Mazda MX-5 vs Mini Cooper

What's the difference?

Ultimately, the design and tech changes to the ND MX-5 will be the biggest day-to-day advantages of the updated model, because the mechanical changes don’t make themselves hugely obvious on the road.

If you’re into track days, it’s still a satisfying car to hustle as fast as you can, but it’s at its most accessible on winding roads for weekend drives, where the new differential and track DSC mode won’t come into play as much.

But in a world where accessible sports cars are becoming a rarity, there’s only one rear-drive convertible with a sticker price appropriate for financial mortals, and it’s a pretty damn good thing that it’s the ND MX-5.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The new petrol Cooper range very gently evolves the upmarket Cool Britannia cliché BMW invented with the R50 back in 2001 and fostered with every iteration since.

More of the same, only slightly updated and just improved enough to justify trading the old one in. If this appeals to you, then go for it. This is the best petrol version yet. Probably.

But the Cooper’s real spark literally and metaphorically lies within the EV version.

Two very different Minis indeed.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

Alright, we’ve all seen ND MX-5s, you don’t need me to tell you about its proportions or explain its design elements to you in too much detail, so I’ll give you the headline changes.

At the front and rear are new pairs of LED head- and tail-lights, respectively… obviously, fitting into the spaces the old ones took up.

The DRLS and reverse lights have come off the bumpers for both, and are now part of the main lights at each end - no more DRLs in the front bumper, and the reverse lights have been replaced by reflectors.

There are new 17-inch wheel designs for the base and GT trim levels, too, and there’s a new colour - Aero Grey.

Inside, it’s a shame that the tan Nappa leather interior of the RF Black Roof can’t be had in a manual roadster, because it’s gorgeous, even though the inside still looks refined enough for a simple sports car in its base cloth trim.

You’ve got to hand it to BMW.

The new nose and triangular tail-light treatment on the 2013-vintage midsection look as if they were designed to all go together back in the day.

You could even mistake it for the previous Cooper EV, though side-by-side that’s less likely, since the latter ditches the upright windscreen for a more raked item, clamshell bonnet opening, horizontal bumper shutlines for shorter and more-angled ones, plastic wheel arch surrounds and pull-out door handles for flush units.

The wheels are further apart, the overhangs shorter and the lower-side surfacing broken up by an artful sheetmetal crease.

The overall length at 3876mm, width at 1744mm and height at 1432mm have increased by 55mm, 17mm and 18mm respectively over the old model, but the 2495mm wheelbase stays the same.

And that’s not all.

One thing Mazda has significantly changed for the ND is the multimedia screen, now a larger 8.8-inch touchscreen running Mazda’s updated software.

It brings the MX-5 up to date without sacrificing simplicity and makes it a little easier to use. The physical dial and buttons for controlling the screen also remain. The USB-C ports are also new.

Oh, and the MX-5 is the first Mazda model to get Connected Services, which is coming to other Mazda models eventually.

Connected Services allows owners to find, lock, and get alerts for their cars from a phone app, even letting them set curfews to notify them if the car is started during certain hours.

Aside from that, another small tweak is the simplified instrument cluster, which aims to be easier to read even when the roof is open and the sun is bright.

The cabin isn’t built to be plush, it’s built for ‘Jinba Ittai’, Mazda’s philosophy that applies most strongly to the MX-5 which means ‘horse and rider as one’.

And trust me, you feel one with the horse- er, car, when there’s not ample room to move. It’s not restrictive, but it’s cosy. 

Everything’s quite well-placed and it’s not busy with buttons or features in here though, it’s made for focusing on driving. 

One downside is the lack of storage, not even a glovebox, in front of the passenger, and the central storage spot under where your elbow sits is tiny, good for keeping the key fob snug though. Also, the cupholders are able to be removed or swapped between the space behind your elbow, or above the passenger footwell.

There’s also a small storage space between the seats behind where your elbow would sit, though it’s tricky to access while you’re driving.

Then there’s the boot, which is usable for a small amount of luggage at 130 litres in the Roadster and 127L in the RF hardtop.

