Car Review: 2015 Mini Cooper S 5 Door

Overview A fun-to-drive car that brightens the driver’s day
Pros Go-kart-like handling, perky performance, usable back seat in a city-sized package
Cons Heads-up display, complicated infotainment system, way too many options (including heated front seats)
Value for money Good (based on the fun factor)
What would I change? Add a touchscreen to the infotainment system and eliminate the need for an options package to warm my chilly Canadian buns!

It’s taken Mini its own sweet time to bring the 5 Door version of the lovable new original to market, but, as they say, some things are worth the wait. While it resembles its smaller sibling, there are some significant changes, which, I might add, are all for the better.

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2015 Mini Cooper S 5 Door
Graeme Fletcher, Driving

The biggest change, aside from the addition of two rear doors, is the 72-millimetre stretch in the wheelbase — it now measures 2,567 mm. The increase brings a surprisingly useful back seat. No, if you’re an NBA point guard, you will want to seriously consider getting in, but for averaged-sized adults, there is enough head- and legroom to make it comfortable, and for more than a jaunt across town. The two rear doors are narrow, which does impede access slightly, but when compared to clambering into the back seat of a coupe, they are the better option. Aft of that there’s a usable trunk — seats up there’s 278 litres and 941 litres when folded flat. The hitch, however, is the combination of the trunk well (it’s useful with the seats up) and the fact the seat backs do not fold flat to the floor makes carrying a larger box a teeter-totter proposition.

Also read: Vintage rally photos show Mini’s hardcore side

As for the rest of the interior, well, it is very Mini-esque. True of the breed, the 5 Door comes with all the things one expects — comfortable, supportive sports seats, toggle switches galore, including the engine start/stop switch and, in the tester’s case, a full-on infotainment system with navigation. While the system makes the grade, the fact it must be operated via a set of iDrive-like controls rather than a touchscreen makes it more difficult to use. The bigger disappointment is the heads-up display (part of the Visibility package). The smoked-plastic screen made it appear as though the information were sitting atop the left windshield wiper blade. This rendered it all but redundant other than for those times when the drive was intense. Here it was easier to look at the wiper for speed info than it was to glance at the centrally mounted speedometer. The other nit is that heated front seats are wrapped up in yet another package (Essentials) with, of all things, a panoramic moonroof and front/rear fog lights. Why?

The base Cooper arrives with a 1.5-litre force-fed three-cylinder engine. While it has ample power, the Cooper S brings a much more rewarding drive. The 2.0L four-cylinder is equipped with a twin-scroll turbocharger. It brings 189 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque at just 1,250 rpm. The latter means that there’s absolutely no turbo lag off the line and whenever the driver spurs the Mini on, the response is immediate. It also brings a run to 100 kilometres an hour in 6.9 seconds, which is pretty spry.

The tester arrived with a slick-shifting six-speed manual gearbox. The gate is clean, the throws suitably short and the clutch bites in the right place. As a result, it can be rowed with the speed required when zipping through a series of switchbacks. It really is a sorted gearbox — it does not become as much of a chore in traffic situations as many manuals do. For the shiftless, there is a six-speed automatic.

Also read: Mini Cooper 5 door vs. Ford Fiesta ST

The stiff chassis is suspended on front struts and multiple rear links. The balance is just about spot on — it is comfortable on a rougher piece of pavement, yet, when the hammer is down and an invitingly twisty road beckons, body roll is basically non-existent and it maintains this flat attitude through the corner. Ditto the steering. It is nicely weighted and turns off centre in a linear but crisp fashion. Point it and the Mini 5 Door scoots.

I don’t know what it is about the Mini, but few cars are as impish in the manner in which they drive. You can drive the P195/55R16 tires off the 5 Door and it still comes back for more. It all comes together to put a very large grin on the driver’s face. Heck, even grocery shopping becomes an excursion to relish!

The Mini 5 Door has three driving modes. Green Mini-mizes everything. The throttle is very, very soft so it is best left for the times when you’re running on fumes. The Mid and Sport modes bring a progressively stronger response. The plus is when downshifting to set the car up for a corner both modes automatically rev match, which brings a seamless downshift and it pegs the engine at the perfect revs for when you go back on the gas. Likewise, the traction/stability control systems can be tailored to the driver’s taste — I turned off traction and left the stability on just in case I got too carried away with the fun of the drive.

It’s akin to the story of the three bears. The original two-door New Mini was just a little too small; the Countryman was a tad too large for an urbanite. The new 5 Door is just about perfect. It handles just like its smaller sibling, meaning it’s a true Mini, and it brings plenty of space and the required flexibility. For a city-dwelling family of four it is ideally suited. The bonus is it’s sure to leave a lasting smile!

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2015 Mini Cooper S 5 Door
Graeme Fletcher, Driving

The Specs

Type of vehicle Four-door hatchback
Engine 2.0L, turbocharged four-cylinder
Power 189 hp @ 4,700 rpm; 207 lb-ft of torque @ 1,250 rpm
Transmission Six-speed manual
Brakes Four-wheel disc with ABS
Tires P195/55R16
Price (base/as tested) $26,740/$34,330
Destination charge $1,655
Natural Resources Canada fuel economy (L/100 km) 10.0 city, 7.0 highway
Standard features Air conditioning with filtration, power locks and windows, power/heated mirrors, cruise control, sport buckets with height/lumbar adjustment and thigh-support extenders, leatherette upholstery, tilt/telescopic steering, AM/FM audio with USB/Aux inputs and steering wheel-mounted controls, Bluetooth, smart key with toggle switch start/stop, trip computer, 60/40-split/folding rear seats, electronically-controlled differential lock, eight air bags, rear wiper/washer and more
Notable options Loaded package ($1,100), Essentials package ($1,200), Wired package ($1,400), Visibility package ($1,200), LED light package ($1,000), hood stripes ($350), Metallic paint ($590), Harmon/Kardon sound system ($750)

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