IDRIVEACLASSIC reviews: 1970s Reliant Robin Jubilee 

Nice to see an underdog getting some attention. Great little cars that mobilised many people. Nice vid always

There was a strict weight limit for 3 wheel cars which Reliant worked miracles to stay within 450kg to allow motorcycle license holders to drive it. Hence materials and minimal dash.

My favourite bit of the early Robins is the plasticy interior. It feels like you're sitting in a 1970s BBC Doctor Who prop. It's so unrelentingly naff it goes full circle and becomes great.

The positive and actual energy you bring to these cars of our childhood is such a refreshing break from the nonsense so many mindlessly repeat. Thank you.

_"...new cars are kinda' boring"_ better words couldn't be said 😁

Lovely to see you having such a good time. Reliants are wonderful little cars, my very first car was a Regal van and I went all over the country in it. Terrific. Thanks again Steph.

Loved this video , keep making them please you are such a joy to watch and are giving me back my confidence to drive my classic car more 😊

Honestly, you could review a dump truck and I would still be excited to watch the video.

I LOVE you attitude Steph', "this is me living my very best life" what a wonderful perspective! XXX

Funny thing, previous owners back in the day nearly always loved them.it was the next step from bikes, you were warm and dry and it didn’t cost a lot more to run. Girlfriends loved them. Great report on happier times....

Thank you for such a lovely, enthusiastic review! I love these cars. My dad always had three-wheelers, including two Mk1 Robin estates like this one. One was gleaming white and very smart indeed. The other was the brightest shade of orangey yellow imaginable. They were really happy little cars and always put a smile on my face. Maybe one day I will get one of my own...

had lots of fun in 6 different models of the robin, brought lots of memorys back, remember the jubilee models, shame the exhaust was so noisy

My late father had 7 reliants from 1972-1989 he passed his Motorbike test in 1970 and boughta honda C70 cub and then as he could drive a reliant on his bike test his first relaint a 1967 regal 21E in 1972 and his last in 1986 a rialto . he finally passed his test aftera hiatus of 15 years in 1989. thanks for posting the video steph!

I really loves your videos, That Arrogant Jeremy Clarkson, Including today's Top Gear with different people has totally lost the Plot, Please keep them coming 😀😃

Loved this. These have always been on my bucket list, just never seemed to have got there! I remember these when new, hah, I thrashed a van version the year this was built! , ohhhh, that’s when you start to feel old! It’s great promoting young owners thank you!

My father had a Reliant Robin Super 850 estate, finished in a rather fetching shade of beige. The super had a few additional accessories over the base variant such as volt and oil pressure meters, additional carpeting inside the cabin and twin front fog lights. My Father only had a motorcycle license and enjoyed driving the Robin which he nicknamed ‘The Rocket’. I passed my motorcycle test and occasionally drove the Reliant. On one particular Saturday I met this young lady at the local nightclub and offered to take her home in the Robin. I don’t think she was too impressed with the Robin as I could not get a second date from her. Things could have been so different if I had been driving something exotic like a Marina or Allegro!

my dad drove these for years . I actually learned to drive in one

I owned a Supervan in 1975, because I could drive it on my motor bike licence. It was nippy economical and fun. One downside was that if there was a pot hole or obstuction in the road it was hard to miss it with the central front wheel. Your video brought back great memories, thank you.

I once drove a Regal van. First couple of corners I was desperately aware of the shortage of wheels at the front.... then you realise a lot of it is in your mind and whilst they aren't as stable as a mini its not as bad as you first fear and you can corner with gusto

I'm a massive life long car fanatic, I love your videos and your up beat positive evaluation of these cars you review,people will remember Dads, Grandad's and Aunties with some of these old cars and a positive reminisce is really what these cars deserve

What an absolute hoot! Love it!

You are one brave lady, that thing has only three wheels. Another fun video. Thanks

I had two reliant Rialto's. One saloon and one converted to a pickup. loved em both and they were quite nippy for what they were. I got some funny looks when I used to overtake cars on motorway, specially when I had the trailer on.

