INTERIOR

Facelift or pre-facelift? Many owners base their buying decision on the Mk3’s dashboard layout, with the 2015 car’s cleaner centre console being more desirable than the earlier machine’s cluttered button-fest.

Facelifted ST250s also received a flatbottomed steering wheel, which some owners prefer - although it’s far from a deal-breaker.

Whichever you choose, it’s the trim level and option packs that’ll make the biggest differences. The ST-1 was sold in very few numbers (often discounted from new), and included Recaro front seats and air conditioning. It’s undoubtedly least desirable, and should be priced accordingly.

The ST-2 added coloured panels on clothcovered seats, climate control (rather than the ST-1’s basic air con), auto-dimming rear-view mirror ,Sony DAB stereo, rain-sensitive wipers, automatic headlights and heated windscreen. On top of that, the ST-3 added black leather seats, Recaro rear bench, keyless entry and rear parking sensors.

Many examples were specified with a Style Pack (on early ST-2s and ST-3s it was a no-cost option for retail customers), which included illuminated red sill trims (which are prone to failure). You may also want to look out for certain options: cruise control, for example, was extracost on all but the facelift ST-3. Heated steering wheels, too, come in for plenty of praise.

If you’re physically on the chunky side you may want to avoid the ST-3’s leather Recaros, which some owners say are too snug to be comfortable. And if the previous owner was hefty, don’t be surprised to hear the driver’s seat squeaking.

A few other bits of interior trim may rattle, but the Mk3 is essentially very well screwedtogether, and only if it’s been abused should the cabin look tatty. If you notice excessive wear, inspect the mileage history very carefully.

ST250s were equipped with an annoying sound symposer (which pipes an enhanced engine note into the cabin), and it’s known to fail – but don’t worry about that. It’s also worth checking the boot mat on hatchback models, as tailgate seals have been known to leak water into the floor, which can be costly to resolve.