Let's Motor Back To The Drawing Board--MINI Cooper S Feels Like A Work In Progress
Written: Nov 23 '04 (Updated Jul 10 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Spot-on styling, quick steering, nimble handling, fun "anti-SUV" character.
Cons: Lazy throttle response, ropy shifter, harsh ride, cheap and flimsy interior plastics, poor ergonomics.
The Bottom Line: The Cooper S has great potential as a nimble, characterful "hot hatch." But its lackluster drivetrain and disappointing interior stopped me well short of wanting one.
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| drive571's Full Review: 2004 MINI Cooper |
My Experience
I've wanted to review the new BMW-designed, English-built MINI for quite some time now, but it's not easy! The limited dealer network and high demand give MINI dealers little incentive to offer test drives. Fortunately, I found a nearby dealership that was happy to indulge my "I'm a journalism student, can I drive your car" schtick. I've always liked the looks of this little car, but I've never had strong feelings about it one way or the other. So these test-drives were an opportunity to judge the MINI Cooper without bias, and see how it stacks up against other hot hatches and sports coupes in the $20,000 range.
The models I test-drove were a 2004 Cooper S and a 2005 Cooper S Convertible (the review of which is posted here). My test drives covered mostly city streets, with some freeway driving and a run along a winding frontage road. I also got to throw both cars around in an empty parking lot. Each drive lasted about half an hour.
Performance
The MINI Cooper S's 1.6-liter supercharged engine wasn't as satisfying a powerplant as I'd hoped it would be. It moves the car briskly enough, to be sure--if you're buying this car primarily for its looks, you'll find little to complain about. But judged as a hot hatch, the Cooper S is a bit lacking in eagerness and verve. Throttle tip-in is hesitant from idle, and the revs rise and fall with a slow tempo. Power delivery is flat off the line, and it remains unremarkable all through the low end. As a result, the MINI isn't all that fun to drive through town at a brisk pace.
It's not until 4000rpms that acceleration starts to pick up, and even then, it's not particularly forceful. Progress through the midrange feels gradual rather than frenzied, with no apparent "sweet spot"--I could see the speedometer needle spinning faster, but I never really got that "push in the back" sensation. MINI claims the Cooper S will do 0-60 in 6.8 seconds, but judging by my backside, I would have guessed something in the low 8-second range.
In terms of refinement, the Cooper S's engine is about average. I liked the dense, tough-sounding growl of the dual exhausts, but there was no such music from under the hood. The engine's tenor snarl was overlaid with loud gnashing and whining noises, giving the soundtrack a rough, agricultural quality.
I've read articles claiming that MINI will replace the current set of engines with a new powertrain lineup in the next couple years. This would be a welcome improvement, in my opinion. As it is, the current supercharged 1.6 deprives the Cooper S of the crisp, zingy character it looks like it should have.
Transmission/Clutch
The MINI's six-speed manual was also a disappointment. The ball-topped shifter looks sporty, and it has a tightly-spaced pattern, but its action isn't particularly fun. Throws are longer than expected, and the lever feels sticky and uncertain as it plops between gears. I noticed a wobbly, balky feel with each engagement, and I can't help wondering if that big chrome shift knob is partly to blame. It puts a lot of weight on top of the gearlever, and certainly doesn't help the shifter's off-balance feel.
The MINI's clutch is much better than its shifter, with a fairly short throw and gentle take-up. Unfortunately, the hesitant throttle-tip in means smooth starts are still tricky. I found it easy to stumble off the line, as the engine didn't build revs as quickly as I expected. And on the move, the engine's slow decay of revs required a conscious pause before I let the clutch out. I usually ended up slurring my shifts anyway, though--precise gearchanges are difficult to judge. And on top of all this, the MINI's narrow footwell made it easy to snag my clutch foot on the other pedals while shifting.
Steering/Handling
This area is undoubtedly the MINI's best feature. Its subjective handling feel isn't what you might expect--it's not light and breezy, but actually rather hefty and substantial-feeling. Still, its quick reflexes and tidy dimensions make it huge fun on challenging roads.