Enjoyed that cheeky test! Notice the Maxi/Marina inside door handles!

In the past many bikers that had full motorbike licence but hadn't bother to do their car test, would often own a Reliant Robin as they could drive it on their motorcycle licence.

My grandfather had one, I remember him telling me how they could be driven with a motorcycle license, but they disabled the reverse gear up until about 1963

Wow ! Brilliant little car! I want one please !!! Great video & look forward to more of them. 👍

My mate had one in the early 80's. it had a tow bar on it. we used the car and small trailer and moved all his flat pack furniture from Leeds to Malton over a week of evenings with it. It wasn.t slow for a small car, was very economical and never fell over or felt unstable. later on he used it to tow a small boat.

good fun old car that is still on the road and going strong, thumbs up from me,:)

My introduction to a Robin was sometime in the nineties when I saw one in a Mr. Bean episode on PBS. My son-in-law was familiar with them and painted a rather negative picture. Nice to see something positive.

Finally a classic car review that isn't boring

Had one of these way back in 1993. Had lots of problems with it and sold it couple of years after I bought it. I have a gorgeous mk1 Ford Focus now and would'nt look back. What a stunning girl in the video.

My Grandad had several of these, including the earlier Regal and the later Rialto's, a few caught fire, they were good at that lol ! Great vid again Steph, love your enthusiasm a refreshing change. Gary

my best driving years were i a reliant,helped me pass my test first time,great little cars!

A working woman or mans car and that makes it a hero in my book.....

Used to own one - Totally loved it. If you get the chance to drive one that has been looked after, then take that opportunity. I promise that you won;t stop smiling. Good video with lots of great info as always.

Perfect cheap minimal transport. We need a modern equivalent, but sadly impossible with modern health and safety.

Wonderful stuff Steph, Lovely to see something positive about my favorite cars. Me and my late uncle owned Reliants since the late 90's and he was still driving one untill two months before he passed from cancer. After a brief dalliance with an Axaim ( I just couldn't love it), I'm now a Reliant owner again having just got last Thursday my 1995 Mk2 Robin 21 aniversary model in of course Silver. & I only found out once I'd purchased it that its one of only 100 made. Keep up the good work my Dear Steph. Yours a Faithful Reliant nutter Paul Davies👍

Good video. The first essential qualification for driving a Reliant Robin is a sense of humor! I've had my Reliant Rialto for twenty years now. If you upgraded from two wheels to three, as a lot did you can usualy master a Reliant without any problem. If you drive one like you work on a comedy programme with cars you will soon end up in trouble. The owners club is a good source of help, advice and spares.

Another brilliant review as ever Steph, well done! 😁😁 I don't know how Del Boy managed to fill all those faulty computers and hooky louvre doors in the back of his Regal haha 😂

My dad had one even older than Del Boy's - but he bought it new in 1963. 2 things never do in a Reliant - 1 coast in neutral . It makes it dangerously unstable. 2 take your eyes off the road in country lanes. I was a passenger and the thing nearly went over- it was only the fact that me and the driver were both big lads that it sort of balanced it as it rocked about 2 feet of the road - one side then the other. 1 thing to do on a Reliant - run it on crossply tyres ( but I don't think you can get them now) - they allow a controlled drift before a wheel lifts - great on roundabouts. lol

Steph, you need to go on TV!! Knowing how to test drive & review old cars properly is how I first remember the old motor show format as I knew it. Contact one of the stations & see if they'll agree on the whole idea of bringing back that original format in order to take away that dreaded lunacy of Top Gear.

