New engine and more personalisation
Hatchback and drop-top get a new entry-level engine, as well as more standard equipment and personalisation options On sale March Price from £15,000 (est)
MINI’S HATCHBACK IS one of our favourite small cars, and while we recommend rivals such as the Seat Ibiza and Volkswagen Polo in most cases, there’s still plenty to love about this stylish hatchback and its convertible sibling. It’s proved a popular choice with British buyers, too, with more than 47,500 cars sold last year.
Since the Mini trades so heavily on its looks, only subtle changes have been made to differentiate this facelifted model. Most obvious are the new standard LED lights at the front and rear.adaptive headlights – which automatically adjust their brightness depending on road conditions and dip when an oncoming car is detected – are on the options list for the rst time.
The refreshed Mini comes in three new colours, plus there’s a wider range of design options for owners to personalise their cars. This includes the ability to design your own exterior and interior trim inlays with text or simple images that are then 3D-printed and tted to the car.
Most of the Mini’s current engine options have been carried over for the hatchback, with the exception of the Mini One’s 1.2-litre petrol, which has been replaced with a new three-cylinder 1.5.This entry-level Mini has 101bhp and can get from 0-62mph in 10.1sec. It’s also the most ef cient option in the line-up, returning an of cial average of 57.6mpg, with CO2 emissions of as low as 111g/km.
Elsewhere, there’s the existing 1.5 and 2.0 petrol engines in the Cooper and Cooper S respectively. With 228bhp, the range-topping three-door John Cooper Works can cover the 0-62mph sprint in 6.3sec. In the Mini Convertible, the engine line-up is slimmed down to the Cooper and Cooper S petrol variants, plus the John Cooper Works. All Minis come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, while a new seven-speed dualclutch automatic is offered on most models.
Standard equipment on the hatchback and convertible ranges now includes steering wheel-mounted controls and an updated 6.5in colour infotainment screen with Bluetooth.
Mini’s popular Pepper and Chili option packs also get extra kit, with the Pepper Pack featuring 15in alloy wheels, automatic headlights, climate control and rear parking sensors.the Chili Pack, meanwhile, brings 17in alloys, part-leather upholstery, a sports steering wheel and a new Sport driving mode.
With current prices starting from £14,460 and £15,520 respectively, the Mini 3dr and 5dr hatchbacks are competitively priced against rivals such as the Polo and Audi A1 – but don’t expect to haggle the kind of discounts you can get on those cars. The Mini Convertible is more expensive than its closest rivals but holds onto its value very well.
In all three cases, prices for these updated models are likely to increase by a small amount.we’d expect to see a starting price of close to £15,000 for the three-door, rising to around £16,000 for the ve-door and just short of £20,000 for the convertible.