I don't like the 2014 facelift, they've made a rather cool looking car ugly!!! Which is a shame

 

Can't agree more there - not sure what they were trying to achieve but they have made it pretty ugly - all bulbous and inflated - especially the lights and grille - not good design at all in my opinion

Pedestrians

& reduction of injury is why many are the shape they have become and Other World Region markets,

like the US of A has much to do with it.

 

george

George, whats the boot size like on the 5 door mate?

Could you get anything more than a shoe in this one?

Sorry I never looked, I am after a MINI Clubvan.

Pedestrians

& reduction of injury is why many are the shape they have become and Other World Region markets,

like the US of A has much to do with it.

 

george

 

Pedpro just influences height of front and the need for space between bodywork and hard parts such as the block etc. - it doesn't influence the bulbous design...   many other cars look better and don't have the naff, huge  'stuck on' lights at the front and back and still meet pedpro legislation...

 

Maybe the same can't be said of the internatinal influence though...   but again I'd suggest good design is good design, regardless??

Which Euro 6 engine cars for under 20 grand do you reckon have good design?

Cooper SD & Cooper D.

I still don't like it from those pics either, sorry. Cant see the point in a diesel MINI either TBH but I see plenty on the roads so there's clearly a market for them.

 

Edit - just to quantify that last part, my 2 door MINI 1.6 cooper easily returned 40mpg in daily driving, and as it was a small second car the annual mileage was 8k a year making diesel unnecessary IMO. If I was driving farther in it then I would have had something a little larger with a softer suspension as the MINI was bone shaking

Edit - just to quantify that last part, my 2 door MINI 1.6 cooper easily returned 40mpg in daily driving, and as it was a small second car the annual mileage was 8k a year making diesel unnecessary IMO. If I was driving farther in it then I would have had something a little larger with a softer suspension as the MINI was bone shaking

 

My 2006 (R56) 1.6 Mini Cooper was a marvellous - apart from two things - stupid little fuel tank (even with 50mpg I was filling it up every 3 days) and the boot size. The boot size was no surprise but the constant filling up was a real nuisance. My previous car Octavia GL II needed filling once a fortnight, and the current car Octavia III 1.6TDi  a couple of days less (smaller tank!)

 

I found the ride firm but good but then I hadn't upgraded the wheels from the standard 15" non runflats.

Which Euro 6 engine cars for under 20 grand do you reckon have good design?

 

Not sure what you are getting at there but from that size range, the DS3 is now Euro 6 engine compliant IIRC and a damn sight better looking, as is the C4 Cactus, Mazda 3 CX5 etc..???  THey all at least have a 'coherent' design...   the new Mini doesn;t - it's as if someone has taken a set of lights and grilles from a larger car and just plonked them on it.

My 2006 (R56) 1.6 Mini Cooper was a marvellous - apart from two things - stupid little fuel tank (even with 50mpg I was filling it up every 3 days) and the boot size. The boot size was no surprise but the constant filling up was a real nuisance. My previous car Octavia GL II needed filling once a fortnight, and the current car Octavia III 1.6TDi a couple of days less (smaller tank!)

I found the ride firm but good but then I hadn't upgraded the wheels from the standard 15" non runflats.

Thats no good.

The new 1.5 turbo might be better?

40 litre fuel tank springs to mind.

So probably 300 miles to a tank? Roughly?

40 litre fuel tank springs to mind.

So probably 300 miles to a tank? Roughly?

 

40l. The new one is the same - Diesel gets a bigger tank a huge 44l. 

These BMW half-series bins get steadily uglier with every new version. Some daft beggars buy 'em, though.

These BMW half-series bins get steadily uglier with every new version. Some daft beggars buy 'em, though.

They dont come cheap either!

Although they are nice inside, and nice to drive.

Which Euro 6 engine cars for under 20 grand do you reckon have good design?

 

I gather only Mazda have all their cars Euro6 compliant.

I am getting to borrow a 5 Door Mini Cooper S Automatic for a day, so looking forward to it.

