Mini Cooper D welcomes new Toyota Prius
July 1, 2009 by Alborz Fallah
Recently Mini was quick to run a large advertising campaign across the country to showcase the Cooper D as Australia’s most fuel efficient car.
We can imagine Toyota’s marketing department wasn’t awfully happy with that, knowing the new Prius was only weeks away.
In it’s first full month on sale, close to a quarter of new Mini buyers chose the Cooper D. Mini, which is owned by BMW, says local orders are almost twice the expected level.
The Mini Cooper D uses 3.9L/100km and emits 104grams of CO2 per kilometre. In comparison the new Toyota Prius (which will go on sale this month) uses the same amount of fuel (petrol) but emits CO2 at the rate of 89g/km.
You do have to wonder, given the Mini is just a simple diesel engine, why the Prius will all its technology is only 13 grams of CO2 better per kilometre?
Mini says it is happy to share the title of “Australia’s most fuel efficient car” with the Prius.
“We’re delighted with the significant Australian interest in the new Mini Cooper D. The customer response has been well above our expectations and we’re seeing a new breed of Mini customer walking into showrooms well aware of the car’s credentials. Customers placing orders report they like the perky performance, typical Mini go-kart handling and outstanding fuel consumption.” said Mini Australia national manager, Justin Hocevar.
Although Toyota has no need to make mention of the Cooper D sharing its title as the most fuel efficient car in Australia, Mr Hocevar said : “Mini also warmly welcomes the new Prius to the sub-four-litre club.
“The Cooper D and now the new Prius both exemplify the strides manufacturers are making to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions”.
The new Mini can travel over 1000km on a single tank, for example, a Mini Cooper D, with its tiny 40-litre fuel tank, could make its way from Sydney to Melbourne without stopping for more fuel.
If you had a choice, would you buy the Mini Cooper Diesel or the new Toyota Prius?
Print it: 
Firstly the mini is a smaller car to the Prius but uber-cool,something the Prius lacks.With the Mini having more power too I think its has to be the winner.
Price wise,I imagine they are similar!
*****PRIMO!*****
I suppose this makes BMW feel all warm_n_fuzzy inside, seeing its SUV’s are some of the largest fuel guzzlers…
Most fuel efficent means jack…
WHAT and ONLY counts is $/km.
Enjoy your [short] time at the top, the Kia Cerato/LPG injected hybrid will cost HALF the fuel cost what this Mini can do, and be a good $10k less…
Game Over
Cheers
F-0
Hmmm,
Thats good and all, but i think I’d rather go in style, an AFM Calais can do Sydney to Melbourne on one tank. (yes the tank is 75L but the car is also much bigger and more technologically advanced, comfortable and I’d say safer,)
Mini without a doubt, at least it would be semi fun.
“If you had a choice, would you buy the Mini Cooper Diesel or the new Toyota Prius?”
Neither suits what I personally need in a car, but if I had to choose on of these for an inner metro car I would go for the Mini, just for the fun factor, and I imagine it’s easier to park in a crowded city.
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OFF TOPIC
I’d love the mini, but my family just wouldn’t fit in one … the technology of the Prius is doing something (giving better fuel consumption per cubic metre of car!)
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I would not purchase either; I am still not sold on Hybrid technology and believe only 4WDs should use diesel.
I fondly remember the fun in my mates mini from when I was a teenager, what a good little go-cart! Now I’m all grown up with kids the Prius fits the bill a bit better. Prius: eco-cool, mini: cool with diesel eco-cool.
Although 13 grams doesn’t sound like much, it’s a 17% improvement over the Mini which is significant.
The mini is also 3-4k cheaper.
Would on earth would you choose the Prius ???
It costs more to buy, it is less powerful and here’s the clicher ….. it uses 4 TIMES the amount of CRUDE OIL to manufacture the car than the mini. For all those Greenies out there espousing the virtues of the Prius – do you research !!!! You need to drive the Prius 80,000 kms longer to make it have the same carbon footprint of manufacture that the mini has. Those lead acid batteries are BAD for the envirnoment!!
Yeah, stupid BMW with its SUV. who makes the Land Crusher and Prado, i forget.
What about the cost of disposing of the Prius battery?
prius for me please….
that almost sounded like “pray for me”!
mini while fun is not very practical for me…
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If I was single and wanted a fun car, Mini all the way for me. However, I am married with a daughter so the Prius is the far more practical choice for me.
If given a choice, it’d be the Mini.
We have several Prius’s at work as work cars. Don’t drive well. The Mini I think would be more fun but the Prius more practable. Me, I’d buy a Mini and then try to explain to my wife why. On the other hand just buy a Prius and don’t have the grief.
