2004 Mini Cooper Review

Specifications

All Downhill from Here

A little after four in the afternoon on a hot summers afternoon, and I am in a situation Ive never been in before. I am at the wheel of a vehicle thats not mine, fiddling with the stereo controls, trying to get over my giddiness and excitement. That, and the fact that its mine for the next week. Five years in practice, writing previews about up and coming cars and Im finally doing the real thing. Whats better yet is that its a car thats at the top of the automotive critics list, the MINI Cooper, but in base trim. This is the first car that Ive ever road-tested for an extended period of time, and what a vehicle to start out with - I just might be spoiled for the rest of my journalist career.

Even after its introduction three years ago, the MINI still grabs attention like no other vehicle on the road. Its small, cute and a star thanks to the recent blockbuster remake of “The Italian Job.” Speaking of which, my test cars Chili Red paint, with white roof, mirror caps and optional hood stripes makes a reasonably good facsimile of Charlie Crockers leading car used in the flick.

Never have I been in a car that gathered so much attention: within the first six hours, four people had already given me kudos on the road, and it had already picked up a new nickname amongst my friends, Sparky. The constant smiles from passersby were a reflection of my own delight at looking at this car. No matter how dull the sky, or miserable the weather, the MINI brightened my day. In any sense, all the commentary makes me wonder what kind of action a go-faster Cooper S, with its hood scoop and checkered-flag roof pattern, or better yet the up and coming Cabrio will attract at stoplights. However good the MINI is to look at, the only person I dont think would approve is Sir Alex Issigonis: he was about moving forward rather than dwelling upon the past.

On that thought the MINI is unapologetically retro, but like most modern re-dos this is far from an exact copy, with much structural change in the forty-seven year generation gap. The new car lives in a world of gargantuan sport utility vehicles and stringent safety restrictions, explaining the reason for a bodyshell thats three times as rigid as the class norm and the increase in dimensions and weight over the original. The new Cooper is more than one and a half feet longer than the original, and its width and height are much closer to the a modern day subcompact than the Morris. Other reasons for the size increase are that the longer wheelbase increases cabin room as well as improves high-speed stability, plus its added width accommodates a larger track, benefiting handling along with increased hip and shoulder room. Like the original, the new MINI is tall, essential in providing a comfortable cabin for all body types. The end result is a squat looking compact that seems a great deal larger alone than it actually is.

Sitting inside the MINI is a completely different experience from any other car in its class. You sit low and a fair distance away from the upright windscreen, almost like being placed in the center of the car. The symmetrical design of the interior harks back to the original Mini, all the attention gets paid to the center of the car where the dinner plate sized speedometer sits, right above the CD-stereo, climate control and stack of wonderfully retro toggle switches. A storage bin beneath, surrounded by a pair of arching pillars coated in the same metallic-finish patina as the rest of the dashboard trim completes the center stack. A lone rev-counter sits atop the steering column, combined with a digital speed readout that helped me keep my eyes on the road, instead on the center console. The dash and doors are trimmed in top-notch leather-grain soft-touch plastic, and the whole lot has been screwed together with the same expert attention to detail as a BMW 3- or 5-Series. The action of the toggle switches, rotary dials and stalks feel very expensive, despite what the cars accommodating price tag suggests. What separates the MINI from any other Bimmer is that its nowhere near as serious and, well, Germanic as the automakers other products.

For all practical purposes trunk space is inadequate, at least as far as convention goes, but nevertheless throughout my test week I found that the MINIs 5.3 cubic foot trunk was large enough to pack seven decently-stuffed backpacks with a little bit of organization. This isnt a car youd want to use for transporting a new Ikea wall unit home, of course, or to pick up your relatives from the airport, but its got enough usable space for daily use. Fold the seatbacks down and the cargo area grows to a much more respectable size of 14.3 cubic feet, but of course the compromise is that the whole rear seatback folds and its now a two-seater. Deep side pockets and a reasonably roomy cooled glovebox also provide additional storage. If extra space is needed, however, youll either have to opt for a roof-mounted rack (available from MINIs aftermarket catalog) or a larger car (available from BMW).

Opening the hood is an awkward affair as youve got to reach over and tug on a lever in the passengers side foot well - a slight detail that was forgotten in the transition to left hand drive from the Brits. Releasing the latch is a show of its own, mind you, as there arent too many cars this day and age that feature a clamshell configuration. Both the headlights and grille are encompassed in the unit, lifting up and out of the way of the 1.6-liter SOHC 4-cylinder engine.

The Brazilian Tritec motor, which came as a result of an alliance between BMW and DaimlerChrysler, is the staple of all MINIs. Its either humble or powerful, depending on tuning, transforming the little subcompact from an adequate runabout in base trim into a bona fide racer when an “S” joins the Cooper insignia. It was used instead of BMWs own 1.8-liter Valvetronic four as it could be mounted longitudinally, ideal in a front wheel drive car with a miniscule engine bay. In base trim the Cooper produces 115 horsepower and 110 lb-ft of torque, which is above the European-only MINI Ones output of 90 horsepower, but it trails the 163 horsepower supercharged “S” by a significant 48 horsepower. BMW reckons that the base Cooper will do 60 mph in just over 9 seconds, which is reasonable considering its 2,475 pound curb weight. The cars top speed is electronically limited to 125 mph. Ive not had the chance to test that out, but in the passing lanes and on the expressway that runs through and beyond my 4-million plus town, its plenty fast.