 

But it has been a rather rainy night, and some roads are rather wet,

so i hope it does go off later in the day so i can get some fun.

 

Looking forward to it, the 5 door is less jiggly than the 3 door,

but then it does have the same wheel base as a BMW Series 2 Active Tourer.

 

george

 

Edited 28 October, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

I am getting to borrow a 5 Door Mini Cooper S Automatic for a day, so looking forward to it.

But it has been a rather rainy night, and some roads are rather wet,

so i hope it does go off later in the day so i can get some fun.

Looking forward to it, the 5 door is less jiggly than the 3 door,

but then it does have the same wheel base as a BMW Series 2 Active Tourer.

george

Top stuff. I'll be interested to hear what you think .

As its an auto, youve less change of pulling the gear stick off like we did! Haha.

Also, if you can fit more than a pack of malteasers in the boot, it might be more useful than the hatch.

Has adding two extra doors to the Mini hatchback turned it into a proper family car?

No

 

It's got fack all boot. Family car needs to manage a weeks shop with 4 folk in it, imho.

 

Plus I agree this is yet another fugly Mini. But people buy 'em.

Has adding two extra doors to the Mini hatchback turned it into a proper family car?

No

It's got fack all boot. Family car needs to manage a weeks shop with 4 folk in it, imho.

Plus I agree this is yet another fugly Mini. But people buy 'em.

Never a proper mini unless its a hatch IMO.

And as much as mum wants one, its pretty useless at pretty much everything she wants a car to do. Especially now she has a grandson. (Not mine, i might add)

Pretty damn boring as well.

Its raining and pouring, but what the Cooper S 5 door MINI is is just another car,

excitement level,  not much.

 

Not much different to drive than the 3 door. Or i should say exactly the same really.

Demister is good, the rest is just to much frills and gizmos and lights on the big circle in the middle.

 

For the money if wanting a 5 door Auto & some fun, for the same money i would buy a nearly new Seat Leon 280.

Or put in more money and get AWD in the form of a Golf R.

 

It would not be a Skoda Yeti Monte Carlo though,

that is just a car trying too hard to be sporty & get a name that reflects Skodas 113 year Heritage.

 

george

Pretty damn boring as well.

Its raining and pouring, but what the Cooper S 5 door MINI is is just another car,

excitement level, not much.

Not much different to drive than the 3 door. Or i should say exactly the same really.

Demister is good, the rest is just to much frills and gizmos and lights on the big circle in the middle.

For the money if wanting a 5 door Auto & some fun, for the same money i would buy a nearly new Seat Leon 280.

Or put in more money and get AWD in the form of a Golf R.

It would not be a Skoda Yeti Monte Carlo though,

that is just a car trying too hard to be sporty & get a name that reflects Skodas 113 year Heritage.

george

Is it not fun in the corners though?

Theyre supposed to be pretty good handling arent they?

I didnt get much chance to corner the hatch i drove as the dealers was in the middle of manchester.

Oh but yeti's can be sporty... Haha

They get the MPG figures from them being on 195/55 R 16 (standard size) not very good in the wet when almost new tyres.  (very New)

& BMW are going to make sure that electronics keep you safe in the wet.

 

Onward and upwards,

Porsche garage might lend a Macan if i talk nicely enough.

Has adding two extra doors to the Mini hatchback turned it into a proper family car?

No

It's got fack all boot. Family car needs to manage a weeks shop with 4 folk in it, imho.

Plus I agree this is yet another fugly Mini. But people buy 'em.

+1 on the ugly thing

Each new Mini takes the window line higher than the last

Makes for an ugly motor and kids in the back aren't gonna see much.

Or short arsed drivers in the front for that matter. :(

This looks as ridiculous as the Countryman and the stupid 5 door Porsche IMO.

Each new Mini takes the window line higher than the last

Makes for an ugly motor and kids in the back aren't gonna see much.

Or short arsed drivers in the front for that matter. :(

 

In fairness that's probably for NCAP crash ratings.