The Cooper S's seats were comfortable, supportive, and, with the optional seat heaters turned on, hot enough to melt microfiber slacks on a cold winter day. Clearing a path to the rear seats was a snap, but don't plan on cramming two adult passengers back there for long.
One bit of Mini pain was self-inflicted. Halfway through our yearlong stint, we installed a John Cooper Works (JCW) tuning kit consisting of a different air cleaner, a new exhaust system, and a reprogrammed engine control computer. Testing revealed too little improvement in acceleration considering the $2335 cost: 2 additional mph in the quarter mile and 30-to-70-mph passing acceleration quicker by 0.3 second.
The downside was enough exhaust boom between 2500 and 3500 rpm to make your teeth ache. Since this equates to speeds of between 60 and 83 mph in sixth gear, long trips taken after the JCW kit was installed made it feel as if you were driving a car-sized subwoofer.
Assessing the Mini's attributes - delicious power, ample speed, impeccable dependability, and remarkable fuel efficiency - versus its long foibles list, which includes a rocky ride, nasty torque steer, and the despised instrument panel layout, the inescapable conclusion is that the newest Mini is less satisfying than its predecessor. "Some of the charm is gone," concluded production editor Jennifer Misaros. "The previous edition was genuine, while this one just feels contrived."
Hope springs eternal that the third-generation Mini, surely under development, doesn't strive quite so hard to be cool.
RUNNING COSTS
Mileage
22,638 miles
Warranty
4-yr/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper
3-yr/36,000-mile scheduled maintenance
4-yr/50,000-mile roadside assistance
12-yr rust perforation
Scheduled maintenance
22,162 mi: $0
Warranty repairs
12,645 mi: Top off brake fluid to correct stability-control and braking-system warnings
Out-of-pocket
5887 mi: Purchase and install Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 winter tires, $782
12,455 mi: Remount stock tires, $90
12,645 mi: Purchase and install JCW kit (ECU, exhaust, and air-filter upgrades), $2335
Recalls
None
Fuel consumption
EPA city/hwy/comb.
29/36/32 mpg (26/34/29 mpg under 2008 procedures)
Observed
28 mpg
Cost per mile
(Fuel, service, winter tires) $0.17
($0.46 including depreciation)
PRICES & EQUIPMENT
Base price
$21,850
Price as tested
$27,800
Trade-in value*
$21,132
Standard equipment
ABS; traction control; aluminum wheels; run-flat tires; keyless entry; air-conditioning; sport seats; power windows, mirrors, and door locks; front, side, and side curtain air bags
Our options
Leather/cloth seats, $1000; cold weather package (heated mirrors, washer jets, and front seats), $300; sport package (seventeen-inch aluminum wheels, stability control, xenon headlights), $1400; limited-slip differential, $500; leather steering wheel, $350; silver interior trim, $200; rear foglight, $100; premium stereo, $550; Bluetooth, $600; Sirius satellite radio (includes lifetime subscription), $950
*Estimate based on info from kbb.com and edmunds.com ...next page >>