The hatchback MINI scored a maximum five stars in Euro NCAP crash tests along with three stars for child safety. All Convertibles come with pop-up rollover bars, automatic stability control (including traction control), electronic brakeforce distribution, Isofix child seat mounting points plus front, side and head airbags.

The biggest change inside the MINI Convertible is the rear rollover hoops. In the first model they were fixed in place and so rear visibility was very poor. This version uses a single bar which pops up the event of an accident – as a result the view backwards is vastly improved. The roof itself folds down in just 15 seconds and it’s fully automatic with no catches to release.

Cleverly a section can be opened to create a sunroof effect while the whole roof opens and closes at up to 20mph – useful in traffic. The boot is an improvement over the old model but with just 170 litres it’s still fairly small (although slightly larger than the standard hatchback). With the roof lowered this is cut to 125-litres and while the opening is fairly wide, you’ll struggle with anything other than a few bags of shopping or an overnight bag.

On the plus side, the rear seats do fold flat for larger items.