MINI Cooper 5dr

FIRST UK DRIVE Latest version of more prapractical hatch hits Britain, and it’s a star

First UK drive of more practical British-built hatch

MINI’S Oxford plant is a British motor industry success story. A new car rolls off the production line every 67 seconds, with the brand exporting to more than 110 countries worldwide.

It means that the Bmw-owned MINI is prouder than ever to wear its British heritage on its sleeve, and to showcase this, every facelifted third-generation model gets a set of Union Flag tail-lights.

Regardless of what you think of these tweaks, we found the refreshed MINI a hugely appealing package during our first chance to it drive on sun-baked Spanish tarmac (Issue 1,517). Now the new car is back on home turf and we’ve tried it for the first time in five-door Cooper guise.

This more practical model has proven popular in dealerships since it was launched in 2014. Around 40 per cent of new MINI Hatch models are now five-door versions, indicative of a wider industry trend for more practical family hatchbacks. The Cooper is the bestselling variant in the range as well.

Changes for this year are largely cosmetic, although the fresh MINI does now boast standard-fit LED headlights (and optional Matrix units), updated infotainment with new connectivity and interaction features, revamped styling personalisation and a sevenspeed automatic gearbox option.

MINI says it has worked on the car’s engine as well. The Cooper’s threecylinder unit is now marginally lighter thanks to the use of carbon-fibre engine covers, while engineers have altered the ECU, cooling and exhaust systems in a bid to extract extra responsiveness and fun. To drive, it feels just as it did before, and that means the MINI is still one of the best-handling superminis on sale.

The steering feels pleasingly quick on twistier roads, and those climbing into a MINI from other small hatches may be surprised at how eager it is to turn with such little lock on the wheel. It’s not an ideal motorway set-up, but if go-kartlike handling is high on your list of priorities then it’s worth the trade-off.

The turbocharged engine is a strong all-rounder, but you’ll have to flick the car into Sport mode to coax out the more thrilling side of its character. It’s difficult to argue with its levels of performance and response, though, and the MINI

settles down nicely at higher speeds, too. Our test car was fitted with adaptive suspension, which firms things up in the Sport setting. But the ride is still slightly stiffer than in competitors at low speeds, even when the car is flicked into its most forgiving mode.

The cabin is largely the same as before, so the high-quality dash remains with its retro look and futuristic features. All cars have at least a 6.5-inch display, which can be upgraded to feature sat-nav or to a larger 8.8-inch touchscreen. It’s spun off from BMW’S idrive system, so it’s simple to operate and the quality is superb.

Given the extra space in the back, plus the bigger boot, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the five-door Cooper package would command a premium over similar rivals. Although options can send the price spiralling, our test car’s base cost is slightly cheaper than that of a five-door Ford Fiesta St-line 140. You’ll pay extra for your MINI on finance, but the basic Cooper is only around £10 per month more on a three-year PCP deal.