The Mini S is the sweet spot between the regular one and the John Cooper Works edition.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
The Mini lineup is in its fifth generation since relaunching under BMW ownership, and the Cooper models are all a little larger than before. The three-door is still the smallest and it’s the only Mini that’s available with a removable roof.
I drove the new convertible during a warm spell on a visit to Britain. The trunk can only carry 215 litres when the roof is up and 160 litres when it’s stored in place – slightly more than the 130 litres of a Mazda MX-5 – so our large suitcase would not fit back there and had to take its own seat in the second row. This wasn’t a problem when the roof was down and the case could just be plopped into place, instead of wrestling through the door of a hard-top coupe. I’m not hearing much sympathy …
Minis have a much-marketed reputation for their “go-kart” handling and this feels especially so when the roof is down.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
The Mini has always had a unique round display panel in the centre of the dash, with no instrumentation behind the steering wheel.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Minis have a much-marketed reputation for their go-kart-like handling and this feels especially so when the roof is down. Even when it’s up, frankly, because the canvas material allows a lot of road noise into the cabin. This latest Mini does handle exceptionally well, however, flicking around corners easily with no wobble. The larger chassis is stiffer this time around, which is even more important for a convertible. The simple comparison is to think of a shoe-box with its lid in place (hard top) and removed (soft top). The box is significantly less flexible with a lid to hold its four walls in place.
Minis are everywhere in crowded England, and indeed, the Cooper S Convertible is built there in Oxford. The new model has a more powerful two-litre turbocharged engine that creates 201 horsepower, replacing the 1.5-litre engine that was good for 189 horsepower. Torque is also increased to 221 lb-ft from 207. You can save $3,000 by opting for the Cooper Convertible that makes 161 horsepower or spend an extra $13,000 on the John Cooper Works (JCW) edition that makes 228 horsepower, but the Cooper S is in the sweet spot of the three.
Looks
It still has rounded headlights and cute-as-a-button appeal that looks less like the original Mini with every iteration, but nobody ever calls it ugly, even with the roof in place. The 18-inch wheels of my tester car that you see in the photos were a $1,000 option over the standard 17-inch wheels and the British Racing Green paint cost an extra $700. (All prices are for Canadian models.)
The Union-Jack design to the rear lights is gone, however, which is the simple way to distinguish between the generations.
The 18-inch wheels are a $1,000 option over the standard 17-inch wheels.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
The three-door is still the smallest Mini and the only one available with a removeable roof.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Interior
The cabin is minimalist without being stark and upmarket without being luxurious. The Mini has always had a unique round display panel in the centre of the dash, with no instrumentation behind the steering wheel. (Aside from anything else, this makes it easier to manufacture internationally for both right- and left-hand-drive markets.) A head-up display is available as part of a $2,750 optional package if you don’t want to glance down at the panel, but I couldn’t see it clearly through my polarized sunglasses.
My tester was fitted with JCW sport seats that were comfortable over long drives, and were part of an optional $2,000 package. The rear seats aren’t spacious enough to be comfortable for anyone who’s achieved puberty, but the Mini comes with a separate wind deflector, stored flat in the trunk that snaps into place above the empty rear seats (similar to Audi’s removable deflectors), that reduces turbulence in the cabin significantly. It didn’t used to be this way: a couple of generations ago, a wind blast from behind in the convertible Mini would freeze your coffee in five minutes.
The rear seats are really only for small children or luggage.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Performance
It’s terrific fun to drive, with enough power in the new engine to throw around the 1,427-kilogram car with great confidence. However, there are no longer any Minis sold with manual transmissions and, while the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is just fine, it is not possible for the driver to select specific gears. There are no paddles on the steering wheel (as there are on the JCW), and no joggable shift lever. You cannot downshift for a corner but must trust the car to find the right gear to pull you through. I found this to be a major drawback and, for me, a deal-breaker.
When the roof is down, it’s folded so high behind the rear seats that it blocks much of the driver’s rear vision in the mirror, though you can still see the roofs of cars behind. A great option is to retract it just halfway so that it functions as a large sunroof.
There’s an extra fuel cost, too. Sure, the 7.9 litres consumed on average every hundred kilometres sounds acceptable, but its high-compression engine needs premium gasoline which, in most of Canada, can easily add 40 or 50 cents to the price of every litre.
Technology
The Mini is connected and aimed at people who live on their smartphones. Mini’s marketers tout the voice-activated Personal Assistant and the nine display modes for the central screen to be particularly appealing but I just locked onto either Go-Kart or Balance and didn’t think much about the many other settings. I guess I’m old.
Cargo
Not much, with a minimum of just 160 litres, but you don’t buy a three-door Mini to carry lots of cargo.
The verdict
The new Mini Cooper S Convertible is an improvement on the previous model in terms of handling, power and technology. Its reliance on premium fuel adds to the cost and its lack of manual gear selection detracts from the overall sporty experience.
The roof is so high when folded that it cuts into a driver's vision out of the rear-view mirror.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Tech specs
2025 Mini Cooper S Convertible
- Base price/as tested: $50,278/$56,638 (approximate) including freight, pre-delivery inspection and fees, plus taxes
- Engine: two-litre turbocharged inline-four cylinder
- Horsepower/torque (lb-ft): 201/221
- Transmission/drive: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic/front-wheel drive
- Fuel consumption (litres per 100 kilometres): 8.9 City, 6.6 Highway, 7.9 Combined
- Alternatives: Mazda MX-5
It still has the rounded headlights and cute-as-a-button appeal that looks less like the original Mini with every iteration.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
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