2019 Mini Cooper S Review: 60 Years Old
Content
- Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 6/10
- Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10
- How practical is the interior space? 7/10
- What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 8/10
- How much fuel does it consume? 7/10
- What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 7/10
- How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 7/10
- What is it like to drive? 9/10
- Verdict
- Will Mini win your heart despite the high price?
Coincidence is a funny thing. I had a Mini Cooper S 60 Years the same week, the last VW Beetle rolled off the assembly line in Mexico. VW blamed its mammoth €25 billion investment in electric vehicles, but the reality is that no one else was buying that nostalgic ride.
The history of the Mini is quite different. BMW's aggressive expansion of the lineup beyond the three-door hatchback has breathed life into a brand that could have disappeared in its own Union Jack. Instead of sticking to a formula, the brand has tried everything, but has since settled on a hatchback (three- and five-door), a convertible, a wacky Clubman van, and a Countryman SUV. BMW now makes a lot of cars on the same platform, a nice two-way street.
The Mini Cooper S is 60 years old and, unlike the Beetle, its birthday has already passed, and the company - no stranger to the special edition - has created a classic combination of colors, stripes and badges.
A classic combination of colors, stripes and icons.
| Mini 3D Hatch 2020: Cooper S 60 Years Edition | |
|---|---|
| Safety Rating | |
| engine's type | 2.0 L turbo |
| fuel type | Premium unleaded gasoline |
| Fuel efficiency | 5.5l / 100km |
| Landing | 4 Places |
| Price from | $35,600 |
Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 6/10
There are four ways to get your 60th Anniversary Mini. If you're comfortable with 1.5-liter power, there's a three- or five-door Cooper for $33,900 and $35,150 respectively. If you want a little more grunt, you can upgrade to a three-door Cooper S (the car I had) for $43,900 and a five-door for $45,150. Eagle-eyed readers who know Mini prices will see a price increase of $4000, with Mini Australia saying you get $8500 of value. All these prices do not include travel expenses.
The standard Cooper S package includes dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, drive mode select, leather upholstery, rearview camera, sat-nav, automatic LED headlights and wipers, Apple CarPlay wireless, run-flat tires, and you you can add all 60 years on top of that.
Without making too much of a difference, the Mini isn't cheap to begin with, so adding $8500 to an already steep price obviously doesn't make things any better. You're obviously getting more stuff, as evidenced by the $XNUMX figure it claims.
British Racing Green IV metallic with Pepper White mirrors.
This means British Racing Green IV metallic paint with Pepper White mirrors and roof, or Midnight Black Lapis Luxury Blue with black mirrors and roof. Inside, you can choose Dark Cacao with green paint or Carbon Black with blue paint. If you choose the latter, you will miss out on special edging and details.
Buyers of the Cooper S get wireless phone charging, a Comfort Access package, heated front seats and LED headlights, while the Cooper S adds a panoramic sunroof, the signature Harmon Kardon system and a head-up display.
Inside you have dark cocoa with green streaks.
Is there anything interesting about its design? 7/10
Always easily recognizable mini-updates always add details without affecting the main game. I really like the indicators, which are big LED rings surrounding the headlights, but then again, I love the lighting. I think the Mini looks amazing in three-door form, and I really liked the Union Jack taillights. They are a bit silly, but in a good way, which sort of sums up the car. British Racing Green looks good too. It's funny that the puddle lamp even has the taste of 60 years.
The indicators are large LED rings surrounding the headlights.
You can recognize a Cooper S by its center exhaust, and the 60 Years has its own set of 17-inch alloy wheels.
The cabin is almost the same, except for a particularly warm skin tone. This is a classic color for British cars, but it looks good. In the Cooper S, the panoramic sunroof is split in two, but the front section opens. It makes the car feel a little bigger, which is handy considering it's pretty cramped inside. The piping is a nice touch, too, though the Piano Black on the dash was more of the last decade than the last century, but at least there's no sticky wood here. The fact that the interior is otherwise unchanged means there are other cheap touches that somehow don't spoil the vibe.
Mini calls its version of iDrive "Visual Boost" for some reason, and it's displayed on a 6.5-inch screen nestled in a large round dial surrounded by interchangeable LED indicators.
How practical is the interior space? 7/10
Yes, it's a small car, so expect everything to be snug enough. I fit in there nicely, but I'm not particularly tall or wide. Tall people will fit nicely in the front (but not too tall, don't be greedy), while larger people may find themselves uncomfortably close to their passengers.
