2020 Mini Convertible Reviews

Sporting makes do dual-purpose hatches - daily drivers that can be unleashed on a track - in divergent ways, says Craig Duff.

Craig Duff road tests and reviews the Mini John Cooper Works at its Australian launch.

Owners of luxury European models and are up to four times as likely to be caught breaking the law compared to Japanese or Korean makes.Analysis of SAPOL and Transport Department figures shows Mercedes drivers are by far the worst in the state, recording 0.824 fines per vehicle in 2014/15.This compares to the least-fined of the large manufacturers, Isuzu with only 0.186 fines per car.Experts at a loss to explain the bias against luxury cars, and police have denied they give the drivers special treatment.Some of the more expensive vehicles are capable of extremely rapid accelerationIt is the first time the figures have become available because of a Weatherill Government reform called "open data", in which government departments are forced to release large amounts of information on their websites.RAA Senior Manager Road Safety, Charles Mountain said the nature of luxury cars, rather than driver behaviour may be to blame."Modern vehicles, particularly some of the more expensive vehicles are capable of extremely rapid acceleration and insulate the driver to such an extent that it may mask a driver's perception of speed," he said."Irrespective of the vehicle being driven, whether it be a luxury import or a reasonably priced runabout, it is important for their safety and that of other road users that they drive to the conditions and abide by the prevailing speed limits on the roads on which they are travelling."The type of vehicle doesn't determine if police take action, it is based on the nature of the offendingWhen asked a series of questions about the issue, SAPOL issued a one line response: "The type of vehicle doesn't determine if police take action, it is based on the nature of the offending".While Holden drivers amassed the most fines in 2014/15 with 72,847 there are 239,804 Holdens on the road.In comparison, Mercedes drivers were hit 13,157 times for only 15,959 registered vehicles.Only two non-luxury brands were in the top ten and six in the top 20 fined-per-registered-car for 2014/15.Other than Holden, which was the eighth most fined vehicle on the road, none of the large-volume, inexpensive makes is in the top 25 of most fined vehicles.There are some exceptions however, with the low-volume Dodge and Proton makes ranking second and third, Ferrari ranking thirty fourth and Jaguar thirty eighth.One of the cheapest vehicles on the road, the Chinese Great Wall is ranked highly at sixteenth.(Make - fines per car - total fines)1 Mercedes - 0.824 - 13,157 2 Dodge - 0.377 - 3183 Proton - 0.356 - 2684 Renault - 0.350 - 11495 Saab - 0.346 - 3886 Range Rover - 0.345 - 3517 Audi - 0.326 - 20748 Holden - 0.316 - 72,8479 Mini - 0.313 - 33110 Fiat - 0.309 - 31011 Daewoo - 0.305 - 147512 Jeep - 0.313 - 227013 Lexus - 0.293 - 95114 SsangYong - 0.289 - 21415 BMW - 0.284 - 503216 Great Wall - 0.284 - 290

Paul Gover reviews the Mini John Cooper Works at its international launch.

