Say what you will about MINI’s modern evolution – the purists will grumble about how it’s not so mini anymore, and the pragmatic crowd will keep reminding you of its questionable practicality. But none of that matters the moment you lay eyes on the latest MINI Cooper S 3-Door. This car is pure charisma.
I spent a week with the latest Cooper S in March and, let me tell you, it felt like meeting an old friend who’d gone away, done a design degree in Milan, and returned with impeccable tailoring and the same mischievous grin.
There’s something satisfyingly resolved about MINI’s new design language. Gone are the overdone flourishes, and in their place, a cleaner, more modern take that somehow feels more “MINI” than before. The triangular tail lights will divide opinion, but the overall proportions and details – from the new flush grille to the pronounced wheel arches – are spot on.
QUIRKY INSIDE, QUICK OUTSIDE
Slip inside and it’s clear the quirky streak hasn’t gone anywhere. MINI doesn’t just think outside the box – it forgets the box exists entirely. Case in point? The infotainment screen. It’s massive, crammed with functionality, and fully round. I half expected a Tetris game to start playing when I switched it on.
The dashboard layout is delightfully minimalist and almost Scandinavian in execution, but the materials and textures give it a very British, very bespoke flavour. There are toggles instead of buttons, cloth straps where you’d expect door pulls, and keyless go, which is activated by a lever in the middle of the dash, right where the original Mini’s key used to go. Lovely.
Tech-wise, it’s not short on kit. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a fully digital cluster, and MINI’s Operating System 9 all work in concert to deliver a slick experience. But if you’re after a head-up display or steering paddles, you’ll have to tick the options list. Worth noting, because without them, some of the driving engagement feels slightly dulled.
GO-KART 2.0
Of course, the real reason to buy a MINI – any MINI – is how it drives. That legendary “go-kart feel” isn’t marketing fluff; it’s the lifeblood of the brand. And in this new Cooper S, it’s alive and well.
Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, delivering a spirited 150 kW and 300 Nm of torque through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It’ll sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds, but the real story is what happens between the corners.
The steering is light but feelsome, the body stays flat through fast bends, and the car responds with an eagerness that’ll have you grinning at every roundabout. MINI has nailed the balance between everyday usability and riotous fun – and that’s no easy task.
Having said that, after driving the Cooper S and then experiencing the new all-electric MINI Aceman, I did find myself leaning toward the EV. I haven’t driven the smaller MINI SE yet – the electric version of the Cooper – but if the Aceman is anything to go by, MINI’s electric future will be properly exciting.
COMPACT COMPROMISES
Here’s the part where reality sets in: practicality is not the Cooper S’s strong suit. Being a three-door hatch, rear space is limited, and the boot offers a mere 210 litres of luggage capacity – expanding to 530 litres with the back seats folded down. Good luck packing for a weekend away with friends and their bags.
It’s a car built for two who occasionally tolerate back seat passengers. The rear bench is best reserved for small children, gym bags, or very understanding adults. Still, it’s a compromise I’d be willing to make for the sheer joy this car delivers from behind the wheel.
Fuel economy, at a claimed 6.4 l/100 km (I managed closer to 7.5 l/100 km in mixed driving), is perfectly respectable for a 2.0-litre turbo. That’s helped by the dual-clutch ’box, which is smooth and efficient in city traffic and on the open road.
WHAT IT COSTS
MINI South Africa has priced the Cooper S 3-Door from R646,395, which includes a five-year/100,000 km maintenance plan. And beware the options list – as with all premium German marques, it’s easy to blow past R700,000 once you start ticking boxes for things like a panoramic roof, upgraded sound, or custom wheels.
Still, for a car that delivers this much personality, style, and entertainment, it’s not hard to justify the price – if your heart is in it.
LAST WORD
This latest Cooper S doesn’t reinvent the wheel – it polishes it, makes it rounder (literally, in the case of the screen), and gives it even sharper turn-in. It’s the most grown-up MINI yet in terms of design and tech, but retains just enough of its inner child to keep things playful.
Report by BERNIE HELLBERG JR | Images © MINI SOUTH AFRICA
