Owners' Review

What's it like to drive?
This car was a completely different animal to my old Cooper S! Acceleration was brutal by comparison and it's quite well known that these turbo engines thump out considerably more than the claimed 175bhp (often nearer 200bhp). I was never as confident chucking this MINI around as my previous car due to the violent torque steer I sometimes experienced. Ride was much better than the old car. While still very firm, it managed to be less uncomfortable over bumps and potholes - even if there was a little bit of body roll. Steering felt quite a bit different to the old car and I much preferred to drive with the 'Sport' button engaged. It was quite a relaxed motorway cruiser as you could easily overtake in 6th gear riding on a great wave of turbo-charged torque. Loved the exhaust note too. Brilli

What's it like to park?
Really easy as the parking sensors linked into the satnav giving you a cool overhead graphic.

Have you had any problems with the car?
I had the well-documented timing chain "death rattle" fixed under warranty and I had the entire sunroof assembly replaced under warranty due to a loud clattering noise coming from inside the roof. The flimsy sliding cover on my armrest was replaced as it was broken when the car was handed over. The dealer cured some annoying squeaks from front side windows by applying silicon to the door seals.

What's most practical about your car?
This is not a practical car, it's just too small in the back and the boot is tiny. The new turbo engine is much more economical than the supercharged one though.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?
My car was a "launch car" and so was loaded with extras like satnav, parking sensors, panoramic sunroof, multi-function steering wheel, climate control, 17" webspoke alloys, red wood leather interior, etc... As with my previous MINI, I loved the sunroof.