Review
2014 Mini Cooper S 5-door
The new Mini 5-door has been stretched in all possible directions: there is a longer wheelbase, more headroom, more width space, and of course also 2 extra doors. The suitcase has also increased in volume. We found out whether the Mini is just as fun to drive in its new packaging with the Mini of Minis : the Cooper S.
engines
The Mini 5-door is available in 3 diesel variants and 3 petrol variants. We took care of the sporty Mini Cooper S. This is the most powerful version of the Mini 5-door that you can currently buy.
The Cooper S (26,190 €) is equipped with a 2 liter petrol engine with 4 cylinders and Mini TwinPower Turbo technology. This engine spits out 192 hp and has a maximum torque of 280 Nm or 300 Nm with overboost over a wide range of speeds. The car takes 6.9 seconds to accelerate to 100 km/h with a manual gearbox. The automatic transmission does it in 6.8 seconds. The top speed is around 230 km/h. Even with the 2 extra doors, driving the Mini Cooper S remains a fun experience.
For diesel drivers, the sportiest version is the Cooper SD (€27,740). This cart has a 2 liter diesel engine as its beating heart. This block is also equipped with Mini TwinPower Turbo technology. The diesel has slightly less horsepower than the petrol version, 170 hp to be precise, but it does have more torque: 360 Nm. The Cooper SD takes 7.4 seconds to reach 100 km/h with a manual gearbox and 7.3 seconds with the automatic. The top speed is 225 km/h.
Transmission
In terms of transmission, you can choose between a 6-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed Steptronic automatic transmission. To always drive in the optimal gear, the automatic transmission, in combination with the navigation system, uses data about the route and the upcoming road to choose the right gear or to avoid unnecessary shifting when, for example, there are 2 bends in quick succession. .
Optionally, you can also choose a six-speed Steptronic sports transmission for the Cooper S. This allows you to shift gears even faster and you also get paddles on the steering wheel.
A ring-shaped button around the base of the gear lever allows you to choose from one of the Mini’s 3 driving modes: Mid, Sport or Green. In Sport mode you choose maximum go-kart feel. The accelerator pedal, steering wheel and – in the case of the automatic transmission – also the gearbox, have the sportiest setting. In Green mode, the car is aimed at consuming as little as possible and Mid mode is the default setting.
Equipment
As we are used to from Mini, there are many options to personalize a Mini to your personal taste. We thought the color of the test car (see video), electric blue metallic, was very attractive. The test car was also equipped with a reversing camera and parking assistant. The camera makes it easier to maneuver and park backwards (see demo in video). The parking assistant is very helpful with side parking. You turn on the parking assistant when you are looking for a parking space (see demo in video). If the system has found a sufficiently large lateral location, you will receive a signal. The Mini then takes care of all steering movements, while you operate the accelerator and brake pedal. What teamwork! Furthermore, the test car was also equipped with a Head-Up Display. This projects useful information from the navigation or, for example, speed limits on a small fighter aircraft-like display in the driver’s field of vision, so that he can keep his eye on the road and still consult additional information at the same time.
Conclusion
Whether the Mini Cooper S looks as cool in its new guise as in the 3-door version is up to you, but in terms of handling and driving performance, the sportiest 5-door Mini is certainly not inferior to its 3-door brother.
Johan De Haes
Test driver