Numbers do not matter with the base Cooper, however, as most that buy it will be quite content to go a little slower and see all the smiles directed their way. While it wasnt designed to be especially quick, it nevertheless picks up speed with enthusiasm and briskness, not unlike the old Mini. Much of the joy in driving the Cooper comes from the most routine actions, such as shifting the gears. Palming the chrome-accented shift knob and going through the standard five-speed manual, I quickly discovered the weight and meat to the shift action. The Peugeot/Rover-derived transmission isnt at all balky, slotting into each gear with great precision. Clutch uptake is light, making stop and go traffic pain-free. MINI also offers a CVT gearbox with the base model, as a substitute to a conventional automatic gearbox. A predisposed product from the Rover merger days, it can be driven in straight-up variable mode or in a sports setting with six predetermined ratios that use a pair of paddles to swap ratios. Itll also set you back $1,300.

The 1.6-liter motor is refined, making it a perfect match to the rest of the vehicle. Power comes on as early as 1,500 rpm, making takeoffs from traffic lights and high-gear passing easy with the wave of torque only settling at 4,500 rpm. With this kind of twist available over such a broad powerband, both second and third gears are on the long side, but all that means is less shifting. This is part of the key to the Coopers high efficiency, which results in a fuel consumption rating of 39.9 mpg on the highway and 28.3 mpg in the city. Two tanks of premium unleaded and more than six-hundred clicks later, its easy to see the benefit of the longer gears. The only exception to the South-American fours refinement is when its brought to a boil: the tone goes from a raspy little growl to an unpleasantly muted, tinny scream. Still, overall refinement is excellent, with road and wind noise well masked.

Plenty of hype through rave reviews, along with the British-voiced announcer in their advertisement campaigns, has focused on just how much fun the MINI is to drive. Missing out on the annual “Test Fly a MINI” event held at a nearby racetrack, this was the first time Id ever driven one of these so-advertised hooligans. A tug at the chunky two-spoke perforated leather wheel revealed steering thats heavily weighted and sharp as a tack; a combination that makes this one of the finest handling cars that Ive ever had the pleasure of driving. The electro-hydraulic power steerings swiftness makes slotting the MINI into tight parking spots simple, but it also has just the right amount of feel and weight to prevent the car from frantically darting at higher speeds.

My base model was equipped with the Sports package, that included a set of five-spoke 16-inch alloy wheels on wider 195/55 runflat Dunlop DSST rubber. Contrary to what would normally be poor front:rear weight distribution of 62:38, the MINI tackles corners zealously, only pushing to understeer when stretched to its absolute limits.

Unexpected maturity found in the handling department is also experienced in the ride. Unlike the original Mini which used Hydrolastic rubber cones instead of springs, the new MINI uses something equally revolutionary. The Z-Axle is the same world-class multi-link rear suspension found in all BMWs, and sets this car a league apart from a long list of emulators. For what it costs in terms of interior space, its a tradeoff I would be more than willing to make for the superb ride. On all surfaces, be it freshly paved stretches of highway or suburban streets pierced by potholes and streetcar tracks, the Cooper filters out annoyances to acceptable levels. But the MINI is a double-major; its marvelous suspension also prevents the onset of any noticeable body roll, promoting that age-old saying “corners like a go-kart.” For those who feel that the car rides too harshly, it may be best to forgo the large wheels for smaller 15-inchers.

The base Cooper is the cheapest ticket to the MINI world, but just the same the least expensive MINI is far from basic. Conveniences such as electric windows and mirrors, air conditioning, keyless locking and entry, and a Premium six-speaker audio system with CD player - all features that would normally be optional on budget-friendly cars - are standard fare here.

The safety features list has remained intact with the base model, so front and side airbags are standard. As for its brakes, the base models setup wouldnt be out of place on a 7-Series. It features four-wheel discs, ABS with brake force distribution and Cornering Brake Control. Being that this particular car was fitted with the runflat tires, a tire pressure monitor was also thrown in. Despite its base designation, this is hardly a low rent car. Making the move from my comparatively basic Mk III Jetta daily driver seemed like a five-star all-expenses paid vacation from the ordinary.

After a week of scooting around my home town Ive become one of the many MINI believers. The Cooper, even in base trim, is an amazing car. Why anyone would want to spend more for more options Im not sure, as everything Id ever need in a car is already included with the bill.

Trace the car back to its original roots, and youll find fun, innovation and value at the top of Sir Issigonis list. The Cooper fills the third item on the list, value, with a starting price of just $16,449. This is far less than what most people I spoke to think a MINI costs, and isnt a whole lot of money when you take a moment to consider youre essentially buying a baby-BMW. If I were footing the bill, Id happily forgo the hood stripes and the Sports package to keep the money in my wallet.

And while were discussing value, the MINI feels like, acts like and has the presence of a bigger car, yet leaves three whole feet behind it when parked in my garage. At the price of real estate and factoring in what I can do with the extra space, the Cooper might just be one of the cheapest 4-seaters available!