Not to labour the point too much, but many original Mini owners, their families and friends, while not exactly in their dotage, can be physically challenged getting into the back of a three-door hatchback.At the other end of the scale, young families with kids to accommodate in the rear seats face an awkward lift, especially with a squirming toddler or two. It makes sense, then, to ease both burdens by adding a couple of back doors.This Mini has done that with its latest hatchback, without subtracting from the things that have adhered the model to several generations of supporters. There are no compromises on Mini's distinctive looks, or trademark go-kart driving appeal.Mini Cooper 5-door, the second body variant of the new third-generation premium small car, is priced from $27,750, $3900 less than the previous generation three-door Mini Hatch.It comes powered by a choice of a 1.5-litre TwinPower Turbo petrol (Cooper) and diesel (Cooper D) engines and range-topping 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo petrol in the Cooper S. I sampled the top-of-the-list Cooper S.For lovers of the Mini, the exterior is sublime, with all the attributes they have come to appreciate – the planted stance with all four wheels at the corners, short overhangs front and back, and tapered rear window with roof-mounted spoiler making for agile handling.Up to the A-pillar, the 5-door is the same as its sibling, while the floating roof is retained, adding a D-pillar at the rear to take the extra length. Longer by 161mm and taller by 11mm, the increased wheelbase (72mm) adds 72mm more rear legroom, 15mm more headroom and 61 mm more width at elbow level compared to the three-door Mini.For all but the Mini's greatest fans the cabin can seem somewhat chaoticThe boot offers 288 litres of luggage space, 67 litres more than the three-door, while up to 941 litres of cargo can be accommodated with the 60:40 split rear seat backs folded.For all but the Mini's greatest fans the cabin can seem somewhat chaotic, with almost every form of instrument, dial, needle, switch, knob and screen scattered around the place. Then there is the ever-changing Blackpool-style illumination. I'm ambivalent about the whole thing.There are some positive moves, however. The speedo has been shifted from its traditional spot on the middle of the dashboard to directly in front of the driver, freeing up the old spot to display more information, including a range of interactive displays, depending on the model. Head-up display, Park Assist and reversing camera are on the Cooper S menu.All Mini 5-doors are well equipped with dynamic cruise control, electric windows and mirrors, automatic windscreen wipers and lights, audio system with USB and Auxiliary inputs, Bluetooth connectivity, interior LED ambient lights package and rear fog lights.The Cooper S adds automatic dual-zone climate control, Radio Mini Visual Boost with a 6.5-inch central display screen, Bluetooth with audio streaming, front fog lights and front armrest.Further gains include leather/cloth combination upholstery, front sports seats and Mini Navigation System. Along with the upgraded display screen comes the Mini Controller, based on BMW's iDrive system, to access infotainment, vehicle, communication and navigation.The 5-door Cooper S calls on a 141kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder TwinPower Turbo petrol engine mated with a standard six-speed manual gearbox speeding the car to a claimed 100km/h in 6.9 seconds. This is cut by 0.1 second with the optional Steptronic Sports Automatic transmission.Various modern technologies are called on to limit fuel consumption. These include engine stop/start, brake energy regeneration, weight savings and aerodynamic advantages.All Mini 5-door models feature high-end safety equipment, including six airbags, dynamic stability control, dynamic traction control with electronic differential lock control, ABS with brake assist, electronic brake force distribution and cornering brake control, and rear park distance control.A strong, rigid body with clearly defined deformation zones is designed to absorb impacts and ensure maximum occupant protection. Also featured is a partially active bonnet that, in the event of an accident, is raised to increase deformation space to help reduce the risk of injury to pedestrians.Needless to say, the Mini 5-door experience starts with getting seated, the added doors putting a smile on the face of many would-be occupants, although the Mini 5-door's claim to be a true five-seater would be drawing a long bow.Three in a row along the back would be an uncomfortably tight fit for shoulder space, while leg room depends heavily on the positioning of the front seats in relation to the occupants' height.Hanging two extra doors on its iconic hatchback can only add to the appeal of the MiniStandard in the Cooper S is the Mini Driving Modes system which varies the driving characteristics in a choice of three modes – Mid, Sport or Green – by means of a rotary switch positioned somewhat awkwardly on the centre console behind the gear shift lever.Reaching back the driver can engage Mid (also the default mode), which offers a middle-of-the-road driving experience balancing performance with fuel efficiency; Green increases the latter at the expense of performance through intelligent control of such things as air-con and use of the coasting mode in auto cars.Sport puts a spurt on through greater throttle, steering and auto transmission responsiveness. Take up of the optional Dynamic Damper Control has the car gaining added agility.On the motorway the Mini 5-door Cooper S came up with fuel consumption of 7.1L/100km; in the city this blew out to as much as 10.0L/100km.

One in four SUVs still lack rear view cameras – even though the technology is now standard on a $14,990 hatchback.

