Mini will also be electric in the coming years – like almost every other car brand. Reason enough to take another close look at the current generation, because the Mini Cooper S in particular is almost the perfect small car if driving fun is to be the priority.
One might argue about whether the LED headlights are a bit too big, the rear lights are too expansive and the Union Jack is positioned a bit too obtrusively on the vehicle. But the Brit-affine Mini fans love their two-door Hatch and hardly any of them would fall in love with the four-door, Club or Countryman. Mini, that’s the hatch for most people and it’s just great for fans. Because it puts you in a good mood almost every kilometer and spreads the driving pleasure that BMW has been proclaiming for years. As before, the Mini Cooper S is also available with a manual transmission. Of course, the good six-speed gearbox is not as comfortable as the automatic transmission and in reality it probably consumes a little more fuel. But once you’re on the country road, you quickly feel what you’ve got with such a manual transmission. Downshifted before the corner, braked slightly and at the apex more gas again and finally the gear change to gear stage three, four and then five. There are magnificent country roads in the southern United States and there are countless ways to have fun with a Mini Cooper S, especially in states like Tennessee, North or South Carolina. It doesn’t always have to be a trip to the legendary Tail of the Dragon as part of Highway 129 with its 318 curves.
But if you opt for a Mini, you shouldn’t waste any thought on the weak basic variants. Either you choose the brisk and always fun electric version, where the only annoying thing is the top speed of 150 km/h, which is limited too early, and a manageable range. But Mini One, Cooper or even the snappy John Cooper Works – none of them come close to the Mini Cooper S, which with its power, which has now been reduced to 131 kW / 178 hp, puts you in a lot of good spirits and hardly anyone does it even at brisk motorway speeds drives away. If need be, the not so fresh young man from Oxford runs up to 235 km/h. That should be enough as well as the almost insignificant acceleration potential from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds. Nobody needs more – but probably not less either, because only the Cooper S saves you the busily rattling three-cylinder from the BMW shelf. Because the two-liter four-cylinder is the much better choice and, despite its sportiness, offers solid real consumption of around eight liters per 100 kilometers.
The chassis is great – admittedly, if you like it sporty. Because the Mini is just as little a comfort pleasure as its dynamic predecessors. Depending on the driving program and with the optional adjustable dampers, you can make yourself a little more comfortable, but the basic, very tight overall package remains and is one of the reasons why the Mini enjoys such a loyal fan base. In the case of transverse joints and rough road bumps, however, it gets quite uncomfortable inside the 1.2-ton front-wheel drive vehicle. The steering is superb apart from the drivetrain glitches and the braking is as firm as one could wish for. Unusual: the Cooper S still has a manual handbrake, which has long since disappeared from most of its competitors.
What the Mini can do as a Cooper S is design, lifestyle and good connectivity. One can argue about whether the rotary pushbutton and the menu buttons at the bottom of the center tunnel are the right place for an operating module. But there are still voice commands and a good touchscreen. It can hardly be denied that it could be a little larger than 8.8 inches these days, especially in view of the central integration of the smartphone into car life. But it is stylishly integrated into a central round clock to remind you of the center speedo of the original Mini. Anyone who wants to be illuminated by a glisteningly bright control panel is in the wrong place in the Mini – everyone else is spot on. Because the perfectly contoured leather seats not only offer good lateral support, but also good long-distance comfort. The pull-out thigh support alone doesn’t look very valuable and leaves an annoying gap when pulled out, which is noticeable on the thigh. Unfortunately, the manual seat adjustment with two levers on the side is a bad joke and you won’t find electric seats.
More than ever, it makes you shake your head in view of the good leather chairs that the Bavarian Brits want to completely do without leather seats in the new generation and do without plastics. Especially a brand, for which the history of previous models is so important, should not patronize potential customers in such a way. The instruments are fine, although the head-up display on the retractable plastic disc that stretches out of the dashboard is reminiscent of a cheap DIY solution. Little coherent for a vehicle that currently costs at least 32,450 euros. In terms of comfort, the Mini Cooper S can be outfitted with some nice things. When it comes to driver assistance systems, there are annoying gaps, because the distance cruise control only works up to 140 km/h and you won’t find a blind spot warning device in the exterior mirror. The reversing camera is a good choice, as you can only see a little to the rear, especially when the headrests are up.
You shouldn’t expect miracles when it comes to space, given the manageable vehicle length of 3.85 meters. But at the front it can be endured magnificently because of the low seating position. The rear seats are hardly intended for adults and even for children the climb into the back is only entertaining at the beginning. It is therefore better to use the two leather-covered rear seats for a chic jacket or handbag, which then do not have to hide in the small 211-litre cargo space. If you want to fold down the rear seat separately, you can do this in two easy steps and increase the luggage compartment to up to 731 liters.
Source: Stern
I am a 24-year-old writer and journalist who has been working in the news industry for the past two years. I write primarily about market news, so if you’re looking for insights into what’s going on in the stock market or economic indicators, you’ve come to the right place. I also dabble in writing articles on lifestyle trends and pop culture news.
