New Mini Cooper five-door review, test drive

 

The 2.0-litre BMW turbodiesel engine makes an impressive 168bhp and lots of torque. Acceleration is effortless in the midrange and regular taps on the paddles will keep the motor in its meaty rev band. So, driving in a semi-relaxed, semi-aggressive manner feels great. The conventional torque-converter transmission isn’t lightening quick, but performance is really strong. The 0-100 comes up in 7.4sec, and feels really fast. The gearshifts can be sped up via a switch, but the difference isn’t huge. At  low revs, it’s hardly audible too, and if you ask more of it, it revs with enthusiasm rather than gruffness.

 

Then there's the 190bhp turbo petrol, which is not silky smooth, and has a rice rasp to it. It feels raw when revved hard, and top-end performance is so strong, spinning it hard becomes addictive. There’s also a sense of endless energy, which the diesel just can’t provide.

 

When driven hard, the longer wheelbase Mini Cooper really feels like a baby rally car. A longer wheelbase normally means a reduction in agility, but Mini has tweaked the springs and dampers settings to give the car more bite and a better turn-in. The electric steering has been made faster too. There's a nice balance that feels quite natural, and encourages you to push harder.  The steering is a bit lifeless, but it is accurate and direct, so chucking the Mini around is undoubtedly plenty of fun.

 

The Sport mode tenses up the suspension a bit more, the bumps thump through the cabin with more resolve, and the car tramlines over rough patches. But hurl it at the next corner really hard, and the Mini delivers a bucket of front-wheel-drive thrills. It’s not nearly as agile as the three-door, and it does feel its weight when transitioning, but it drives so well, it is loads of fun.