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Road Test Review: 2015 Mini Cooper S
Car Reviews

Road Test Review: 2015 Mini Cooper S

·
July 30,2015
·
10 min read

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There aren’t many living today that have not come across the Mini and understood a little about its history.  The Mini was born in 1959 under the British Motor Corporation (BMC). They created a little wonder that changed budget motoring history. It was an immediate success.

Many variants were made till the year 2000 and then things changed. Mini started a new life under Bavaria Motor Werks (BMW). Still strangely it was seen as a British car though. BMW, like Volkswagen to Beetle tried to re-invent the Mini and inject modernity and safety into this icon. As a bit of a purist and fan of the original Mini, this was going to be a challenge to the mind, as I did own a MK 5 1989 City model. I had fun in that car, it was the ideal budget car to get at the time, easy to handle and carried the trademark 'go cart' feeling.

BMW almost succeeded in making it a complete success. They built it well and sales were great and still are but there was still a following for the old. Moreover this budget car was no longer budget.  14 years down the line and things have changed. The Mini has quite a following again, so it is with an open mind that I collect and introduce to you the 2015 Mini Cooper S.

Style

It is hard to keep precise detail of the old but stick a foot pump on and puff it up...hey presto you get the new Mini! They have done quite well to keep things as close as possible to the old, though the car is very slowly getting bigger every year. Length, width and wheelbase all increase a little bit with every new model release. It keeps a cheerful shape, quirky and a young feeling about it. More voluptuous curves and nice use of bright colours keep the Mini happy looking. Overall though by definition the new Mini is not so mini anymore! 

Circles are the order of the day for the interior. Mini has kept to this for a while, partly because it emulates some of the old BMC models. What is surprising is that I am sure there are more circles than before. After shoe horning my butt into the cozy seat, my imagination plays. Think of a little child with a bottle of bubbles. They have opened their bubbles and blown them into the car, design complete, circles in the dash the centre console and the door cards. It’s superb though and keeps the imagination young.  

Interior Materials and Finishing

This is now made by BMW, so the finish and the materials in the car are pretty good. Not as good as the general BMWs but very close. I found very little that was cheap and if I did it was behind something. The most obvious was the flexible plastic mirror guards in the sun visors. They had used some quite tough and durable plastic around the car that would be at home in any four wheel drive. The seats were leather and felt nice to the touch as did the steering wheel. Buttons and switches had a solid feel to them and were a pleasure to operate.

Interior Space and Visibility

I noted the increase in interior space and here is why; BMW has given a little more room to the passengers in the rear and has increased the space in the boot also. So it’s better news for those wanting to be with their friends. Space in the front does not seem to have changed much. The space and the seats are cozy, basically cocooned. The seats are not tight though, unless of course you are taller and a little fuller in figure. The view from the car is great; it’s a fun car and at times you will need to think as quickly as the Mini can move, so visibility has to be good. I would say that the only issue was the blind spot. The mirrors are quite large and cover quite a good field of view but to check physically the blind spot is almost pointless. You have to lean forward to see around the B-Pillar. To turn and look is an effort; the seat will try to stop that but the B-Pillar being nearly a foot wide due to the window framing etc. means that you will not see through the rear window at all. 

For the passengers, well let’s just say that once you have squeezed through to the back caught your head or back on the way in, you can sit quite comfortably. However, if like me your height is 1m 76cm or higher, then your knees will be brushing or starting to push the seats in front.  You do feel a little claustrophobic in the back and you can’t help but feel that the already close boot panel will be touching your butt afterwards. It is in my opinion that the car is more designed for the driver than the passengers anyhow. To have people in the car will just reduce the fun of driving it.

Interior Technology and Options

The Mini Cooper S is a fun and exciting car to drive. History also has kept this trait throughout. Now though it still keeps the fun but why all the pointless tech?

They have fitted Adaptive Cruise Control with anti-collision distance warning, a radio which can connect to any radio station in the world, keyless entry system, parking sensors and a green mode. Is it just me or is it not a fun car that is supposed to have a go-cart feeling? What is with the parking sensors? If you can’t park a mini then you need to stop driving! It’s like telling a twelve year old to grow up. BMW are pushing the Mini into being a more functional car. The tech is great if on a larger modern car but it’s too much for the Mini.