Finally, as a huge positive, probably the biggest advantage of the ND over any other convertible is how easy it is to open and close the roof in the Roadster. You can do it single-handed, which is great if it starts raining and you’re at a traffic light or able to quickly pull over.

The RF hard-top has a switch that automatically opens and closes the roof section.

The previous Mini 3DR featured a messy and quite overbearing dashboard design from 2013 that’s aged about as well as Robin Thicke’s videos from that year.

In contrast, the new model's is far simpler and less protruding, dramatically boosting the sense of space and light.

That said, all four occupants still sit low, with an upright windscreen ahead and beside high window sills. There’s an oversized, circular screen in the middle of a pared-back dash and a neat row of toggle switches below. It’s still pure Mini in theme.

As before, there’s enough space for even the tallest people up front, reflecting the British icon’s German packaging, with plenty of head and legroom, as well as ample width. It’s only when you jump from the EV to the petrol Cooper that you realise this feels noticeably narrower.

All Coopers regardless of fuel share the 240mm (9.4-inch) central OLED display. It might seem like visual overload at first glance, with so much going on, but after a brief period of familiarisation, the touchscreen becomes a cinch to decipher and navigate. The colour-coded driving modes, pleasingly slick screen swipe action and ultra-crisp graphics are especially noteworthy.

Revel, too, in the twist engine starter and toggle gear selector actions, that also save space and are super natural to operate. This is button-lite dashboard de-cluttering done right.

As with the previous model, the Mini’s driving position has you sitting upright, but it’s comfortable enough on the S’ sports seats we sampled this on, and everything is within reach. There’s sufficient storage. The ambient mood lighting is fun. And kudos for the deployment of animal-free materials. In fact, the Cooper’s fresh textures are quite remarkable.

We’re less fond of the glass roof with no sunlight block; there are blind spots due to the thick side pillars; and some of the lower-placed plastics do not seem $60K’s worth in a supermini this expensive.

Rear-seat access isn’t graceful, with a narrow aperture to squeeze past and a slow-moving electric seat to wait for, but that should surprise nobody given this car’s size. There’s enough space for two adults and not much else really. It’s pretty basic back there.

And even further back, Mini quotes just 210 litres VDA of luggage capacity, rising to 725L with the twin backrests dropped.

Don’t forget, though, that no spare wheel exists. Just an ever-fiddly tyre repair kit.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the Cooper…

For the duration of the original BMC/BLMC/Leyland/Austin/Rover era, the Mini was often the cheapest new car around. We’re talking bare bones motoring here, for the people.

Obviously, BMW bothers with no such democratic notion today.

The new Cooper comes in two models differentiated by engine size – the C with a 115kW 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo and S with a 150kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo. Both are carryover units, and automatic only, sadly. 

Which helps explain why the base C Core starts from a steep $41,990 (all prices are before on-road costs). Much the same car cost $10K less just five years ago.

The Core includes climate control air-conditioning, an OLED circular touchscreen, a head-up display, a reverse camera, parking sensors, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, DAB+ digital radio, a smartphone charger, ambient lighting, a heated steering wheel, 17-inch alloy wheels and a basic cruise control set-up.

You’ll need to step up to the $44,990 Cooper C Classic for adaptive cruise control, a surround-view monitor, interior camera, 'augmented reality' satellite navigation, front seat warmers, seven rather than four colour choices, 18-inch alloys, a glass roof and more.

'Sun Protection Glazing' for the latter, along with a Harmon/Kardon premium audio system, John Cooper Works (JCW) sports seats with electric adjustment and memory, fancier interior materials and a broader palette of options are part of the Cooper C Flavoured package from $47,990. 

Meanwhile, the more-powerful Cooper S auto bypasses Core and kicks off with the Classic from $49,990, Favoured from $52,990 and the JCW Sport from $54,990.

The latter includes a JCW body/interior styling, steering wheel and stripes, along with adaptive suspension, paddle shifters and uprated brakes.

Going for the 5DR Cooper equivalents adds $2000 to the price.

