When the first Mini was conceived by Sir Alec Issigonis in 1959, the automotive world was turned on its axis. The Mini was a raging success.
Four decades on, its successor, the new MINI (codenamed R53) was introduced when BMW took over the reins and the car gained its fair share of passionate devotees.
The MINI has been a fabulous success and just last year, we saw the debut of the third generation (codenamed F56) of the icon, but its characteristic three-door configuration has also proved limiting in a segment dominated by five-door vehicles.
With the new MINI 5 Door (codenamed F55), MINI hopes to rectify that.
Exterior
At 4,005mm x 1,727mm x 1,425mm (L x W x H), the MINI 5 Door in Cooper S guise is 155mm longer and 11mm taller than its equivalent three-door brethren.
Nonetheless, the familiar squat stance of MINI has been retained and thus there is no loss of the funky flavour people around the world have come to love.
What the latest version of the MINI is isn't just the existing three-door sheet metal with two extra doors introduced. Instead, the bodywork is longer and taller from the A-pillar onwards, allowing proper functionality to be built into the new version.
As with most coupe-to-sedan or hatchback-to-wagon conversions, MINI has shortened the front doors a little to allow for an additional pair of entry points.
However, the rear doors are roughly half the size of the front ones so getting into the back of the car, though easier than the three-door, may still be a little bit of a hassle for some.
As with most coupe-to-sedan or hatchback-to-wagon conversions, MINI has shortened the front doors a little to allow for an additional pair of entry points.
However, the rear doors are roughly half the size of the front ones so getting into the back of the car, though easier than the three-door, may still be a little bit of a hassle for some.
Interior
The interior of the MINI 5 Door maintains the whimsical characteristic of the brand that reeks of design and quality. Like the three-door MINI, the signature round graphic interface takes centre stage with the fancy LED outer ring glowing and reacting to the driver's inputs.
As usual, the switchgear feels solid and well-crafted, and upholstery in the Cooper S test car is of high-quality leather. Of course, there are several choices of colours and materials available, and the MINI Yours customisation program offers a myriad of bespoke possibilities.
The interior of the MINI 5 Door maintains the whimsical characteristic of the brand that reeks of design and quality. Like the three-door MINI, the signature round graphic interface takes centre stage with the fancy LED outer ring glowing and reacting to the driver's inputs.
As usual, the switchgear feels solid and well-crafted, and upholstery in the Cooper S test car is of high-quality leather. Of course, there are several choices of colours and materials available, and the MINI Yours customisation program offers a myriad of bespoke possibilities.
Once settled in the back, rear passengers are likely to notice that the MINI 5 Door is much roomier than its three-door brethren, thanks to an extended wheelbase of 72mm and an increased roof height.
Although MINI claims that there's space for three at the back, we reckon that could be a wee bit ambitious and two will fit more comfortably.
With the added dimensions, it doesn't come as a surprise that cargo capacity has increased as well. The MINI 5 Door now packs 278 litres of boot space, answering consumers' calls for more practicality and functionality.
The Drive
The beauty of the MINI 5 Door lies in its character. It doesn't sacrifice any of the fun-to-drive MINI personality.
The 2.0-litre turbocharged engine in the Cooper S 5 Door offers punch from low revs, while the distant crackle and pop from the exhaust bring the excitement level up. So much so that the 0.1-second increase in the century sprint time as compared to the three-door's 6.7 seconds is barely noticeable.
Part credit also has to go to the slick shifting six-speed automatic transmission, which helps to provide strong mid-range flexibility that is useful for overtaking opportunities.
On the road, the MINI 5 Door exhibits the same playfulness as the three-door, which makes it such a lovable hatch. Throw the car around with reckless abandon and the steering responds in an accurate and quick-to-react manner, complemented by MINI's traditional go-kart feel.
The beauty of the MINI 5 Door lies in its character. It doesn't sacrifice any of the fun-to-drive MINI personality.
The 2.0-litre turbocharged engine in the Cooper S 5 Door offers punch from low revs, while the distant crackle and pop from the exhaust bring the excitement level up. So much so that the 0.1-second increase in the century sprint time as compared to the three-door's 6.7 seconds is barely noticeable.
Part credit also has to go to the slick shifting six-speed automatic transmission, which helps to provide strong mid-range flexibility that is useful for overtaking opportunities.
On the road, the MINI 5 Door exhibits the same playfulness as the three-door, which makes it such a lovable hatch. Throw the car around with reckless abandon and the steering responds in an accurate and quick-to-react manner, complemented by MINI's traditional go-kart feel.
Over rough streets in Henley-on-Thames and uneven country roads around Oxfordshire, the suspension delivers a controlled and smooth ride. Drivers can also have the dampers firmed up by tweaking the MINI Driving Mode selector to 'Sport'. This also makes the car livelier with sharper throttle response and steering - what MINI claims as 'maximum go-kart feel'.
Conclusion
If you love a MINI but need the extra space, you'll appreciate this newcomer. What's more, with the upcoming Clubman set to become larger, this car fits nicely in the current lineup.
Despite aiming to deliver greater practicality than its established three-door sibling, the MINI 5 Door is never short on interactivity or entertainment.
The car is scheduled to make its local appearance by the first quarter of 2015.