The MINI's steering is up in the top ranks of the sports-coupe class. It's firm, hefty, and very quick--perhaps the quickest of any car I've driven. It also has a very strong return-to-center motion, so steady-state cornering requires a surprising amount of effort. Still, I like the feeling of resistance at the wheelrim. It allows you to make small, precise adjustments to your line with utter confidence. Besides, with such a quick ratio, lane changes are just a twitch of the wheel away, and corners are taken in short, precise flicks. I found only two minor nits to pick in this department. I'd like a little more communication through that thick wheel rim, and straight-line stability could be tightened up a bit--the MINI can be a bit fuzzy in a straight line.
Of course, straight lines are not part of this car's mission, and the MINI is a joy to drive quickly on twisty roads. The chassis responds instanteously to inputs, with direct turn-in and imperceptible levels of pitch and roll--the body feels directly nailed to the pavement. The S's grippy tires bite hard, too, which makes the MINI feel glued to the road. I pushed the MINI very hard in an empty parking lot, and was impressed by its balance--only the most ham-fisted moves could get the front tires scrubbing.
Of course, you don't need a winding road to appreciate the MINI's handling--its agility is just as enjoyable around town. It squeezes through tight spots with ease, and its quick reflexes let you dart around traffic like a slalom skier. Parallel parking? No problem. Just a whip of that quick-ratio wheel and you're in.
Ride
As any prospective buyer would expect, the MINI is a stiff-riding car. But with the S's firmer suspension and optional 17-inch wheels, it's really stiff--more so than I anticipated. I'm not one to nitpick about ride quality, but when it detracts from a car's sense of composure and solidity, it becomes an issue--and that's certainly the case here.
On smooth pavement, the MINI is plenty liveable, aside from the expected stiff bobbling and thumpy road noise. But as the state of the road deteriorates, things start getting uncomfortable. Driving over potholes and broken pavement, I was surprised by the thudding of the tires and the clunky kickback through the steering wheel. I also felt some mild shuddering from the chassis, with accompanying drumming noises. It's pretty distracting stuff, and it makes the MINI feel far less solid than I'd hoped. From the outside, this car looks all-of-a-piece, carved out of one bite-size chunk of metal. But it certainly doesn't feel that way on a rough road.
Noise levels are generally high in the MINI. I've mentioned the thrashy growling of the engine, but there's also a fair amount of road rumble from the S's 205-width tires. Wind noise seemed pretty well-muted on my test drive, but it could have simply been drowned out by the other stuff.
Interior
The MINI's interior is perhaps the biggest let-down of the entire car. This being a BMW-designed product, I had high hopes for the MINI's quality and attention to detail. And stepping inside the car for the first time, it appeared my expectations would be borne out. This interior looks fantastic! Stylish retro dashboard, metallic trim, googly little round shapes everywhere--it looks like an asthete's dream. The view out is unique, too, framed by the MINI's pinched, upright little windshield. Unfortunately, my positive impression came with a qualifier--it only held out if I didn't touch anything. As soon as I started poking around, my enthusiasm for the MINI's interior waned drastically.
Materials quality is the biggest sore point. After you've run your hands over the padded dash top and grasped the thick, grippy steering wheel, the tactile enjoyment is over. Most other surfaces--the dash, door inserts, and console--are covered in hard, thin plastics that feel cheap and flimsy. And the worst part is, the feel isn't even consistent. The texture and thickness of the plastics varies greatly from one panel to the next.
The MINI's controls and switchgear suffer from the same poor quality and lack of consistency. Some interfaces are heavy and clattery, like the door handles, while others are tiny and insubstantial. The climate-control knobs have a loose, clackety action, and the turn-signal stalk operated with such a brittle snap that it felt like I was breaking it. The MINI's toggle switches are a nicer touch--they're the only rich-feeling controls in the whole cabin--but their vague labeling makes them difficult to use at a glance.
Come to think of it, nearly all of the MINI's interfaces are difficult to use at a glance. The radio crowds lots of small, identical-looking buttons into a narrow band, and the optional automatic climate controls are borderline cryptic. There's a single indicator light to tell you when "the blinkers" are flashing--there's no indication of which one it is. And while I've never really been bothered by center-mounted speedometers, the MINI's is notably inconvenient--it sits unusually low, in the dashboard, and its thin-line retro markings make squinting a necessity. An optional Cockpit Chrono Package puts the speedometer back on the steering colum--a worthy investment.
