- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.0T, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
141kW, 280Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 5.9L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Mini Cooper S five-door first drive review
Mini is looking to build on the global sales success it has enjoyed over recent years by once again broadening its line-up to include this, an all-new five door version of its modern day hatchback.
Set to join the newly introduced third-generation 3-door hatchback in Australian dealerships later this year, the so-called 5-door hatchback aims to bring a dose of everyday practicality to the lower end of the Mini range – the added length within its steel body providing the scope for four front-hinged doors, greater rear seat accommodation and a valuable boost in luggage space behind a more heavily angled tailgate.
Get beyond the traditionally heavy spin Mini has placed on the new 5-door, though, and you discover a car that not only promises greater every day usability but asks quite a bit for the privilege. Official Australian pricing is yet to be announced, but if those announced at the car's launch in England this week are any guide, the addition of the two doors is set to bring with it a handsome $1000 plus increase over the latest incarnation of the latest 3-door hatchback, which starts at $26,650 and rises to $36,950 in standard six-speed manual guise.
As reported when Mini dropped the first official pictures of the new 5-door back in June, the European line-up mirrors that of the 3-door, extending to no less than six distinct models and a choice of five different turbocharged engines. On the diesel side they range from a base 1.5-litre three-cylinder in the One D 5-door to a 2.0-litre four-cylinder in the Cooper SD 5-door. The petrol line-up starts with a 1.2-litre three-cylinder and is crowned by the model driven here, the 2.0-litre four-cylinder Cooper S 5-door.
At 4005mm in length, 1727mm in width and 1425mm in height in initial top-of-the-line Cooper S guise, the 5-door is 184mm longer, the same width and some 11mm higher than the existing 3-door version of the Cooper S. Some 112mm of the added length is concentrated within the rear overhang to provide the 5-door with a larger boot. It has increased by 67 litres in capacity over the 3-door to 278 litres. By comparison, the Volkswagen Polo serves up a nominal 280 litres of boot space, so the new Mini is class competitive in this respect.
While it is a close run thing on load space, the recently facelifted Polo easily offers better rear seat packaging. The rear door apertures of the Mini, for one, are quite small, making it a chore to climb into the rear quarters. Once inside, you become aware there is more legroom than in the 3-door, but there is not as much as that offered by the Volkswagen.
Sensibly given its more practical brief, the rear seat gains a centre seat belt, making it a five seater rather than a four seater.
There is little to criticize about the driving characteristics of front-wheel drive Cooper S 5-door. Its turbocharged 2.0-litre direct injection engine delivers willing performance across a wide range of revs, producing 141KW at 4700rpm and 280Nm of torque between 1250 and 4750rpm. Given the new steel bodied Mini tips the scales at a relatively lightweight 1240kg, it is enough to give it an impressive turn of speed in line with its sporting positioning..
There is plenty of low end pull in lower gears, strong mid-range flexibility on a loaded throttle and it remains urgent with alluring acoustic qualities from the exhaust well into the upper reaches of the rev range when you switch in to manual mode.
Mini claims a 0-100km/h time of 6.9sec and 230km/h top speed – figures that place it at the sharper end of its class for outright accelerative ability. Yet despite its solid straight line performance, the 5-door manages to deliver a creditable 5.5L/100km on the European consumption cycle in combination with the automatic gearbox.
We got a chance to sample the new 5-door on a variety of different roads not far from where it is produced at Mini's traditional factory in Cowley, England. As with its marginally smaller 3-door sibling, it proves extremely capable in an urban environment, where its responsive nature and compact dimensions provide it with outstanding manoevrability and truly entertaining character at low to moderate speeds.
But more than city streets, it feels even more at home at higher speeds on twisting country roads. Here it delivers the sort of urgent in-gear performance and engaging handling traits we've come to expect from other Mini models. Grip and balance are hugely impressive – if not quite at the level of the 3-door, then close.
The ride characteristics of the 5-door are more pleasing than those of the 3-door. There is the same inherent firmness to the underpinnings. However, the increase in the length of the wheelbase and a combination of slightly softer spring and damping rates help provide it with a generally smoother demeanour and greater maturity over any given road.
The reasoning behind Mini's decision to spin a 5-door model off its hugely successful modern day hatchback is clear: it wants to halt the exodus of customers to other brands when their needs demand a more practical but not necessarily larger car. The new model is a joy to drive in top-of-the-line Cooper S guise, with strong performance, agreeably direct handling and a firm but absorbent ride.
But it is not without criticism. The packaging, while improving on its 3-door sibling, still trails that of other popular and no cheaper hatchbacks. There is sufficient space in the rear for two, but it is not easy to enter or exit and rear seat accommodation is not exactly generous.
Mini Cooper S 5-door pricing and specifications Price: From $41,000 (estimate) On sale: Q4 2014 Engine: 2.0-litre cyl turbo petrol Power: 141kW at 4700rpm Torque: 280Nm at 1250rpm Transmission: 6-speed auto, FWD Fuel consumption: 5.5L/100km