price at a time when many different classics are shedding in charge. 

Vauxhall Zafira A (1999 – 2005)

Value in 2025: £550 (1.6 Base) to £7000 (1.8 Elegance, concours) 

Vauxhall wasn’t first to the celebration with a shrunken MPV, nor was once the Zafira probably the most attention-grabbing mini-MPV of the overdue 1990s – step ahead the oddball Fiat Multipla to take that crown.

But in spite of being about as thrilling as a crossword puzzle on a Friday night time, it bought like scorching muffins – and also you’d have struggled to stroll down a unmarried residential side road on the flip of the millennium with out recognizing one.

Fitting seven seats (even supposing the rear pair had been very small) right into a hatchback footprint was once very suave, and being according to the Astra G platform was once additionally sensible given the Vauxhall hatch’s advantageous using traits.

Many fathers, little children will nonetheless fondly bear in mind the Zafira from its ‘Little Dads’ ad, and that appears to be serving to deal with values, John reckons.

However, he warns they’re very uncommon to search out in nice situation nowadays.