All up, then, with drive-away pricing, the Cooper before options is priced between $47,000 and $63,000.

Obvious rivals are the Audi A1, Fiat/Abarth 500, Citroen C3 and even Suzuki Swift Sport, though alternatives with a retro bent and driver focus might also be in BMW’s crosshairs, including the Toyota GR86, Subaru BRZ, Mazda MX-5, Ford Mustang and Nissan Z.

Up front, you get one option: a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated four-pot. It makes 135kW and 205Nm, and it’s a delightful little thing, driving the rear wheels only - as it should.

It used to be that the smaller 1.5-litre engine was the more revvy, keen option, rest its soul, but Mazda updated the 2.0-litre to be more eager (and deliver more power) at high revs and basically made the little 1.5-litre redundant.

Anyway, you can have it with a six-speed manual in any variant, or a six-speed automatic in GT guise if you find manual gearboxes difficult or a hassle.

Compared to the previous model, the new one brings more performance to the table.

The Cooper C uses BMW’s 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine, and pumps out 115kW of power at 6500rpm and 230Nm of torque from 1500rpm to 4600rpm. Previously it was 100kW and 220kW.

With a power-to-weight ratio of 91.3kW per tonne, it’s enough for a zero to 100km/h time of 7.7 seconds (previously 8.1s), on the way to a 225km/h top speed.

Mounted transversely, it drives the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT).

It’s still difficult to imagine Mini buyers not outraged by the manual’s disappearance. But don’t worry. There’s always the Suzuki Swift.

Stepping up to the Cooper S, you’ll find a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol unit delivering a useful 150kW at 6500rpm and 300Nm between 1450rpm and 4500rpm. It was 141kW/280Nm in the old version.

Boasting 117kW/tonne, this one needs just 6.6s to 100km/h and can achieve a 242km/h V-max.

Now known as the FAAR platform, it is an evolution of BMW’s UKL (Untere Klasse, German for ‘lower class’) modular architecture that debuted in the previous model.

Suspension is via MacPherson-style struts up front and a multi-link independent rear end.

Mazda says the MX-5 uses 6.8L/100km as a manual Roadster, or 7.0L/100km with an automatic gearbox. Or, in the heavier RF 6.9L for a manual and 7.2L for auto.

Not great for a tiny car like this, but pretty good for a sports car!

It’s got a 45-litre fuel tank, takes premium 95 RON or higher, and while it should hypothetically be able to travel more than 600km with its on-paper claims, expect fuel use to sit closer to 8.0L/100km if you’re driving it anything like it deserves.

The new Coopers enjoy a drink more than before. By almost half a litre per 100km more, in fact.

Rated at Euro6 and running on 95 RON premium unleaded petrol, the Cooper C averages 6.0L/100km (F56: 5.6), while the more-powerful Cooper S ups that to 6.3L/100km (F56: 5.8).

In terms of carbon dioxide emissions averages, this translates to 137 and 145 grams per kilometre, respectively. With a 44L fuel tank, the potential range-average is up to around 730km.

It feels like every motoring journo under the sun (literally if the roof is off) owns or has owned an MX-5 of some sort.

And the first time you drive one, you might understand why. 

If you spend your days testing and driving a bunch of different cars that aim to be many things at once, it’s refreshing to drive something that aims to be one: fun.

That’s it, the MX-5 feels like it was built to be fun. Not for convenience, not for power, certainly not for the school run.

And fortunately its simplicity remains with this update. All Mazda has done to change the way it drives is attempt to improve the rear limited-slip differential and improve the steering a little by reducing friction in the rack, as well as improve throttle response.

Has any of that changed the way it feels to drive on-road? No, not massively, but the ND was already such a delight that Mazda could have kept this update to purely design and interior tech changes and it would have still been one of the best-value buys around in terms of fun.

The MX-5 still feels relatively softly sprung while still being a dynamic and communicative sports car that’s engaging to drive even at low speeds, and rewarding (or frustrating) to drive fast.

On tight, winding roads, the MX-5 is at home, its soft suspension keeps you humble with its shifting weight and its relatively meagre outputs keep your licence safe.

