The longevity of the modern car may be on the increase due to better production methods, but that doesn’t stop insurers defining a 20-year-old car as a classic. Which begs the question… what is the country’s favourite modern classic?

Twenty years ago may seem like an age to some younger drivers, but the team at Euro Car Parts feel that the last generation of cars before the millennium is worth a revisit and have run a survey to find which is the nation’s favourite from 1999.

The No.1 car from 20 years ago? Well it may be fully deserving of the modern classic tag as it is the Aston Martin DB7 V12, a motor which many drivers even today would be proud to see sat on their driveway.

Next on the list is a car which might not fully live up to the classic title, but Ford’s Focus has showed longevity in the fact that the US giant is still producing them and it remains one of the most popular cars even today. Though if you have a 20-year-old Focus, it is up for debate as to whether it can maintain classic status.

Land Rover’s Discovery is third place in the list, and with the recent departure from the production line, the big beast of British motoring will possibly grab some envious looks from passers-by, even if it has hailed from the 1990s.

The 996 version of the Porsche 911 takes fourth place in the poll, though a car which is considered one of the worst of the German brand’s marques is a little confusing. Still, we wouldn’t sniff at having a classic Porsche parked in our garage.

Completing the top five is another confusing choice, especially with the number of amazing cars produced before the millennium, but maybe the fourth generation Vauxhall Astra is not one of them. Other cars to just miss out on the top five include the Audi S3, sixth generation Honda Accord, the Audi TT Roadster, the Mercedes CLK and the BMW Z3 M Roadster.

Chris Barella, from Euro Car Parts, said: ‘When you think of classic cars, you might imagine a Jaguar E-Type or an Aston Martin DB5 – but probably not a Ford Focus.

‘ Some budget options like the Vauxhall Astra may be reliable run-arounds, but don’t quite hold the same status or kudos.’

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