The large grill and bug-eyed headlights are very much integral to the Mini Cooper S design.
Image: Supplied
THERE'S something special and alluring about a Mini.
Perhaps it’s the way it has grabbed the imagination of millions around the world since it was first introduced in 1959, starting a craze for cool small cars that’s been etched into the annals of motoring pop culture.
It also helped that the Mini won the Monte Carlo rally in 1964, 1965 and 1967, which made people sit up and notice that it wasn’t just a cute little car.
BMW took over the company in the mid-90s, and thank goodness, they continue to keep that fun element. They have managed to keep the mini DNA running throughout the various models, something that Volkswagen failed to do with the equally iconic Beetle.
Growing up in the 80s, a friend’s mom owned a sporty red Mini 1275 GT, which we used to “borrow” after school occasionally.
On one occasion, she was overseas visiting family, so as teenagers tend to do, we didn’t think far beyond that.
There were some delightful sharp corners and large traffic circles that we went through as fast as we dared, and what impressed even then was how quickly it would turn and how fast the steering reacted.
Attempting to do a handbrake turn into the driveway, we were met by his father at the garage door, who didn’t find our shenanigans particularly amusing.
In those pre-snowflake days, he promptly ordered us into the dining room and gave us both four strokes with a belt.
From then on, he recorded the little car’s mileage, and our Mini tyre smoking days were over.
Thirty or so years later, I had a three-door Mini Cooper S in the driveway for a week. I took a photo and sent it to Alex, recalling his father “jacking” us after having so much fun in his mom’s car.
The Union Jack integrated into the rear lights makes the Mini Cooper S a stand-out hatchback.
Image: Supplied
Despite having grown considerably in size, it’s still unmistakably mini. The lines, large grill, bug-eyed headlights and Union Jack integrated into the rear lights all combine to make it a stand-out hatchback.
The interior retains the classic speedometer in the centre of the dash except of course it’s grown considerably in size and is the infotainment system and go to place for most of the Cooper’s settings including climate control, vehicle gauges and park assistant.
It has decent resolution and works well with Mini’s latest operating system, including wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
There is however a lot of information and it gets a bit busy which means you need to quickly figure out what information is shown where which can be distracting.
Below that, there’s a toggle bar housing the engine stop/start function, gear selector and drive modes.
Experiences or drive modes include Timeless Mode, Vivid Mode, Balance Mode, Personal Mode which are introduced with a unique chime and alter the look and feel of the interior. In Green or Go-Kart Mode the driving characteristics are also changed.
I eventually settled for Timeless Mode which is as close as you’re likely to get to an old school dash set-up.
Because it’s assembled by BMW, you know the fittings and finishings will be top-notch with a combination of materials that give the Mini Cooper S a quality interior look and feel.
As a three door don’t expect massive amounts of space especially for rear passengers and with a boot space of 210-litres (530-litres with the rear seats down) it’s suited more for singles or a couple without children.
It’s driven by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine (used in various states of tune across the manufacturer) that delivers 150kW and 350Nm of torque coupled to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, that they say will reach 100km/h in 6.6 seconds and top out at 242km/h.
The essence of the Mini hasn’t been lost in terms of driving dynamics.
It’s still fun to drive, but despite the 2.0-litre turbo engine in a small-ish body, don’t expect blistering performance.
Experiences or drive modes include Timeless Mode, Vivid Mode, Balance Mode and Personal Mode.
Image: Supplied
It’s more than adequate for its intended purpose though and the Cooper S still enjoys the twisties with a light and responsive steering feel. It will change direction quickly with a fair amount of torque steer when accelerating hard giving you a satisfying sense of being in control.
The model on test didn’t have the optional shift paddles so I had to rely on the ‘box to change for me. It’s smooth and quick but I reckon to get the most out of the car, I’d put it on the options list.
Selecting Go-Kart mode presents a marked difference in the Cooper S’s handling and performance dynamics but I would have preferred more snap, crackle and pop from the exhaust to add to the fun factor.
For everyday driving the Mini Cooper S is comfortable and easy to drive and because of its tight turning circle and easy maneuverability, parking is quickly taken care of.
After a week of mixed driving including some of it with a heavy foot we returned consumption figures of 7.6l/100km, which is not too bad considering what’s under the bonnet.
Considering the Mini Cooper S is a three-door hatch, it’s a niche product, and at R646,395 before options, it’s also not cheap, but I reckon if you’re in that market, it’s certainly something to look at and you know it will stand out from the rest of the crowd.
It comes with a five-year/100,000 km maintenance plan.
Willem’s star rating: 4 out of 5
Star Rating Scale:
5 Stars: Exceptional - A best-in-class car with outstanding features, no major flaws, and excellent value.
4 Stars: Very Good - Highly capable with minor shortcomings. A great choice for most buyers.
3 Stars: Good - Decent performance, comfort, or safety, but lacks standout qualities or has notable drawbacks.
2 Stars: Below Average - Some significant flaws, like poor value, outdated features, or compromised safety or comfort.
1 Star: Poor - Lags behind competitors in most aspects, with serious deficiencies in key areas.
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