First of all, the good news: the all-new Mini Hatch handles just as one would expect from the brand, even though XCAR’s Alex Goy says it’s not quite like a go-kart to drive, as the carmaker claims. Still, the all-new 189hp (192PS) 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine loves to rev and propels the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.8 seconds (6.7 seconds with the automatic gearbox).
But how is the new Mini Cooper S compared to the universally acclaimed Ford Fiesta ST? Well, Goy says the Fiesta is a little bit sharper and feels better set-up, but lacks something the new Mini Cooper S has plenty of – character.
Moving on from this rather subjective statement, he also drove the Mini Cooper D, the diesel-powered alternative to the Cooper S. This model gets an all-new engine too, a 114hp (116PS) 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbodiesel.
The unit is described as smooth and quite refined, while not being too noisy either. Scroll down to watch the review.
By Dan Mihalascu
VIDEO