User Reviews

Cooper

Annette MacDonald

Overall Rating

Nice build quality and comforts, service from dealer exceptional. Car performs really well but as expected is small and not very good for the shopping.

Cooper S

Gavin King

Overall Rating

My Cooper S is probably the highest mileage in the country (now touching 96,000); it was purchased in 2002 as business transport. It has had a few niggles being an early car but overall it's a fantastic car to drive. Don't think of it as a small family car - it definitely isn't. Think more of a two-seater with rear storage. One warning: be very careful with your foot down, as it's easy to touch 110-120 mph with little effort. BMW got it spot with this one. Would Rover have produced the same? I doubt it!

Cooper

James Kerr

Overall Rating

This is my second MINI (I upgraded from the One). Quite simply, it's a fun car to drive: it holds the road well and has tight and responsive steering. So what if it's cramped in the back or has a minute boot. You buy one knowing this.

One Cabrio (2006)

Madeira Jon

Overall Rating

Ive had this ONE Cabrio since new May 2006. The mpgs are very impressive giving 47-50 continually. Sports seats (option) are very supportive and road handling is better than most cars its size. There are little rattles etc but this is only the MINI chatting to you! Only problem in 34k miles has been a leaky door seal. The engine responds to the Bluefin chipping which brings the ONE to the same power level (130bhp as opposed to 90) as the Cooper, but saves you some £700! With this mod, acceleration from 4k revs is phenomenal. Early Cabrio models had problems with the fabric hood but this seems to have been solved from 2005 onwards. I needed a new set of front tyres after 30k miles. Back seats are a laugh as is the rear visability but with the latter you just learn to use the side mirrors sensibly. The Cabrio needs the optional wind-deflector which is very effective at all speeds.

Cooper S

Phil Young

Overall Rating

Bought second hand a year ago with 29k miles on the clock. I test drove three before buying this one and agree that in terms of outright speed the Cooper S is not as quick as the magazines make out. You need to really extend the engine and make full use of the rev range as below 3000rpm the engine is pretty docile. This car does have the best first gear ever though - you can get to over 35mph in first and it is very tractable, with no sudden lurching if you step off the gas at high revs - ideal for tight bends in town just after traffic lights, or when nipping into that gap in congested situations that will disappear again a few seconds later. Throw in a few bends and it will leave 90% of the other cars on the road behind, simply because it has massive grip, never feels unbalanced and carries at least 10mph more through corners than almost any other car. Mine has the 17 inch wheels, which when combined with the standard sports plus suspension and run-flat tyres gives a pretty rough ride on anything other than freshly laid tarmac. Thats the price of all the handling prowess though. I have owned both a Saab 9-5 and an Audi A6 before and although they may be more comfortable, much larger and have executive interiors, neither was anywhere near as engaging to drive. It is a small car, really a 2 seater with some bonus space rather than a full four seater. Boot space is shocking - 4 Tesco bags max. Fuel consumption averages around 30mpg and that is with some enthusiastic driving and a fair bit of town driving too. Mine has been fairly reliable - the central locking went on the blink but was fixed under warranty, and the tyre pressure monitor sometimes seems to have a mind of its own, indicating a deflated tyre when there isn't one. Also main dealer servicing, after the tlc package has run out is expensive for what is a 1.6 four cylinder run-about. Overall though a fun car to drive, which almost always brings a smile to the face and still five years on gets looks from passers by. Recommended.

Cooper S

Rob Knight

Overall Rating

I was very excited on the delivery of my new Mini. Although I had never driven before, I was left a little disappointed: it did not seem as fast as people made out, and the fuel consumption is very poor at just 22mpg. But the build quality is great, and it gets a lot of admiring looks from people. Overall I just hope the second-hand values stay as high as they have been from the start!