Review
Four months down the line and I’m still happy with the Roomster.
I’ve gone past caring about its unconventional appearance – in fact, the weird-looking exterior is a great help when you’ve forgotten where you’ve parked it.
The sight of the Roomster is still a great source of amusement to friends, only to be surpassed by my own when they climb into the back and mutter with amazement: “It’s actually a lot bigger than you’d expect, you know, and isn’t the sunroof good?”
I was thankful for the car’s ample space over the festive season, carting around family members, luggage, bags of gifts and the largest stuffed bird known to man, in relative comfort.
It’s also proving difficult to restrain my mother’s enthusiasm for the Roomster’s capacity.
I’ve visited quite enough garden centres and DIY shops already in the past few months and I’m looking forward to loading up my sporting gear and leaving Homebase behind.
When I started driving the Roomster I was particularly impressed with the cabin. It looks clean and airy, there’s plenty of glovebox space and the stereo is easy to reach and to navigate.
I thought the beige interior was rather smart (especially given the colour schemes of the previous models) but I’m now growing to hate the colour, as every piece of clothing fluff and dust sticks to the seats, making them look grubby.
The parking sensor is both a blessing and a curse.
As a small MPV the Roomster is not a bad car to park anyway and the sensor can be a help, but most of the time I’m convinced the electronics are possessed.
Its erratic blips are infuriating when I can see that I have plenty of clearance.
I’ve always hand-washed cars but can’t with the Roomster, since I’m too short to reach the roof. So I’m reduced to putting it through the car wash, and was pleased to discover that the aerial screws down out of the way.
Another source of constant delight is the gear knob, which looks chunky but is actually easy to move and very ergonomic. It feels good to hold and I enjoy changing gear.
If the stereo is on then the volume dims when you put the car in reverse gear, a simple yet effective reminder that parking requires some concentration.
Despite a few gripes with the interior and the technology I’m still enjoying driving the Roomster.
It handles well and is comfortable to drive long distances in.
Average economy, still at 48mpg, is easy on the wallet too.
