The Star in a Reasonably Priced Car

For years, one of the most beloved segments on Top Gear was watching famous faces hurl a very ordinary hatchback around a test track. The Star in a Reasonably Priced Car took A-list celebrities out of their comfort zone and stuck them behind the wheel of a humble runabout, with only pride and a leaderboard at stake. Here is the full timeline of the cars, who set the fastest laps, and what became of these hard-working motors.

The Full Timeline of Cars

The Suzuki Liana (2002 to 2006)

The original Reasonably Priced Car was a Suzuki Liana, a car so unremarkable that it became famous for being unremarkable. It served for four series and endured hundreds of gearchanges, spins and abused clutches. By the end of its run the poor Liana had been thrashed by more celebrities than any car in television history.

The Chevrolet Lacetti (2006 to 2009)

Next came the Chevrolet Lacetti, another modest saloon chosen precisely because nobody had strong feelings about it. It carried on the tradition of being flung around by nervous actors and competitive sportspeople alike.

The Kia Cee'd (2010 to 2013)

The Kia Cee'd took over and became famous for the running joke about how nobody could pronounce its name. It hosted a long list of guests and racked up an impressive leaderboard of its own.

The Vauxhall Astra and later cars

As the format evolved into the Mid-Range Family Hatchback and beyond, a Vauxhall Astra took a turn as the chosen everyday chariot, keeping the spirit of the segment alive with ordinary cars doing extraordinary lap times.

Who Was the Fastest Celebrity?

The leaderboards produced some genuine surprises. Trained racing drivers unsurprisingly topped the boards when they appeared - motorsport professionals had an obvious advantage over actors who rarely drove anything with a manual gearbox. But the real joy came from the unexpected quick laps. Some pop stars and comedians turned out to be startlingly rapid, while a few big-name action heroes proved that looking cool on screen does not translate to hitting an apex.

Wet weather could scramble the whole board. A soaking track meant even the most confident guests slithered around, and a dry lap time from an earlier show could sit smugly at the top for months.

What Happened to the Cars?

This is the part that fascinates anyone with an interest in vehicles that reach the end of their working lives. These cars were driven far harder than any normal owner would dare. Constant hard launches, endless handbrake turns and repeated redline runs put enormous strain on clutches, gearboxes, brakes and tyres. Many needed frequent repairs and replacement parts just to keep going through a series.

When a car had finally been battered beyond further use, it was retired. A television star car does not have a normal second life. Once a vehicle has been driven to that extent, its mechanical value is largely spent and its real worth comes down to its parts and metal - exactly the kind of end-of-life journey that ordinary cars go through too, just usually with far fewer spins along the way. If you have ever wondered how a well-used car is valued once it reaches this stage, our guide on how are scrap car prices calculated explains the factors involved.

Why the Segment Worked So Well

The genius of the Reasonably Priced Car was the levelling effect. It did not matter how many awards a guest had won or how many records they had sold. Put them in a basic hatchback on a cold morning and they were just another driver trying not to spin off at the hammerhead corner. The ordinary car became the great equaliser.

There is also something quietly charming about watching a cheap, sensible family car become a motorsport legend in its own right. These were the sort of vehicles you would see on any supermarket car park, suddenly immortalised on television and pushed to limits their designers never imagined.

The Legacy

The segment ran across different presenters and formats and remained a highlight throughout. It reminded everyone that you do not need a supercar to have fun behind the wheel, and that the humble hatchback deserves a bit of respect.

Every one of those cars eventually reached the end of the road, just like the millions of ordinary vehicles that get recycled every year across the UK. When your own everyday car finally reaches that point, you can find out what it is worth with a quick instant scrap car quote. It may not have set a lap record, but it deserves a proper send-off too.