I loved the look of this generation of Reliants, they got the styling bang-on, unlike the previous Del-Boy Regal, and better than the later Rialto with its grafted on Fiesta lights. All of them used borrowed parts. I tried, at age 11, to get my father to consider it, as with the Lada, He was far too sensible. Although, on watching Star Wars in 1977, he did drive our Very Sensible Renault 16 at crazy high speed back home, cracks were showing

Nice , Thank you for posting👌

Another very enjoyable video and great to see someone giving a “no preconceptions” review of a Reliant Robin too. I love my MK2-they really are the best kept secret of the classic car world. My other classic is a Mini with an MG Metro engine and as much as I love it, in some ways I enjoy being behind the wheel of the Reliant more! It’s such a happy car too-I get so many waves and toots from passers by it’s untrue and everyone lets you out at junctions which is a nice experience..... until you get used to it and then get back in the modern! Lol

My abiding memory of these is of a chap who lived down the road from us came home in a yellow one. He got out, slammed the door and it burst into flames! Burnt to the ground. Being fiberglass, all that was left were the seat frames, engine and metal bits! Scary.

Excellent video again Steph - have watched a few of them now, and I have a HubNut sticker on my car too...

Cant wait to get my one on the road.

Apart from the noise - it gets you about!!

I had a reliant regal for years in the 70's and it's impossible to explain why I found it so much fun to drive compared to any other vehicle I have had and driven.

Some friends of mine live in Robin Close on the site of the factory where this car was built

The old boy had one of these new. Coming back from the boozer (as you did in the 70’s) with three of his sizeable mates, the steering box fell off at 50mph! All survived including the car and Reliant went on to recall a batch of Robins due to this steering issue. Ironically the old boy received his recall letter about a week after his near miss by which time it was fettled.

awesome video, probably the cutest car uve test driven so far

848cc really isn't small. When it comes to this car it's absolutely massive.

I developed, probably unfounded, fear of death in a 3 wheel Bond car with a 200cc Villiers engine under the bonnet. When my brother opens the bonnet to kick start the engine my fear greed worse. When he had got the engine started he had to push the car backwards because it had no reverse gear. My fears were allayed when I met a guy in London called Allan Green and he had a Bug which was fantastic.

Steph, Reliant also made a four-wheeled version called Kitten which was quite rare and not half bad. They tried to sell it in Greece, but only with limited success as the locals favoured the Autobianchi instead, a car more established and available, and admittedly, a bit more sophisticated.

hi .discovered your vids few days ago.great stuff.i own a 69 mini 850 and a ford taunus p4(german cortina ish car).nice to see a woman with interest in classic cars.greetings from belgium😊

Great little cars, I think Clarkson was probably comparing the handling with the likes of Ferrari. Reliability and running costs put the boot firmly on the other foot though. I once drove a Rialto from Cumbria to London and back, cheaper than getting the train and would still have beén cheaper if I'd thrown it away when I got back. 😂

I worked at a Reliant main dealership in 1977. The Reliants were affectionately refered to as ' Barrows' . If you owned one you were a Barrowman!

I also have a soft spot for the AC Invacar because they were a common sight in my childhood during the 80s.

I had a lovely green robin back in the 70s. Mind you, I only had a motorbike license and effectively taught myself to drive a car. I was a danger to myself and others for the first few days and cringe to think about it now. Great little car which I absolutely loved.

My first car was a 1962 Regal with a crash box. I trained later on in years for my PSV in a Bristol Lodekka with crash box and it was far easier than the Reliant. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Well all I can say is if this is the level of your videos..... I'm really glad I clicked subscribe and clicked the bell icon.... Need a binge watch now

Brilliant and allways fancied one, Now in the 70,s I worked in a village garage and one of the mechanics set fire to one accidentally while welding underneath. What a laugh.

Steph, there are after-market sound-deadening products, such as Dynamat, Lizard Skin, etc. which are lightweight, apply easily, and effectively reduce interior noise and heat... just in case your Metro grows unbearably hot or noisy. And you are still a lovely lady!

The car of choice of my late grandad.he had one that colour too Steph

ALWAYS wanted one of these eariy ones :)

Great vid, i have the Rialto and its mpg is outstanding...

It's not just Clarkson that doesn't like this car , Mr Bean is also not keen about the Reliant robin 🤣🤣 Another great review , thanks!!

