The all new MINI, now in its third generation, sits on parent company BMW's new UKL1 platform, which will also underpin cars like the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer as well as the new five-door variant of the MINI that was recently announced.
As soon as first pictures of new MINI were unveiled, we knew that it was going to stir up some debate. The third generation MINI is larger than the second generation MINI, which was larger than the first. The first generation New MINI was larger than the original MINI. You can see where this is going.. But before MINI fans start firing off angry comments, they should know that this new MINI is only about a tad longer than before and is still shorter than most other superminis, so they can be rest assured that the MINI Cooper still warrants its name.
Exterior
Between the outgoing MINI and this new car, you may need to do a double take to spot the difference, the most obvious one being the single piece grille. Rather than having a bumper bar dividing it into two parts, the new MINI has decided to join in the big grille fashion revolution.
The Cooper S here looks a little more aggressive than the standard Cooper due to a different body kit, including air inlets in the bumper that look like teeth to us.
The car also gains a longer and taller snout that increases the car's road presence without affecting the iconic bulldog stance of having four wheels at each corner.
To make things a little more sophisticated, there is chrome finishing on the honeycomb grille as well as around the redesigned headlamps that are now LED.
Round the back, taillights are significantly wider than before, almost Paceman-like. In fact, their bold design is part of the low, chunky visual of the rear. The whole package is complemented by sporty-looking twin chrome tail pipes and 17-inch Tentacle rims.
Interior
The cabin of the new MINI exudes a more upmarket ambience, thanks to the improved quality of materials. The styling and design are, again, immediately recognisable from the new original, but the plastics and switchgear are now more satisfyingly tactile.
Ergonomically there have been improvements, with the speedometer finally in the centre of the instrument cluster and the window switches on the doors (where everybody else puts them), making the whole setup more user-friendly.
BMW has played a big part in the redesign of the new MINI's interior, which moves closer to the Bavarian marque in terms of functionality. Most notably, the central controller's shape and modus operandi are similar to the iDrive system on which it is based on.
The cabin of the new MINI exudes a more upmarket ambience, thanks to the improved quality of materials. The styling and design are, again, immediately recognisable from the new original, but the plastics and switchgear are now more satisfyingly tactile.
Ergonomically there have been improvements, with the speedometer finally in the centre of the instrument cluster and the window switches on the doors (where everybody else puts them), making the whole setup more user-friendly.
BMW has played a big part in the redesign of the new MINI's interior, which moves closer to the Bavarian marque in terms of functionality. Most notably, the central controller's shape and modus operandi are similar to the iDrive system on which it is based on.
Of course, there are funky MINI novelties that add lots of vibe too, such as the giant LED ring around the 8.8-inch infotainment screen, which variously acts as a giant tachometer (without numbers) in Sport mode and flashes green when the engine stop-start system activates in Green mode as well as volume control.
Even as style is key in the MINI, it also has quite a lot of storage areas sprinkled around it. There is also more interior space, particularly in the form of rear legroom, thanks to the car being longer and wider over its predecessor.
The Drive
Ignite the engine via a chunky red toggle switch and the all new 2.0-litre four-cylinder force-fed engine fires up with a subtle growl.
It replaces the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine in its predecessor and with this upsize - eight more horses and 20Nm more torque to be exact - a serious amount of twist is pumped out very low in the rev range, which gives the Cooper S the capability to overtake with alarming ease.
The powerplant sounds meaty too - particularly with the drive mode selector nudged into Sport mode, which adds decibels to the engine note and brings out intoxicating crackles and pops from the exhaust.
It's a pity an eight-speed automatic wasn't engineered but the six-speed automatic shifts quickly and feels almost as prompt as a dual-clutch gearbox, making acceleration in the Cooper S swift.
The MINI tips into bends with zeal and maintains impressive levels of grip while doing so, allowing the driver to feel hugely satisfied and confident to slice and dice corners.
Ignite the engine via a chunky red toggle switch and the all new 2.0-litre four-cylinder force-fed engine fires up with a subtle growl.
It replaces the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine in its predecessor and with this upsize - eight more horses and 20Nm more torque to be exact - a serious amount of twist is pumped out very low in the rev range, which gives the Cooper S the capability to overtake with alarming ease.
The powerplant sounds meaty too - particularly with the drive mode selector nudged into Sport mode, which adds decibels to the engine note and brings out intoxicating crackles and pops from the exhaust.
It's a pity an eight-speed automatic wasn't engineered but the six-speed automatic shifts quickly and feels almost as prompt as a dual-clutch gearbox, making acceleration in the Cooper S swift.
The MINI tips into bends with zeal and maintains impressive levels of grip while doing so, allowing the driver to feel hugely satisfied and confident to slice and dice corners.
The ride in the MINI is firm as you would expect of a decently hot hatch, but not jarring that you need a rump massage, and there is enough compliance to cope with most bumps and lumps.
Conclusion
Just like everything else, the MINI has had to grow up. The third generation has done so in almost every way and in most respects for the better.
Above all else, driving a MINI should be fun and thankfully, that basic aspect of the brand's DNA has not been lost.
It's still that lively and funky hatch at heart with an interior now that has the depth and quality to support the styling.
And until the new MINI John Cooper Works arrives, the MINI Cooper S with an upsized engine is as hot as the new MINI hatchback family gets - making it a suitable party car all night long.