In terms of comfort, the MINI scores about average in the sports-coupe class. That's not because it's overly small inside--aside from a slight headroom deficit, the general sense of space is surprisingly decent. But you sit low to the floor, and the MINI's "sport seats" are neither sporty nor particularly comfortable. The cushions feel somewhat flat and shapeless, and lateral support is lacking. Long-haul comfort seems dubious--especially since there's no center armrest.
Practicality
The MINI has a rear seat--technically--but it's barely habitable. I crammed myself back there and was eager to get out--the cushion is low and unsupportive, elbow room is tight, and legroom is almost nonexistent. The hard plastic front seatbacks make matters worse, as you'll want to avoid bumping them with your knees. You could put two kids in the back seat for short trips, but full-size adults are strictly off limits. Unless you really hate them, of course.
Cargo space is similarly abbreviated. Lift the rear hatch, and you'll find a small shelf that's good for two or three grocery bags. The standard split-folding rear seat allows you to make room for bigger items, but even with the seats laid flat, the load floor doesn't extend very far forward. Getting a guitar case in there would be iffy.
The MINI also comes up short on cabin storage. There's a shallow pocket in each door, and a small glovebox, but that's it. "License and registration, please." "Oh sure, uh... let me just reach in the back seat and get it."
Reliability
The MINI has racked up an unenviable record in Consumer Reports' reliability surveys. Past model years were rated Much Worse Than Average, with a modest improvement to Worse Than Average for 2004. This shouldn't come as a huge surprise. The MINI is built in England, and while the Brits are many wonderful things, they aren't known for their flawless automobile construction. Some condolence comes from the fact that MINI provides free maintenance for 3 years or 36,000 miles.
Overall
As with many cars that are heavily hyped, I came away from my MINI test-drive a little disappointed. I was half-expecting to fall in love with this car, given my affection for all things small, efficient, and fast on four wheels. I was certainly impressed with the MINI's sharp handling, unique character, and endless array of personalized options. But the lackluster drivetrain and plasticky interior turned me off. If I were personally buying a new sports coupe/hatchback, the MINI wouldn't be at the top of my list.
So what to buy instead? That's where it gets a bit difficult. There aren't really any vehicles that directly match the MINI's combination of size, style, sportiness, and personality. If you're looking for an enthusiast-oriented hatchback, the Acura RSX Type-S is my favorite--or the Mazda 3s, if you'd rather have four doors. Both cars are roomier and more fun to drive, and both score very well in reliability tests. Or, if you're drawn to the MINI's trendinesss and capacity for factory personalization, you might want to look at the Scion tC. Its road manners are more antiseptic, but it's cheaper, roomier, and has a much higher-quality interior. Finally, if you're considering the MINI purely for its fun factor, try looking at a Mazda Miata. It's tops for affordable fun, in my opinion.
However, I have a feeling that most prospective buyers want a MINI simply because it's a MINI, not because it compares favorably to certain rivals. And if you've been bitten by the MINI bug, I doubt that any of the flaws I noted will be sufficient to break the deal. You'll already expect the small interior, rough ride, and noisy engine. And while I wasn't thrilled with the drivetrain, it's certainly not terrible--it's just not the best in the sports-coupe class. My final advice? If you just want a MINI, go get one--you'll probably love it. But if you're an enthusiast in search of affordable fun, make sure you shop the competition before signing the papers.
Feel free to check out my reviews of some of the MINI Cooper S's competitors:
Honda Civic Si
Hyundai Tiburon GT V6
Mazda 3s 5-door
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Mercedes-Benz C230 Sports Coupe
Mitsubishi Eclipse GT
Scion tC
Toyota Celica GT-S
Volkswagen GTI 1.8T
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 21,349
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Epinions.com ID:
drive571
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 in Cars & Motorsports |
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Member: P.J. McCombs
Location: Berkeley, California
Reviews written: 138
Trusted by: 70 members
About Me:
New baby at home: a 1999 Mazda Miata in British Racing Green!
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