I love my little reliant I have a 1990 reliant Rialto great video 😄😄😄😄😄😄

There was also the reliant kitten - which was the 4 wheel version of the robin

These are classed as trikes (as far as the DVLA is concerned.) Reliant had been making three-wheelers for a long time when these came out, so it's not surprising that they're good for what they are. They did make four-wheelers for a while (the Kitten), but they never sold as well as the trikes!

Omg this takes me back to my childhood, my dad had a motorbike license and could legally drive one without a full licence, this was simalar to my dad's reg number OTV 996R A beige realto

That car puts a smile on your face.Owner needs a flat cap and a pipe which is essential to drive this.

Owned 2 in my life, loved them. Oliver is certainly right about them being a pain in the bum to work on.

Amazing

My first car was a Regal, the pre sloping Anglia back window model. Austin side valve engine and crash gearbox. Let’s just say years later I trained and got my PSV in a Bristol Lodekka. The Bristol had an easier great change. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Thousands were sold.. By sensible folks. Tuk Tuks... Great Cars. I remember the best thing was the gear change.. ;)

Outstanding video - you could do this professionally say 5th Gear. I had a 750, it touched 90 and I'd love to drive one again - cute. Subscribed.

That takes me back to when my old Humber Hawk's down pipe came off the exhaust manifold on way back home with my mate Dave and a couple of his friends on board. How Mark laughed… How a middle aged man shouted at me as I drove back, it did sound like a Spitfire aircraft. I wonder if 17RHU will ever get back on the road. Good on the teenage gentleman having an unusual car. Wonder if his friends call it a Robin Reliant?

I loved that. Thank you, stay safe x

Nice to see a film featuring a Reliant Robin that shows they are great little vehicles and that they don't roll over on every corner as some folks would have you believe. Lots more about the Robin can be found in our Reliant Motor Club archives at www.reliant.website :)

Lovely jubbly 😍

I stopped watching Top Gear years ago even before the Clarkson scandal and I've never seen The Grand Tour. To be honest I'd rather watch RU-vid channels like this.

Is there a Escort Ford - NO! so there is no Robin Reliant

850cc or not, my brother in law had a jubilee Robin from new and it flew up the A1 when he gave me a lift when I went on a course in North Yorks. Touching 90mph at times. There were 4 on board too.

Love the original AA Relay sticker😆. You didn't get it up on 2 wheels!!

They were called plastic pigs because they were made in Tamworth. That is a breed of pig. Love your enthusiasm. Keep up the good work.

i ran this model for years even used as business car,.Bike licencce, Very reliable engine; Just as well it was, as you couldn't get near it. Big drawback was noise levels. I drive BMW's now, and although great handling and comfort levels, they are about 80% less reliable. Word of advice get bowden cable for choke. Also do not let anyone tell you to use metric bearing, there are plenty of imperial bearing dealers.

I have a skoda estelle if you want to review that

I absolutely love Reliant three-wheelers!!! Especially the really old ones with fins and chrome hubcaps!

Only problem with Reliants were the price - you could buy a Mini for the same price. They were limited to old bikers who never got round to taking a driving test.

Jeremy done well as a motor journo. He only managed to cause the closure of two British car manufacturers (Reliant and Rover) with the loss of only 100,000 jobs. He gets extremely angry when you mention this to him in the street though.

I've seen that in Carlisle! Brilliant little cars, always wanted to drive one and own one.

always love a Robin

I've just finished restoring a Reliant Regal saloon... there are progress videos in my channel. The exhaust on that Robin would be an easy fix. You can at least still buy an affordable full system for the Robin, unlike the Regal. Top Gear deliberately set those Robins up to turn over easily. Which of course they never mentioned.

13:00 in the show they had modified suspention for it to flip easyer, that episode was more a joke than anything

I reckon someone could make these things at home especially since it is made from fibreglass, put in a Hayabusa engine and Bob's your uncle!

I was driving my Sierra one evening and I had to do 90mph to pass one off these

Funny seeing you pass my house here 😂 waiting for you driving my old Bluebird.... she’s a good old lass, the controls are so light and fluid for a 33 year old car. I miss it so much.