Whilst classic cars from the 60s and 70s may be considered the best era, there is a growing number of motor enthusiasts who point to a more recent decade for desirable vehicles.

The 1990s may be best remembered for the bouncy Britain of Britpop and New Labour, but there were also some brilliant cars to be had, and now Bargain Cars magazine has published a list of the top ten best affordable cars of the 1990s.

According to the magazine’s readers, the BMW 3 Series E36, is the most iconic car of the era, considered great to drive, with a front engine/rear-wheel drive layout making it a great basis for a low budget track car conversation.

Second on the list is the Mazda MX-5, a sporty roadster that is actually rising in price in recent years due to its popularity. The Mazda beat its 90s rival the MGF in the poll, with the Jaguar XJ saloon coming in fourth. The ever popular Ford Mondeo completed the top five.

Bargain Cars editor Peter Simpson said: “Bargain Cars is about iconic models that represent the best value they ever will and it’s cars of the 1990s that offer the most in terms of future classic appeal and investment potential, yet they’re still capable of being maintained at home and being used daily.

“There’s a huge groundswell of enthusiasm for cars of this era and the diversity of the top models voted for by our readers and followers shows that the passion is very real for all types of Nineties classic.”

Other cars that made up the top 10 included the BMW 5-Series (E39), Alfa Romeo 156, Citroen Saxo and Peugeot 306.

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