Even with the introduction of models such as the Countryman and Clubman, our test summaries of the various Mini derivatives often featured the word “compromised” when it came to packaging. However, words such as “fun”, “rewarding”, “alive”, and “go-kart” almost always appeared a paragraph later when describing the characters of these cars. And this highlights the predicament in which the Mini brand has often found itself.
How then does the new five-door model deal with the issue?
Built on the BMW’s new compact front-wheel-drive UKL1 modular platform (shared with the 2 Series Active Tourer), it would seem the first-ever five-door (new-generation) Mini Cooper is tasked with upholding the brand’s fun-loving character while offering more family-oriented customers much-needed versatility.
Some 161 mm longer than the three-door, this seemingly more practical Mini benefits from a 72 mm extension of its wheelbase. The resultant additional interior space is divvied up between the boot (40 dm3 larger) and an improvement in rear-passenger legroom.
That said, despite cut-out sections for adult knees in the front seatbacks, rear-passenger comfort can still best be described as adequate rather than generous. While the middle passenger gets a seatbelt, the intrusion of the transmission tunnel (strangely bulky considering the car’s front-engine layout), together with the seat’s relatively narrow plan – and despite a 61 mm widening of the rear cabin at elbow height – means the space in the middle is suitable only for a child. Ingress into the rear is not helped by relatively narrow apertures.
Positioned low behind the steering wheel, there’s no mistaking a modern Mini’s cabin for anything else on the market. Comfortable tweed-covered sports seats (optional) offer good support, while the inclusion of a large infotainment screen and a near-endless list of expensive customisation opportunities add to the quirky appeal of the Mini range.
The central armrest may hamper gearshifts in manual-transmission cars, but there’s no such conflict when opting for the impressively refined six-speed Steptronic option. Mated with an all-new 1,5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, the
five-door Cooper, despite its 60 kg weight gain over the three-door, manages to feel sprightly, especially around town.
Using BMW-sourced engines for the first time, the impressive B38 three-pot unit features direct injection and a single turbocharger to produce 100 kW and 220 N.m of torque, which is available from a low 1 250 r/min. More impressive than the punchy nature of this engine, however, is its overall refinement. Whereas other three-cylinder engines idle roughly, BMW utilises a counter-spinning balance shaft to vastly improve smoothness. And of course, with downsizing comes improved fuel efficiency: the Cooper test unit consumed just 6,4 litres/100 km on our test route.
While the stretched wheelbase has discernably improved the overall ride quality of the five-door Cooper (compared with that of its three-door sibling), fans of the brand will be relieved to hear the suspension setup remains firm and appropriately sporty, making this “practical version” sufficiently entertaining to drive. The fitment of optional 17-inch wheels added to the firmness of our test unit’s ride, however.