MINI Cooper Convertible 2016 Review

MINI Cooper Convertible
Road Test

Soaking up that feel-good factor that MINI does so well, it was easy to let good old sentimentality get in the way of common sense. Once a MINI owner, I found myself wandering down memory lane, romanticising about cars pre-children... could I actually make it work now, with two youngsters? The mind was willing.

Our MINI Cooper Convertible is powered by a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder engine that delivers 100kW and 200Nm. It's paired to the six-speed manual transmission and has a 0-100km/h time of 8.7 seconds. Step up to the 2.0-litre four-cylinder Cooper S (141kW/280Nm) or JCW (170kW/320NM) for some extra punch under the bonnet.

Sliding inside the MINI, well, I felt cramped. I fumbled around to adjust my seating position, muttering all the while, as things got better. But I felt old. Was this a test? If so, I was totally up for it. I've got kids, so I know the rules. You're not the boss. Work with the car, not against it. And with that in mind, things quickly improved.

Years on from its resurrection, the interior of the MINI remains unique; it's matched by no other. The cabin is a visual feast, well executed and nicely finished. Piano-black surfaces, chrome highlights and much mood lighting together sound like overkill, but the look is restrained – and it works. Despite its diminutive proportions, ergonomics are really good. Tilt and telescopic reach on the steering wheel and manual adjust seats offer pretty good adjustability.

The six-speed manual gearbox (a no cost option) is good, great even. It's a short and smooth throw to flick through the gears and the transitions are seamless when backed by a good dose of throttle. Which you quickly figure out. Sloppy changes are not welcome – it's engagement all the way. Again, like raising a toddler, you get out what you put in.

The ride feels eager and the suspension tight, approaching too firm, but comfort levels offer a good balance to this. Riding on 17-inch alloys (a $1150 option) it is a fine line, but the MINI pulls it off. It has more mature road manners than you may expect, tipping nose deep into tight corners with zero fuss – it's made for cornering. The sharp steering makes this all the more enjoyable.

Pedals are well positioned and feel good under foot. Brakes are quick to respond, too.

It's a soft top, so increased noise is to be expected – wind and general creaking are the norm. But the upside is you can hear the sweet sound of the MINI's engine, which offers a heart-warming burble even at low speeds.

The convertible mechanism is a good one, retracting at speeds of up to 30km/h. It's designed such that you can choose to retract the roof part way for a targa-like experience, or go for the full, free-spirit, roof-down event. Even with the roof lowered, it's not too much of a wind tunnel. And I could hardly hear the kids...

A criticism of the MINI, roof up or down, is visibility. It's poor. Even with the roof down, rearward visibility is still not great. The soft-top stacks high in the rear and it's simply hard to see over. A reversing camera helps somewhat, but it requires an overly cautious approach.

It's a three-door MINI, so it's no great surprise that second row space is tight, as is the luggage capacity, which is 210-litres (micro car territory), and shrinking to 165-litres when the roof is down.

I loaded two kids into the second row for this week's road test, booster seats and all, and they were more than happy. My patience was tested however. It was a bit of a task to get them in and out. And while young kids are the perfect occupants for the MINI convertible's second row, it'd be even better if they had an additional joint, somewhere between the knee and ankle. Their legs were too short to bend in the right places, and too long when fully extended. Not so bad with the front seats pulled forward, but that's a luxury only afforded when short people are in the front. A five-door MINI would be a better option in my case – regaining some amount of patience and practicality.

Storage space was the other downer – again, no surprise. There are however thoughtful inclusions such as back of seat pockets, a central cupholder and small storage spots on each side.

Technology is of a good standard, with all the usual suspects as standard – dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, rear sensors, Bluetooth with audio streaming, hands-free telephony, USB port and fancy LED interior ambient mood lighting (which the kids loved). Anything much else will cost you, like satellite navigation – $1100.

The technology interface is good, and you'll quickly master the command dial and buttons used to navigate your 6.5-inch monitor. There's a larger and more sophisticated 8.8-inch version as part of the Multimedia Pro package which includes Professional navigation, 20GB hard drive, voice recognition and touch controller, Harman Kardon 12-speaker audio, head up display and DAB+ digital radio ($3318).

Active and passive safety equipment is well sorted, including four airbags anti-lock brakes, stability control, brake-force distribution and roll-over protection system, gaining the MINI a five-star ANCAP rating. And all MINIs come with a three-year unlimited kilometre warranty and three-year roadside assistance.

Official combine-cycle fuel consumption is 5.3L/100km. I recorded around 8.0L/100km for a cycle weighted more to city-based driving.

Priced from $37,900, the MINI numbers among its official rivals the likes of Audi's A3 cabriolet (from $47,600), Citroen DS3 cabriolet (from $36,590) and arguably the two-seater Mazda MX-5 (from $31,990), but that list in itself feels like a stretch of the imagination. Actual rivals to the MINI brand... there are few.

The MINI Cooper Convertible delivered true connection at the wheel, with high levels of emotion – some joy and some frustration. At the end of my week's road test however, the fun factor far outweighed my initial tug-of-war with the MINIs close confines. I found some perspective, made some compromises (don't sweat the small stuff) and it felt much like old times. But then there are the kids... if only I had more patience.

2016 MINI Convertible pricing and specifications:
Price: $37,900 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol
Output: 100kW/220Nm
Transmission: six-speed manual
Fuel: 5.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 124g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Also consider:
>> Audi A3 Cabriolet (from $47,600 plus ORCs)
>> Citroen DS3 Cabriolet (from $36,590 plus ORCs)
>> Mazda MX-5 (from $31,990 plus ORCs)