Mini Cooper S Convertible review: Hello, sunshine

Here’s an interesting trend: the Mini Cooper is one of the most commonly ‘gifted’ cars in India. Parents buy it for their children, children surprise their parents with one, and it’s even exchanged between partners or siblings. It is a symbol of joy on wheels. And now, adding to its emotional appeal is its most charming iteration, the Convertible.

Mini Cooper Convertible design & engineering – 9/10

Feels like an evolution of the outgoing version rather than an all-new generation.

The Cooper S’s hallmark centre-mounted dual exhaust tips have been removed with this generation.

Codenamed F67, the new Mini Cooper S Convertible retains the outgoing F57’s platform but gets several updates. While the wheelbase remains unchanged, the car is now marginally shorter in length, a bit wider and taller, and even gets revised front and rear tracks.

Its dimensions and styling changes are subtle, and that’s no bad thing. The Mini continues with its familiar, cheerful look, but with its black fabric roof, the Convertible retains its own visual identity. Unlike the hatchback, which gets triangular tail-lamps and different tailgate styling, the drop-top gets more conventional Union Jack tail-lamps, and its tailgate opens downwards to accommodate the openable roof. What’s missing, however, is the signature centrally mounted twin exhaust tips – previously a Cooper S hallmark.

Mini Cooper Convertible interior space & comfort – 8/10

Surprisingly more practical than one would expect.

Dash feels a touch basic in its design, with its piece de resistance being the circular touchscreen.

The highlight, of course, is the electrically operated fabric roof that opens in just 18 seconds. Mini has also brought back the ‘sunroof mode’, where the roof slides back partially, a feature owners appreciated on the R57 but missed on the F57.

Just like its exterior, its cabin feels familiar yet fresher. Buyers can choose between black and beige interior colour schemes; beige looks more upmarket, but black is likely to hold up better in Indian conditions. Mini continues to use sustainable materials like Vescin, which utilises recycled content. The dashboard design is clean with several circular motifs, and the backlit textured fabric panel on the fascia looks rather tasteful at night.

9.4-inch OLED touchscreen is exceptional in terms of clarity; its interface, however, isn’t very user-friendly.

The 9.4-inch circular OLED touchscreen is the cabin’s centrepiece. It looks fantastic, with rich colours and sharp graphics, but key functions, such as climate control, seat massage and even the speedometer and fuel gauge, are buried within it, which detracts from the user experience. Thankfully, a head-up display provides a more traditional speed readout, though the unit itself is fairly basic.

Adults can be seated in the back for a short duration. Space, expectedly, is tight, and the backrest is too upright.

The front seats are nicely bolstered and supportive, and the steering wheel feels good to hold. Rear space, as expected, is tight but usable for short hops. Storage spaces are well thought out, and the 215-litre boot (160 litres with the roof down) is reasonably practical for a small convertible.

Mini Cooper Convertible equipment & safety – 8/10

Few more modern niceties, like ventilated seats, would have been welcome.

Boot space is 215 litres with the roof up and 160 litres with it down.

Mini has introduced the Convertible in a single, fully loaded variant for now. Key features include wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 12-speaker 365W Harman Kardon audio system, a powered driver’s seat with massage, ambient lighting, heated steering, drive modes and, of course, the 9.4-inch OLED touchscreen.

Mini Cooper Convertible engine performance & refinement – 8/10

The engine offers plenty of poke; paddle shifters are sorely missed.

The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol is fun, albeit the aural drama is missing.

Like the hatchback, the Convertible is powered by a 204hp, 300Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Headline figures include a 0-100kph time of 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 237kph. Performance is enjoyable, and the Convertible feels eager on open roads. Sure, the turbo-petrol emanates hisses and whooshes, but for driving enthusiasts, an angrier exhaust growl would have seriously elevated the aural experience. To cater to the driver’s various moods, the Mini gets multiple drive modes that alter steering feel, drivetrain and ESP.

Most users will appreciate the smoothness and the Mini’s ability to build speed – it is plenty quick and entertaining. Driving enthusiasts, however, will long for steering-mounted paddle shifters or even a tiptronic function to take manual control over the gearbox, particularly because there is a fair bit of delay before the dual-clutch downshifts when you put your foot down.

Mini Cooper Convertible fuel efficiency – 8/10

Claimed figures seem optimistic, keeping its sporty character in mind.

You’ll need to be careful over some of the unusually large speed breakers.

Mini claims 16.39kpl, which is optimistic, but the Green mode and the automatic start-stop system help extract better efficiency in the city.

Mini Cooper Convertible ride comfort & handling – 9/10

It’s a sporty handler, but on a less-than-perfect road, its ride feels stiff.

You can feel this go-kart-like Mini pivot around its axis.

The Mini Convertible carries forward the brand’s trademark go-kart-like feel. The suspension is firm, and the limited travel means it can feel stiff over poor surfaces. But on a smooth road, the car comes into its own. The steering is quick and direct, the turn-in is sharp, and the Convertible feels exceptionally agile. Body control is tight, and the car seems to pivot around its own axis, making it genuinely entertaining to drive. Braking performance is strong as well, with excellent pedal feel and confidence.

Mini Cooper Convertible price & verdict – 8/10

Not perfect for the driving enthusiast but delivers a joyful convertible experience that nothing else can match at its price.

On the right day and the right road, there’s nothing more enjoyable than driving a convertible.

At an expected price of around Rs 55 lakh, the Cooper S Convertible is undeniably a discretionary purchase. It’s not the most practical car, and running a soft-top in Indian conditions requires compromises. It also isn’t the perfect enthusiast’s car, as the muted exhaust note and lack of manual control over the gearbox take away some involvement.

But find yourself on a clean stretch of road, flick the roof back, let the breeze in, and the Mini Convertible delivers an experience few cars at this price point can match.

Given that this could very well be the last petrol-powered Mini Convertible before the brand pivots to EV-only models, it carries an extra layer of desirability. And the sheer smiles per kilometre that this Mini delivers make it hard to beat.