Mini individuality or Toyota conservatism?
Give me Mini every time!
Volk613, I read a piece by John Carey in WHALES magazine that suggested that the Prius batteries are worth more dead than alive, and easily support a case for recycling. They contain lots of nickel and unobtainium. I’m sorry I can’t find the article just now, otherwise I would quote the figures.
Can’t really compare these two cars, keep in mind that Prius can sit 5 and has a decent sized boot. It is heavier and bigger than the Mini D, so we shouldn’t be that surprised to find the Mini D getting close to Prius’s emission and fuel economy. When Toyota makes a Yaris hybrid, it will be a much more valid comparison.
As for which car i will choose, hard choice really. I don’t need the space of a Prius, but honestly i would choose neither. Driving a Prius is advertising that you are very green, but a guy driving a Mini is a bit gay.
purely on looks and street cred it would have to be the Mini. The prius has just gotten fatter and more fugly upfront. Toyota should really hire someone from germany for the styling of their cars.
I’d do MINI…
But if Prius can be topless or convertable I’ll go for that!
anti-spam word was; Mini XD
Mini Cooper is on of my favourite cars, so i’d definately take the Cooper-D over the Prius.
I’ve driven a Prius, it doesn’t feel like a car should – boring and uninvolving! atleast the Mini has supurb handling, torquey grunt and the option of a manual transmission… and in white and black with black rims it looks stellar!
Would have to be the MINI all the way, it least it has a cool funky image, instead of an old persons, or tree hugging hippy image like the prius!, and to top it of the mini would be a lot more fun to drive, and its a manual..
enough said.
I suppose this makes BMW feel all warm_n_fuzzy inside, seeing its SUV’s are some of the largest fuel guzzlers…
Most fuel efficent means jack…
WHAT and ONLY counts is $/km.
Enjoy your [short] time at the top, the Kia Cerato/LPG injected hybrid will cost HALF the fuel cost what this Mini can do, and be a good $10k less…
Game Over
Cheers
F-0
Prefer the Mini.Diesel or LPG Hybrid the way to go.
Mini Cooper is good car.
Mini Cooper S is great car.
Even Normal Mini is still fun to drive small car…but would be only with petrol engine.
This diesel engine spoiled pleasure of mini after all.
If I have to pick from only these two cars…I must say Prius.
New Prius can be more practical at any condition and location.
Would be very fun to drive !!!
I own a CDI and have driven Prius’ on several occasions as a fleet-mobile. I have fond memories of Minis’ past.
CDI compared to petrol hybrid; it’s the Mini all the way. Good product at a good price.
I would take the mini, cult car + looks good + economical.
Every person has their own reasons why they go for Prius or Mini, as a sample it shows that either car will thrive.
Let hope this drives more cutthroat competition in this area of eco-cars so that more better/appealing future models continually come out in times ahead.
Given it’s size, the prius is the more fuel efficient one.
Given the choice, I’d walk though…
Like Alan said, bloke in a mini is a bit gay!!
Both are trendy, but neither is my cup of tee!!
Volks613, by the way the Diesel Prado isn’t fuel guzzler, with a 9.2 l/100Km on combined cycle is pretty good given it’s size!!
Mini.
And if there was any doubt – one word…….
“RESALE”
If possible I would have the Mini for a runabout and the Prius if I need to cart more than two people and/or need luggage space. If not possible the Prius would be the choice just for practicality.
I never thought that people would think I’m gay if I drove the Mini. So now, I’ll take the Prius, thanks.
I’d take the Mini if i had to choose. At least that way i wouldn’t get beaten up by my friends. Well, not as much.
CDI should read ‘TDI’., sorry guys…
I think in real world, Prius consume less fuel than Mini. Charging the battery while you are driving is quite advace, once you are in jammed traffic, simpely switch to battery to run the car. Whereas mini has to run its engine all the time except it completely stop, but if it stuck in traffic, the consumption may reach to 5L/100km at least.
Which one do I take? I rather take Mini for fun and its looks. For conservative people, they’d better off to Corolla, coz Prius’ advance technology and futuristic grahpic design is not appealing to those consevative people. (but really appealing to me indeed)
I would have a diesel Mini Clubman (don’t exist yet), more space and I could drive it knowing that the components have less embodied toxic metals, energy and emissions and which could more easily be recycled.
I would probably be enjoying myself more so in it compared to the Prius and I would very much enjoy proving to myopic people that small cars are not just for gay men, but for anyone who cars about this planet of ours!
typo
why the Prius will all its
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why the Prius with all its