Over recent years, the MINI brand has been expanding, with all kinds of niche models coming out of the MINI warehouse, but it’s this 2015 MINI 5 door where the brand really get serious, an all-rounder that will probably outsell the three-door hatch. At least, that’s the hope. For the third generation MINI to be sustainable, this car has to do well. Let’s take a closer look at what the new MINI offers.
Lively
If you’ve been driving a MINI recently, you’ll be pretty familiar with its trusty engine range, and you’ll therefore pretty much know what’s coming here. The base-level entrant is the three pot 1.2-litre 102bhp unit, which is then followed by a 1.5-litre diesel that buyers can get in 95 or 116bhp guise, but the most popular engine will be the 1.5-lire petrol Cooper unit that develops 136bhp. There is also a four cylinder petrol 192PS Cooper S variant, as well as a 170PS Cooper SD unit. A six-speed manual gearbox is wedded to the engines as standard, but there is the option of a Steptronic automatic transmission.
The new 2015 MINI Cooper S is a pretty lively buddy to have out on the road, and can get to 62mph from rest in 6.8 seconds. The Cooper SD manages 62 in 7.4 seconds, so the differences are pretty marginal. If you want to be able to select your own driving mode to suit your mood as well as the conditions, these modes are available as an optional feature and include Sport, Mid and Green Modes. Variable Damper Control also comes as an option.
Spacious Hatch
New 2015 MINI cars these days sometimes look a little unorthodox, with the Countryman possibly being the most unusually shaped MINI yet. Fortunately for this new 2015 MINI 5 door, the designers have made the effort to come up with something contemporary, but which looks very disciplined and very smart. Sure, it lacks the pertness of the 3 door, and this car has 161mm more length than your average hatch. But the 2015 MINI also has more headroom and lots more shoulder width.
It also has a decent boot size, with 278-litres of space offered up, an improvement of 67 on the 3 door. If you fold the rear seats, this space increases to 941, making the brand new 2015 MINI more spacious and practically minded than its big rival, the. Audi A1 You can customise your boot floor too, so that it can be set at different heights, which basically makes it more accommodating for the kind of stuff you’ll be loading in here. This twin height boot floor feature is optional, but really useful. Other than that, space in the back is good thanks to increased height.
Facts and Figures
New MINI prices start out from around £14,000, which means that your new MINI deals will work out at around £600 more expensive than a MINI 3 door. You can get hold of a Cooper for around £16,000. Standard equipment across the new MINI 5 door range includes electrically adjustable exterior mirrors, an onboard computer, front fog lamps and air conditioning. Safety equipment amounts to 3-point seat belts, curtain air bags for all seats, as well as belt force limiters. There are lots of smart optional features too, such as windscreen heating, a panoramic glass roof, heated front seats and rain sensors. And if you’re concerned about emissions, the good news is that the 2015 MINI continues to keep them down, with the Cooper D emitting just 95g/km whilst returning 78.5mpg.
Final Thoughts
When MINI cars first returned on our shores a few years back after an indefinite hiatus, a number of drivers were put off by their small, pert size which just couldn’t offer them what they wanted. In the end, they may have opted for a MINI Countryman, but that car just doesn’t offer them what a hatch can. And so it may be that the new 2015 MINI 5 door opens this brand up to a new audience who have otherwise been opting for a Focus or an Astra recently. It’s a car that is well built, looks good, and drives well.
If you want to get hold of the new MINI don’t hesitate to leave us a message on our contact page, or give us a call on 01903 538835 to find out more about our new Mini lease deals.
Andrew has been in the motor trade for over 20 years. What he enjoys most about his job is the team spirit and the dedication of his work colleagues. He also appreciates the teams input in the improvement of the company.
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