MINI Cooper S 2014 Review
Not unlike a cold shower, the MINI Cooper S isn't always comfortable, but golly-gee it makes you feel aliveThe cold shower analogy couldn't be more apt for the new third generation MINI Cooper S.
The turbocharged hot hatch can be uncomfortable at times due to its firm ride; it feels stiffer than its predecessor despite MINI's claim that ride quality has improved.
But ultimately the car leaves you grinning like a kid who's just about to take his first running jump down the world's longest slip 'n' slide. It's seriously entertaining.
Getting into the new MINI is a little easier thanks to its 98mm longer keel, and the body-hugging leather seats feel great, offering good support and plenty of manual adjustability.
Improved ergonomics in the cabin – from the repositioned speedometer and electric window controls to the new infotainment system – make the whole shebang more user friendly.
Current MINI owners will also appreciate the intuitive steering wheel controls, which have not been altered too much.
Igniting the engine via a chunky red toggle switch never gets old, the all-new 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine firing up with a subtle growl. The new engine is bigger than the 1.6-litre unit it replaces; it’s more powerful and more frugal, too.
The engine is no longer shared with any French cars and it’s more efficient thanks to new features like automatic cooling air flaps. Fuel consumption drops from 6.7L/100km previously to just 5.7L/100km.
The feisty four-banger pumps out a healthy 141kW at 4700 to 6000rpm, with 280Nm of torque hitting the skids at just 1250rpm, rising to 300Nm momentarily with overboost. And no, that's not a misprint – it pumps out a serious amount of twist very low in the rev range, which gives it the sort of mid-gear tractability to overtake slow-moving buses, '70s Corollas and the odd bow-legged equine with alarming ease.
Acceleration in the MINI Cooper S is swift. It sticks the 0-100km/h dash in just 6.7 seconds in the six-speed automatic model we tested (6.8 for the six-speed manual) and delivers a decent push in the back while doing it. Claimed top speed is 233km/h.
It's a shame an eight-speed auto wasn't engineered but the six-speed automatic shifts surprisingly quickly and feels almost as prompt as a dual-clutch gearbox.
More importantly, however, the car handles superbly on well-maintained roads. The steering is precise and offers plenty of feedback and the front end is always eager to please. It tips into corners with zeal and maintains impressive levels of grip while doing so.
The chassis and powertrain combo make for a fire-cracker of a car, one that surpasses its predecessor in both cold, hard numbers and sheer giggle factor. It's hugely satisfying (and surprisingly easy) to slice and dice corners.
Just nail the throttle, point, shoot, and let the endorphins flow.
The 2014 MINI is the first model to take advantage of parent company BMW's new UKL platform and it seems to be a versatile foundation, but in enhancing the Cooper S's 'go-kart' feel, ride quality suffers.
Riding roughly over mild cracks in the road and pounding sharply over deeper potholes, the MINI Cooper S left a lot to be desired in terms of ride comfort. The new active damping setup felt anything but active.
We'll have to wait and see how the Cooper S fares on local Australian roads before we make a final judgement, but based on this brief, early sample it's stiffer than a British Toff's upper lip.
It feels more like a jiggly JCW Cabrio than the hard-top Cooper S and though I don't think it will be a deal breaker – particularly as MINI Australia has flagged big price cuts to the range – it's one area where it’s outclassed by the previous model.
Beyond that, a couple of momentary engine failures in the bog-standard 1.5-litre turbo-petrol MINI Cooper hatch (which MINI put down to low-octane 89 RON Caribbean fuel), and a somewhat cramped cabin with two big blokes in attendance, the new MINI showed a clean pair of heels.
There's more interior space, the back seat offers a little more cushion room, plus the boot's grown in size to from 160 to 211 litres and features a hidden floor compartment.
As expected, more MINI novelties and tech toys are on offer too, such as the giant LED ring around the 8.8-inch infotainment screen, which variously acts as a giant rev counter in 'sport' mode, flashes green when the engine stop-start system activates in 'green' mode, or can be linked to volume control.
Other new features include a reversing camera, a self-parking system, and a heads-up display which offers up road speed, navigation directions and audio information – all welcome additions that make regular driving far easier.
As mentioned cabin ergonomics are better, with more supportive seats and more concise controls – particularly the repositioning of the electric window controls to the door inserts and the rearrangement (and shrinking) of the speedometer from the middle of the dashboard to the instrument binnacle behind the steering wheel.
When I chatted to MINI's product manager, Roderik von Ostrowski, about what he thought would appeal most to customers – both new and existing – he pointed to the new central infotainment system, controlled by a small dial near the gearshifter, a la BMW's iDrive.
"I like the new centre instrument display, " he said.
"We moved the big speedo from the middle to the steering column. We got a lot of criticism from customers and MINI fans that you can't read it. So we still kept the centre instrument, just focused on entertainment.
"The interior is very MINI, it's like your friend. The interior is more functional," says Ostrowski, and I tend to agree.
It's got twin glove boxes, one above the other, the upper of the pair featuring a push-to-open doodad and enough room for your wallet and phone. It's a small touch, but a thoughtful (and useful) one.
The MINI Cooper S also exudes a more upmarket ambience thanks to the extensive use of high quality interior materials, including soft-touch plastics and smoothly actuating controls.
Customisation options abound. There are 12 varieties of alloy wheel, the addition of five new exterior colours, six seat finishes, and 12 dashpad tones. There are also different coloured roofs, body stripes – the list goes on.
Combine that with detail tweaks to the exterior that give it a more modern aesthetic but ensure it is immediately recognisable as a MINI and you're looking at a thoughtfully executed premium hatch.
The 2014 MINI Cooper S builds on its predecessor's dynamic strengths; it's even more of fire-cracker now, a lively machine for drivers who like to have fun. It's also a more practical vehicle and easier to drive, and with pricing expected to dip below $40,000 for the slick-shifting six-speed auto model, the new model's April arrival in Australia give prospective buyers more than enough time to get used to the odd cold shower.
2014 MINI Cooper S pricing and specifications:
Price: $40,000 approx (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 141kW/280Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic (or six-speed manual)
Fuel: 5.7L/100km (combined)
CO2: 133g/km (combined)
Safety Rating: N/A
| What we liked: | Not so much: |
| >> Sharp steering, good grip | >> Stiff ride quality |
| >> Greatly improved interior | >> Compact cabin |
| >> Howling turbo engine | >> Bonnet scoop could be bigger |
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