This review originally appeared in the
November 2015 edition of the Northern
& Central California Cruisin’ News published out
of Folsom, California – mg
Which is why I jumped at an offer
to get some brief seat time in the 2015 Mini Cooper S Hardtop 4 Door
hatchback. Even better, this model goes
into 2016 virtually unchanged.
It had been awhile since I’d been in
a Mini. I missed the neck-snapping scoot
off the line, the darn-near-ridiculous handling efficiency and the high-pitched
buzz of a turbocharged engine.
The tested Mini had all that in
spades, even with four doors.
The exterior styling is decidedly
Euro and sporty. Folks can spot a Mini
product from a mile away, and yet, it still draws admiring stares from
passersby. I think that might be the
definitive test for long-term styling success.
Inside the cabin, controls are
wrapped around the driver in a considerate manner, which also is Euro to the
max. Driving a Mini is like a visit
overseas. Honest, you start talking with
an English accent after you’ve been in the car for even a short amount of time.
The best part comes from putting
the Mini through its paces. The tester
came with the 2-liter, four-cylinder turbo power plant rated just shy of 200
horsepower. This particular power source
in this particular car pretty much turns the vehicle into a rocket.
I bolted from standing starts and
zipped through interstate traffic like a freeway fool, but it was all entirely
enjoyable, and felt rock-solid safe.
Steering response on the tester was remarkably instant, and yet the
suspension was tuned in such a way that at no time did I feel that I was
lurching the car from spot to spot. Keep
in mind that this is a front-driver. Sport-tuned
well, you ask? Sweet as honey.
The starting cost for this
behind-the-wheel enjoyment is an entirely reasonable $25,100, a number
uncharged for the 2016 model year. The
2016 model year fuel mileage ratings were a decent 23 miles per gallon in the
city and 33 mpg on the highway.
Mini has been making stops at auto
shows worldwide, saying it wants to redefine the premium small-car market with
its Hardtop 4 Door offerings, and with a new auto show season coming up this
fall, I’m sure we’ll be hearing more of the same.
I wouldn't say that Mini is
redefining the premium small-car sector … More like refining it, in my
view. By stuffing its stylish, sporty
offerings with generous perks and keeping the horsepower curve relatively high,
these Minis are giving buyers plentiful reasons to check them out.
I’m not sure that you can ask
anything more from a car manufacturer.
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