MINI Cooper S 5-Door 2014 Review

At the time I complained that the car's ergonomics left a bit to be desired, as is frequently the case with MINIs. But given a week in the Cooper S variant, I found that sitting on the floor (with the seat at its lowest setting) yielded an almost flawless view of the speedo.

Seats in the Cooper S were as good as recalled, with plenty of shape and contour to hold the occupants in place, and with an extendable base to improve on under-thigh support for taller types. A tartan-style fabric repeat for the seats lifted the interior a little.

There was plenty going on at the driver's position for those who are claustrophobic. In addition to the snug seats there was an armrest near your left elbow. It was a bit of a reach for the engine start/stop button in the centre fascia near the transmission lever, and vents were tucked away behind the wheel and the big display screen (with the extended lighting of the 'MINI Excitement Package') that is the focal point for all infotainment and trip computer data. Looking for a word to explain the layout? Try 'labyrinthine'.

Yet threading your arm under an armrest to reach the handbrake or trying to work out the intermittent wipe function by peering behind the steering wheel is forgiven, because the Cooper S comes with a little red light in the dash to inform you when there's a slow-moving obstruction in the road ahead. Unlike other cars that sound a loud alarm and display large, flashing red lights that would put to shame the incident room in a Michael Crichton novel, the MINI subtly – almost politely – alerts you with the small red light in the dash and a gentle easing of torque to the drive wheels.

The MINI was fairly accommodating for its size. There was no shortage of headroom, and junior members of the family did manage to sit comfortably in the rear, although the legroom behind the driver didn't look inviting for adults.

The engine was sporty and spirited, but faded into the background noise of wind and road while cruising at highway speeds. Under load it built power quickly, but its torque was the show-stopper. In combination with the six-speed automatic transmission the engine's character made the MINI Cooper S easy to drive in a host of ways. Naturally it was a handy device for just dawdling around town, but it could be driven quickly too – with equal ease. I never felt I had to grab the next gear or wring the neck of the engine for performance that would make others sit up and take notice. Fuel consumption over the week was a respectable 9.4L/100km, according to the trip computer.

The brakes were strong and dependable, but fairly noisy at low speeds. The sound of pads brushing across the big rotors was very obvious.

Set up for driver enjoyment during a good hard fang, the MINI didn't provide an especially settled ride. It was prone to bounce and jolt over lumpy bitumen, which was to be expected. Around town the ride proved bearable.

While the Cooper S was undeniably quick – in straight lines and through corners – testing it on home turf brought home a point I missed during the launch: the Renault Clio RS 200 EDC I had previously reviewed remains a better alternative for handling and roadholding. That had some bearing on my rating for the MINI in this road test.

The Renault would turn in faster and its neutral handling was less susceptible to 'squiffiness' with the power applied. There was a sense of greater composure driving the Renault, and it could be a little easier to live with too – not least of all because it's cheaper and provides similar levels of performance.

But as I mentioned in the launch review for the 5-Door MINI, it's not really a direct rival for the Renault... or much else either. Nothing in the market offers the MINI's combination of heritage charm and driving appeal. The Renault is – to my mind – ahead on points for the latter, but the MINI will still attract plenty of buyers for what it represents, as much as for how it goes.

Also consider:
>> Ford Fiesta ST
>> Peugeot 208 GTI
>> Renault Clio RS200