The stereo has a nice crisp sound coming from the Harmon Kardon, which is surprising given the available space in the cabin. GPS system was easy to use but I am not so sure that it was completely up to date. I managed to find a couple of roads the GPS did not have, yet other cars I had driven had them installed.

Safety Features

Alongside the tech features of the car, the Mini has the usual airbags front, passenger and side. Traction control and the anti-collision system, which decorate the cabin with warnings lights on the centre infotainment ring and parking sensors, also show with colour warning.

The head Up Display (HUD) displays your speed, anti-collision warning and speed limit of the road. Be cautious though, it works in line with the GPS and I had yet again discovered a couple of roads where the speed limit was different to that shown on the screen.

Power and Transmission

This review model Cooper S had been given a 2.0 litre four cylinder with 192Bhp and 207lb ft torque capable according to Mini of 0-100kph in 6.7 secs (Automatic transmission) and hitting a top speed of 233Kph. 

BMW have developed three new engines that feature better direct injection and new Mini twin turbo technology. A 3 cylinder, a four cylinder and a 3 cylinder diesel have been produced. We obviously won’t be seeing the diesel here in the Middle East and the 3 cylinder petrol may only come in lower numbers, so let’s carry on with the review 2.0 litre four cylinders that is married to a sublime 6 speed transmission.

Commonly manufacturers like to state 0-100kph figures and when you drive the cars you wonder how on earth they got that. You’re thinking downhill slope, no seats in the car and probably a horse jockey driving with but a cup full of fuel in the tank. Well this one is different. I had pretty much a full tank of fuel my wife was in the car and all my camera gear was in the boot. One clear road, put the car into sport mode placed my hands around the paddle shift and punched the gas.  The Mini pulled strong and you could feel the torque of the car. I did one run, the book speed was 6.7 secs and the car did it in 6.78 secs. Surprised? Of course you are, as I was.

Handling and Suspension

Have you ever seen a small dog such as a Jack Russell chasing and waiting to chase the ball? If yes then you’ll understand the handling of this car. The Mini is renowned for having that Go-Cart feeling, a car that can be thrown around. Like a small dog it will change direction with excitement and without losing momentum. You sense the car eager to chase the next ball every time you come to a standstill, then you press the gas and of after the ball you go.

This is for the purists within readers. In 1969 a film called ‘The Italian Job’ was released. Three Mini’s dancing around Turin Italy had been loaded up with stolen gold. Well this Mini has managed to capture most of that fun and feeling, in albeit a larger size. 

BMW has increased the power, so it goes without saying they will enhance and improve the steering, damping, suspension and brakes. They have installed a new Dynamic Damper Control adjustable to suit your driving style, it even states on the screen ‘Go-Cart’.  Steering is precise though lacking in some feeling and the suspension firm with brakes that are progressive and sharp.  The brakes work with Anti-Lock braking system (ABS) and with a new Cornering Brake Control (CDC) system.

Braking

Braking in this car was immensely sharp. Of course the car is small and lighter than most but it helps. I had noted the Cornering Brake Control (CDC) and this works in line with the ABS and the EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution). It is there to assist those last minute moments when you are rather late braking and find yourself braking in the corners. I had pushed the car through a few to see if I could feel any change to the norm. Yes the car was twitchy because of using the brakes on the bends but it stayed in check and I was still able to point the car quite well in the preferred direction. Understeer was present but not as much as expected, so I think maybe it was working.

Pulling this car up was going to be good then. It was too. I managed to squeeze the foot to the floor and stop from 100kph in 2.2 secs.  I had to collect my eyeballs from the top of the dash though. Suffice to say the car stops as well as it goes.

Verdict

The purists will see a bigger more functional and grown up car and probably turn a head but stop there. Drive it first. We need to adapt to some things. You’ll find the fun and the handling emulating the old. My point here is that if you want a modern hot hatch with gadgets and gizmos try the Audi A1. If you want a more budget friendly small car then take a look at the Citroen DS3.  The Mini cannot grow up and the more it does the further away from its history and cheeky dancing attitude it gets. Ok its lost the budget but I love the drive of the car. The one thing killing it for me is the tech. Some may like it. It leaves me with one thought; reduce the gadgets and tech BMW and keep the history and fun.

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