Mini Guide
The Mini is a British cultural icon and its acquisition by BMW has done nothing to change that. What BMW have done is to bring the icon into the 21st Century and make it accessible to people in over 70 countries.
The first thing you notice about the Mini is that it feels surprisingly grown-up for such a small car.
Surprisingly, it's smooth enough and civilized enough to make an accomplished long distance cruiser. The petrol engines add to the perception of a smooth and cultured ride too.
Styling
The Mini is definitively one of the most stylish of the Super Mini class.
The range now includes the Mini One, Mini One D (diesel), Mini Cooper, Mini Cooper, Mini Clubman and the Mini Convertible.
The seats are comfortable, roomy and fully adjustable, as is the steering wheel. Head and legroom are plentiful for front and rear passengers.
50/50 split rear seats fold away to add to the available boot storage space.
The dashboard is stylish and a touch retro with the large, centrally positioned speedometer occupying pride of place. Electric windows, electric mirrors and a CD player enhance the Mini's image as a creature of style.
Performance & Handling
The basic 1.4 Litre, 94 bhp One is a competent performer, and one that any first time buyer would be proud of. Moving up to the Cooper brings you up to an exhilarating 118 bhp, but if you rally want to go for it why not try the Cooper S; 173 bhp, or if you have suicidal tendencies the Cooper Works version will deliver a blistering 208 bhp.
Whichever model you go for, the Mini is huge fun to drive. Its light weight, ample power and responsive steering combine to make for an exciting overall package.
The Mini is a great town car; its agility and diminutive frame are a potent mix and make it easy to maneuver and even easier to park.
The engine is incredible smooth, quiet and refined. The clutch is a joy to use and changes smoothly up or down the box.
The Mini's multi-link suspension is unique in this class and acts to ensure that the wheels always adjust to the optimum angle. This means the tyres remain in full contact with the road, thus rendering the Mini impervious to changes in road camber.
Economy
The Mini, in no small part due to its legendary past, boasts amazing residual values, in fact no other car in its class holds its value better.
In terms of fuel economy the Mini returns an average of 52.5 mpg giving the Mini's 40 litre fuel tank a range of over 460 miles.
CO2 emissions are very low too, at just 118g/km
Safety & security
With a five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating the Mini is a top performer in the safety stakes. All models have front, side and cabin-length head airbags - something you would struggle to find in many cars in its class.
Additional standard safety features include:
- ISOFIX child seat mountings
- Remote central locking
- Immobilizer
- ABS (anti-lock braking)
- EBD (electronic braking distribution)
- CBC (cornering brake control)
- Tyre pressure warning indicator
- Automatic door locking above 9 mph and unlocking when the engine is stopped
ASC+T; automatic stability control with traction control is available as an added option. The advantage of ASC+T is that it prevents front wheel spin and improves stability.