In fact, despite being slightly compromised as a daily drive, the MX-5 is still plenty of fun even in traffic, there’s something about the satisfying click as the shifter slips into gear, or the little rev matches heading back down through the cogs when approaching a red light.

The 2.0-litre four-pot is a keen unit, and the six-speed manual is light and easy to work with, plus its steering is light without sacrificing road surface feedback - that feedback can quickly turn into cabin noise on a coarse highway which could become a little irritating on a long trip.

But the MX-5 can still be plenty of fun on track, where you’re more likely to get the most out of its new limited-slip differential and Track DSC mode.

It’s equally frustrating and satisfying to hustle the MX-5 around the East Circuit at The Bend in South Australia, where the track is twisty, busy, and unforgiving. Get it wrong, and the MX-5 lurches or slides to let you know you’ve made an error. 

Get it right, however, and the little roadster glides through the corners, camber changes and even over apex kerbs smoothly and carrying impressive speed.

Plus, the electronic assistance won’t usually kick-in until you really need it, a welcome change from cars that are constantly trying to keep you from having fun behind the wheel.

So far, similarities in design, packaging, dashboard presentation and suspension layout suggest that the electric Cooper and petrol Cooper would be like fraternal twins from behind the wheel.

But in reality, the petrol-powered Mini feels much the same as the previous model, whilst the EV is more akin to what we secretly wish the fantasy Tesla Model 1 would be like. From the future.

Now, we never had a chance to drive the Cooper C, but the closely-related (though larger and heavier) Countryman C sibling – complete with the same powertrain – proved to be a willing and feisty performer once on the go, after what seemed like protracted turbo and DCT lag.

Why the hell can’t Mini just offer manuals again?

The Cooper S, meanwhile, completely lived up to brand expectations, with the familiar, revvy snarl of BMW’s sophisticated 2.0-litre four-pot turbo providing punchy of throttle response and effortless cruising capability, though there’s still some initial acceleration hesitation.

Thankfully, the Mini’s steering is always alert, offering precision and agility by the bucketful, backed up a chassis that seems permanently glued to the road – even in the wet and wintry conditions we had to endure.

Yet, other than a ride quality that seemed better than any previous-gen Mini we’ve ever encountered and so genuinely surprised us, the Cooper S seemed a little… stale compared to the glorious SE EV we had just (reluctantly) surrendered.

A bit like having a favourite dish as leftovers for two nights in a row, it felt a bit passé in 2024, even when surrounded by that dazzling OLED dash and glitzy ambient lighting.

In every important metric – performance, handling, roadholding, ride quality, packaging and (particularly) refinement – the battery-powered Cooper is the more vibrant and alive option. And truer to the vision of the original’s creator, Alec Issigonis, as a result.

There are no crash-test ratings for the 2024 Cooper at the time of publishing.

The previous F56 managed four out of five stars with ANCAP. 

On the driver-assist tech front are AEB, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert with braking, rear-collision prevention, driver-attention monitor, tyre-pressure monitor, auto high beams and an exit warning.

However, at the time of publishing, no AEB operating parameter data was available.

Other safety features include adaptive cruise control with automatic speed-limit assistance from Classic-grade and up, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability and traction controls and nine airbags (front/side/head and interaction centre-front airbags).

A pair of child seat tether latches and twin ISOFIX latches are fitted within the rear seats.

Mazda’s five-year, unlimited km warranty covers the MX-5, including five years of roadside assist.

Servicing costs are pre-set, with intervals every 12 months or 15,000km up to seven years or 105,000km. They cost between $447 and $638, averaging out at about $544 each.

Like all Minis, the Cooper comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and five years of roadside assistance.

There are no set service intervals, as the car’s onboard computer will alert the driver based on condition and wear/tear. That said, we recommend going every 12 months or 10,000km, just to be on the safe side.

Mini also promotes several prepaid service plans on its Australian website. According to BMW, “… both new and used Mini owners can upgrade to a MINI Service Inclusive plan for 5-years/80,000km (whichever comes first).”