Mini Cooper Convertible full 9 point review

  • Performance

    4 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad The Cooper and turbocharged Cooper S have a 1.6-litre petrol engine; the John Cooper Works (JCW) has the modified 211bhp engine as used in the Mini Challenge racer. The Convertible's heavier than the Mini hatch, but it'll do 0-62mph in 9.8 seconds in Cooper form, in 7.3 seconds as a Cooper S, and 6.9 seconds in JCW tune.

  • Ride & Handling

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad It'll put a smile on your face, thanks to a responsive chassis and nicely-weighted steering; the hardcore JCW is the sharpest, heightened further by its selectable 'sport' mode. But the ride is firm – unforgivingly rigid in the JCW – and there is some body shake, especially over bumps.

  • Refinement

    4 out of 5 stars

    Review-OnRoad Deft aerodynamics and a low-slung seating position mean that, unless you are extremely tall, you'll be able to drop the top and still sit in comfort and warmth. The wind-blocker and dashboard-mounted heaters ensure you stay that way. Noise isn't a significant problem with the roof up or down. The engines get a little gruff under acceleration, but not to the point of irritation.

  • Buying & Owning

    4 out of 5 stars

    Review-Ownership Running costs shouldn't be too bad. The car's desirability will keep resale values high, while both the Cooper and Cooper S are quite economical, helped by an engine stop-start system, brake energy regeneration and gearchange indicator. However, the JCW won't return its promised 39.8mpg if driven hard. It's expensive to buy, as well.

  • Quality & Reliability

    4 out of 5 stars

    Review-Ownership The Mini's interior bears all the hallmarks of the company's owner, BMW. The fixtures and fittings are well built and of decent quality, although some of the many switches tread a fine line between kitsch cool and tacky plastic. Mini always performs well in our reliability surveys, and there's no evidence from previous-generation cars to suggest the roof's folding mechanism or electric motors are going to give any trouble.

  • Safety & Security

    4 out of 5 stars

    Review-Ownership The body has been stiffened to compensate for the loss of the roof, and there are two pop-up hoops behind the rear seats. Front and side airbags are standard, along with stability control, traction control, automatic seatbelt tensioners and ISOFIX child seat fittings. The JCW adds a differential lock.

  • Behind The Wheel

    2 out of 5 stars

    Review-Cabin People of most sizes can makes themselves comfortable, although the proximity of the rear bench means that tall drivers may find it hard to push the seat back far enough to be truly happy. The steering wheel adjusts for reach and rake. Rear visibility isn't great, especially with the roof down and wind deflector up. Standard rear parking sensors do help, though.

  • Space & Practicality

    2 out of 5 stars

    Review-Cabin While front seat occupants of almost any size will be fine, back seat passengers are going to have to be small in stature to travel in comfort. You'll also have to hope they're not bothered by confined spaces, as the back of the car is pretty claustrophobic with the roof up. There's enough room in the boot to hold a couple of overnight bags, and access is aided by being able to lift the top section of the roof cover by 35 degrees. The rear seats fold to add extra cargo space.

  • Equipment

    3 out of 5 stars

    Review-Cabin The roof opens and closes in 12 seconds at the touch of a button. Standard kit includes 15-inch alloys and parking sensors; Cooper S models have 16-inch alloys, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, a bonnet air-scoop, run-flat tyres, stainless steel interior detailing, sports seats and the sports button to modify throttle response. JCW adds 17-inch wheels, a new speedo and JCW-logoed trimmings.

Cooper rivals

Cooper used rivals