Recently, I took my wife’s Mini to the dealer for service. Since it would take a couple days to repair, I receive the standard free loaner. In this case, it was a Mini Cooper with an actual back seat. Yup, I could actually have four people in this car if I wanted to. Four people who normally eat only Quinoa and Kale, but four adults nonetheless.
If you talk to me and get me going on cars, somehow I bring the conversation to Mini. I love Mini. I can’t say it is the greatest car in the world, Pagani has that distinction…..it does….yup….you heard me. However, for my favorite bang-around, zig-zag-zug, go kart, CCDDGG (Commuter Car Daily Driver Grocery Getter), it can’t be beat. I know that somehow, I will always have a Mini in my life, especially in any urban setting. I can cut through traffic like a trucker through an omelet at a roadside diner.
The CooperS is loads of fun, the Countryman is the best CUV I have driven, and the new Clubman is all grown up with tons of room (The Mafia could carry many bodies in the trunk area, at least 6) while still keeping the go-kart feel.
I have coined a new phrase, that Mini has gone from Go-Kart to Go-Coupe. It is bigger and feels that way, but has not lost its original feeling.
EXCEPT……and it pains me to say this…..EXCEPT for the new Cooper 4 door. I am sorry to say that it does not have the same feeling. Granted, this loaner is exactly that, a plain Cooper 4 door with the small engine and only the Premium Package. No sport suspension or tires. However, I don’t have sport suspension on my 2011 CooperS and I thrash that car like a teenager headbanging at a Metallica concert and it never hesitates to give me joy.
The Cooper 4dr is taller and longer. This unfortunately takes out some of the zig. It also makes it more top heavy. Therefore, when I hit some of the hairpin S-turns on a local highway onramp, the car starts to lean too much. Also, I noticed that anytime I need to accelerate to enter a road, the front tires always chirp. Chirp chirp chirp over and over and over and over again. I barely use my right foot, it still chirps. I love the smell of burning rubber, oh don’t get me wrong. However, over and over these little chirps, especially when a cop was by me a couple times, this started to rattle me.
Speaking of rattling, I put down the split rear seats, which now meant I could hear a rattle from the rear of the car. That was annoying as well.
Also, I am a normal sized guy, at 6ft and a normal sized weight (lying a little, hey, cut me some slack, I love craft beer). Trying to get into the driver’s seat, the opening for the door is angled a little off, so that I constantly whack my back on the B-pillar. This is not nice.
I also will say that the 3cyl engine, while definitely better than expected, does NOT have a good sound. It sounds like a 1970’s diesel, clacking away. They should have made it a bit more silent if they couldn’t rig the resonance to be cleaner.
Now, you might get the impression that I think this car is a bad car. No, it is not a Fiat 500…. Or a Fiat 500L, or Fiat 500x or any other Fiat. It is still a good car. It got great MPG for me, it is smooth on the highway, the 170ft/lbs of torque is quite nice in the city, it is roomy, and it comes standard with a nice big screen in the dashboard. Lots of other goodies.
However, I can easily say that if you need 4 doors, skip this car. Find the extra $1000 to $2000 from somewhere, under your mattress or sell a child, whatever you choose, and go for the new Clubman. It is most pleasing, and that while it is significantly bigger, it outhandles the 4dr Cooper.
Plus, as I said, the Mafia would like it.
Cheers