In Brief...
It may be an iconic, retro hatch that is unmistakable on our roads, however the Mini Cooper is now fitted out with more touches than ever, which brings it to the fore. The three and five-door variants are largely the same, bar some additional legroom and luggage space in the latter, not to mention the small price discrepancy for the extra convenience. The convertible line-up mirrors its brothers, save for the retractable roof, an extra gear in the transmission and two less airbags. For an even more charismatic affair, the Clubman and Countryman models feature loads more cabin room and boot space, an eight-speed transmission in some variants, plus driver aids including speed sign recognition, forward-collision warning and pedestrian detection. With the parental backing of BMW, it’s a welcome relief to see an exemplary infotainment system at the heart of every Cooper’s palatial cabin. Variants on offer include the D, S and John Cooper Works edition, highlighting configuration and customisation is diverse. The higher spec versions for each model come with significantly more dash and forcefulness, with the extra cylinder in the V4 able to deliver up to 170kW and 320Nm, versus 100kW and 200Nm in the 3-cylinder base models. Adaptive damper control and larger 18” wheels in the top-of-the-line editions provide enhanced performance on top of what is already a good, honest showing. While it isn’t the cheapest hatch among its peers, the Mini Cooper does come with assured engineering quality, dynamic road presence and a big personality.