The back seat is tolerable for children and patient adults.
The rear seat is comfortable for children and patient adults on short trips. At least they will be well hydrated, because in addition to a pair of cup holders in the front, there are three more in the back, for a total of five. The Mini joins the NC Mazda MX-5 as a car with more cup capacity than passenger capacity. Passengers in the front seats can keep the water up to the top as there are also small bottle holders in the doors.
Trunk with folded seats 211 liters.
The front seat has two USB ports and a wireless charging cradle that won't fit large phones under the armrest. If you have a smaller iPhone, then the combination of wireless CarPlay and charger is great.
Trunk volume with folded seats is 731 liters.
Trunk space is surprisingly large for such a small car, outperforming many of its cheaper competitors with 211 liters with the seats in place and 731 liters with the seats folded down.
What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 8/10
The Cooper S has a conventional 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (the Cooper has a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine) producing 141kW and 280Nm. Power is sent to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and propels the 1265-kilogram Cooper S to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds.
The Cooper S has a conventional 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
How much fuel does it consume? 7/10
Mini reckons you'll get 5.6 l/100 km on the combined cycle. Maybe you could, if you didn't ride it like I did (I got the quoted figure of 9.4L/100km).
The Mini has a stop-and-go feature to cut down on city fuel consumption, and launch control to negate those efforts.
What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 7/10
Like the rest of the models, the 60 Years model has six airbags, ABS, stability control and traction control, forward collision warning, AEB (automatic emergency braking), a rearview camera, speed sign recognition and tire pressure monitoring (it also has There is a tire pressure monitoring system. flat tires and no spare, so that's an important consideration).
For children, there are two top straps and ISOFIX attachment points.
Mini received four out of five possible ANCAP stars in April 2015. This was before AEB became standard earlier in 2019.
In April 2015, Mini received four out of five possible ANCAP stars.
Warranty and safety rating
Basic Warranty
3 years / unlimited mileage
guarantee
ANCAP Safety Rating
How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 7/10
As with parent company BMW, Mini only offers a three-year unlimited mileage warranty with roadside assistance for the duration. You can buy an extension cord up to five or hold your breath while negotiating with the dealer.
Maintenance depends on the condition - the car will tell you when it needs it. You can buy a service package that covers basic features for five years for about $1400, or upgrade to an option for about $4000 that includes consumables like brake pads and wiper blades.
What is it like to drive? 9/10
Driving a Mini is a unique experience. Almost no other car sold today has the combination of that far, nearly vertical windshield and nearly thin A-pillar by today's standards. The side of the car is almost fifty percent glass, so the view is amazing.
It's been a while since I've driven a Mini Cooper S, so I've been looking forward to the rebound Mini that I've always loved and my wife despised. Somewhere along the way, this rebound has lessened somewhat, to the point where my wife says she doesn't mind it anymore. That must be a good thing, because while the ride is more refined, it's still a pleasure to drive, even if you're just navigating through traffic.
With fast, well-weighted steering.
Mini just loves point and spray driving. Quick, well-weighted steering helps you get in and out of gaps, and the comfortable torque slab from the 2.0-litre engine ensures you stay out of trouble when doing so. The Mini also likes to ride on the country road, a safer ride belies its short wheelbase. The weight of the car probably helps keep things on a straight and narrow road. Pretty clever to make the car feel grown up while still maintaining a playful feel.
The drive mode switch doesn't make much of a difference, and in sport mode, there are a few apologetic pops coming out of the exhaust pipe.
There are few complaints, but there are too many buttons on the steering wheel and, in my opinion, they are all out of place. By necessity, the media screen controller is located almost on the floor and is crowded with cup holders and a huge handbrake lever. But that doesn't mean the Mini should remove the handbrake.
I have reasons.
Verdict
The Mini 60 Years is another classic special edition Mini, definitely aimed at fans. It doesn't bother me in the least, and I'd love to put my money aside for a standard Cooper S. The Mini is still one of the most frisky and interesting cars from a mass-market automaker, and while not everyone likes it for its size. and weight, it's great driving pleasure.
It's the kind of car I could own, and I always feel comfortable in it - it's the perfect size for city driving, but it's equally at home when blasting down the freeway on a long trip or blasting down a B-highway just for fun.
Will Mini win your heart despite the high price?
