MG sales fared slightly better, inching ahead 2 per cent to 5,937, but this isn't enough to save the UK manufacturer.The figures are easy to explain as there is little to tempt those who are replacing their existing vehicle. Why buy a "new" car that looks older than the one you are parting with, unless you happen to be purchasing a classic? And that really can't be said of Rover cars, despite the old-fashioned designs.A new Rover 25 hatchback is, in effect, a decade old. It hasn't been updated since the year 2000, and then only barely when it replaced the 200, which itself dated back to 1995. So, with little change between the 1995 and 2000 models, this is one car in desperate need of a complete overhaul.Since the 25 appeared on the scene, this area of the market has been awash with new cars: the Ford Fiesta; Volkswagen Polo; Nissan Micra; and BMW's staggeringly successful and highly desirable Mini. The 25 simply can't compete on such an uneven playing field, with a cramped cabin and dark, gloomy interior, which does nothing to endear itself to would-be owners.As if things couldn't get any worse, there is the CityRover. Heralded as the "new Metro", offering motoring on the cheap, in reality it isn't that cheap.

It also has an unfortunate gearbox, and refinement, comfort and quality are all below standard. This may be motoring at its most basic but Rover should have realised that you can only get away with this at a giveaway price.With the CityRover you have to dig deep into your pockets to get it up to the minimum level of comfort. Although the entry-level model costs just shy of £6,500, once you've spent £150 on a passenger airbag, £300 on ABS anti-lock brakes and £400 on power steering - essentials rather than luxury extras - the price tops £7,000. There are better cars around at this price, such as the Fiat Panda.The lack of money available to develop new cars is all too apparent, sinking to a new low with the introduction of the Streetwise in 2003. This is essentially a 25 with a sportier exterior, which wouldn't fit most people's definition of cool.The last time Rover launched a totally new car was in 1998 - the Rover 75 (pictured left).

This, and the 45, are better than the budget Rovers but are still dated. Your money would be better spent elsewhere - on an Audi A4 or BMW 3 Series, or the new Ford Focus.Even those whose patriotism demands they buy British will struggle to find something in the Rover range that they actually want (and certainly not the CityRover, which is built in India by Rover's partner Tata). It is rather sad, though, that the latest news coming out of Longbridge means that if you wanted to buy a truly British motor (the Mini doesn't count because it's owned by a German company), you may have missed your last chance.Melanie Bien. If you've just got over the winter blues, spare a thought for those who've suffered even more than you: pet rabbits and guinea pigs. Our unfortunate four-legged friends rarely get out of bed in the colder months, apparently leaving them unhappy and unhealthy. So Scratch & Newton, which has invented a range of products aimed at improving their lives, is on to a winner in a nation where we reportedly prefer animals to people.