2005 Mini Cooper Review

Specifications

A Literal Breath of Fresh Air

Its coming up on a 12-hour work day. Im tired and I just want to go home. But home is another 45 minute drive away. Sigh. Yet, as I walk to the parking lot and spot my 2005 MINI Cooper S Cabriolet, the exhaustion and stress of my tedious job melt away (and Im not talking about my writing gig). In fact, I run up the parking lot stairs in excitement because, after a day of scattered showers and sunny patches, the sunny patches remain enabling me to drop the top of my test MINI for a breezy and speedy drive home.

If someone were to ask me if I could sum up the MINI Coopers personality in one word, a while ago I would have said fun. Now I would say rejuvenating. Rejuvenating? Yes, the MINIs personality taps into the tank of extra energy and excitement I thought I had exhausted throughout the day. It puts the smile back on my face and makes me look forward to driving no matter what the circumstances are, except maybe for rain, because then I cant go topless.

But rain or shine, top up or top down, the MINI convertible handles like a dream. I recall from my previous test drives about how similar both the hard top and drop top feel with regards to handling, possibly due to the Cooper S Cabriolet only weighing an extra 165 pounds. Often times, the drop- top version of a hard top can feel a little flimsier in the suspension department, but not here. The four-wheel independent, sport-tuned suspension just loves being thrown into tight turns and curves and tackles them oh-so-well. And if slippage occurs, the standard automatic stability control + traction (ASC+T) comes into action faster than you can say, well, slippage.

Getting to a speed that allows me to put the MINI convertible to the test was quick and easy, especially with the standard 6-speed manual transmission. Acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in the S is a mere 7.3 seconds due to its 1.6L, 16-valve, DOHC I-4 engine that produces 170 supercharged horses and 162 lb-ft of torque, and its top speed is 135 mph. And the street-legal, topless go-cart feels even quicker than its numbers suggest, and I love it. The feeling of my hair-blowing, the tunes blasting, and the sun shining in the MINI is pure bliss.

As I mentioned, my day was extremely long, but I decided to throw the icing on the already sweet (but tired) cake. I thought, what the heck, its Saturday night and I didnt really want to spend it alone, again, so I sporadically called up my friend Kristina to see what she was up to. I asked if she wanted to go for a walk at the beach and then get ice cream. She was game and asked me what kind of car I had for the week. I told her it was a surprise (not that hanging out with me should be based on what kind of car I drive, but sometimes a little 4-wheel motivation does get one off the couch!)

It wasnt until she came out of her apartment building and saw the MINI that further sealed the deal. She was having guests over, and they decided to come along for our sunset adventure to the beach. Since there was one too many people to fit in the other car, which just happened to be a Chevy Cavalier, one extra person had to come with me. There was no hesitation from Candice, who jumped at the chance to ride in style. Sorry Chevy, not competition here.

We drove with the top down to the local beach, threw some rocks into the ocean, ate some TCBY frozen yogurt and headed back to the parking lot where, Kristina and I decided to have our own little dance party with the tunes blaring from the premium Hi Fi Harmon/Kardon stereo system, which is part of the premium package along with heated front seats and a multi function steering wheel. Of course, we received odd looks from passersby, but who cares? One day Ill grow up, but until that day comes Ill dance in parking lots with Xenon headlights acting as spotlights. You should try it, it feels good.

The time was getting late so we headed for home. The girls and I decided to brave the chilly night air on the way back so we cranked up the heat, stoked up the standard butt warmers and flew home, or at least thats how it felt, because even with three people in the MINI it still accelerates, handles and performs quite well.

As we were nearing Kristinas apartment building, I decided I would do a brake test to see how efficiently the Cooper S 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS, cornering brake control (CBC), and electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) performed. And as expected, the electronic/mechanical tour de force did so marvelously. The dry conditions enabled the P195/55R16 tires on 16-inch rims to grip the pavement for a speedy stop. Even in the rain the S performed very well.

Perhaps the “S” in Cooper S stands for safety (OK, I know it really doesnt but work with me on this one). After all, safety is a top priority with the German auto manufacturer. You could even say, safety is first; F.I.R.S.T. meaning Fully Integrated Road Safety Technology, a combination of safety features that include intelligent front airbags, head and thorax side airbags, and a structure designed for crash protection, including rollovers, with a reinforced windshield frame and rear roll bars. Hands down, its as safe as convertibles come.

While safety and performance are on the top of the Cooper S characteristics sheet, visibility isnt. I can honestly say that visibility out the back is pretty bad. The rear seats are quite high and the roll bars make it even more difficult to see rearward. I dont think anyone will disagree with me on this one, but to make matters better the park distance control (PDC) feature is standard on each convertible, to aid parallel parking and backing up. It beeps when the cars bumper is in close proximity to another vehicle, curb, or even a child.

To summarize, MINIs Cooper S Cabriolet is as fun and rejuvenating as cars come. Its so refreshing to have an automobile on the market that triggers the happy vibes when the grumpy, tired and hungry ones are dominating. Its a breath of fresh air, especially with the top down.