Mini's new Cooper John Cooper Works performance flagship will wear a $47,400 pricetag in manual guise when it arrives in local showrooms in third quarter.Powered by a 170kW/320Nm version of the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine used in the regular 141kW/280Nm Cooper S hatch, the JCW will also be available with a six-speed torque converter automatic gearbox priced from $49,950.The manual is $3000 cheaper than the previous R56 155kW 1.6-litre version, while the auto model is $2800 more affordable.The new JCW is quicker too, capable of hitting 100km/h in 6.3 seconds in manual guise or 6.1 seconds with the paddle-shift automatic (down from 6.5/6.7s).The JCW also gets upgraded bakes over the standard $36,950 Cooper S designed specifically for the hot hatch by Brembo.The suspension has also been retuned with stiffer springs and dampers for better handling, and the JCW features multi-mode adaptive dampers as standard.Other standard features include 18-inch JCW-specific alloys, reversing camera with front and rear parking sensors, selectable drive modes, satnav, head-up display, LED headlights and JCW sports seats and steering wheel.The range-topping hot hatch also brings a number of styling tweaks to give it a more aggressive appearance over the standard Cooper S.There’s a new front bumper incorporating additional cooling vents, revised rear bumper and a new roof spoiler.Fuel consumption over the previous JCW has also been reduced, with the new model boasting 6.7L/100km combined in manual form, while opting for the automatic sees that figure drop to 5.7L/100km.When it arrives in local showrooms later this year, the Mini JCW’s nearest rival will be the all-wheel drive 170kW Audi S1 which is priced from $49,900 but isn’t available with an automatic transmission.

Launched to an amazed world in 1959 the Mini became a huge success worldwide as well as in Australia, with it being built in Sydney for years. It faded from the 1980s onwards though some variants were still being made overseas till the year 2000. The British motor industry was in serious trouble for many years and

Peter Anderson road tests and reviews the Mini Cooper D 5-door with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

The top-end marques respond by pushing hard into what was mainstream brand territory only a few years ago.That's why the "big three" — Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz — posted better than 10 per cent growth last year in a market that dipped by 2 per cent.It's still a case of you get what you pay for, so CarsGuide has looked at the cheapest (as distinct from best value) entries in the major car segments.This is the cheapest way to buy membership to the prestige club, but it's a basic package. First impressions are good, with the distinctive shield grille helping the supermini stand out. Inside though, only the Alfa badge on the steering wheel hub gives any clue this is a product from a premium brand.Still, Alfas are all about the driving and for the money, there's a spirited 900cc turbo engine matched to suspension that's much improved from the previous series.It is a long way off the perfect prestige car but it is the best buyers can expect at this price point.{C}{C}A Giulietta is a lot closer to what we expect from Alfa than the MiTo, even if it's not the car Alfisti want. The Giulietta adds rear doors and a lot more flair in cabin styling and performance. If buyers can find the extra $6500, this is the Alfa to own... at least until the Giulia heralds the return of rear-wheel-drive Alfas when it launches later this year.The Giulietta's suspension is generally well sorted and the turbo 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine gives this five-door enough fizz to be a fun drive.For CarsGuide, this is the prestige entry point.Now we're cooking. The A3's interior finish looks as though it was assembled using a jeweller's loupe and the materials are a step up from that found in the VW Golf. The design inside and out is minimalist but classy.A turbo four-cylinder engine is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto and has the neat party trick of dropping two cylinders under light load to help achieve a claimed fuel use of 4.7L/100km.The handling compromise is spot-on: breezing over city bumps while still hanging tough through the twisty stuff.The entry level 3 Series is basically a price spoiler for CarsGuide's Car of the Year, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Potential owners could save $8000 (the difference between the 316i and the Benz C200) but will miss out on luxury items.Performance won't set the world on fire but the eight-speed auto makes the most of the available urge. It handles well through the corners and around town. A six-speed manual is available for the same price.The faux leather seats look the goods even if they're manually adjustable rather than electric. Standard gear includes dual-zone aircon, 6.5-inch display with satnav and rear parking sensors.The Leaping Cat pounced on the large car segment with the XF, which now trails only the Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series in sales. There's good reason for that — the 2.0-litre turbo engine is a willing performer, if a touch thirsty, and is backed by a smooth eight-speed auto.Slide into the leather and suede front seats and first-time occupants will be impressed by the party tricks. The rotary transmission control rises out of the centre console and the air vents swivel open.Rear space isn't superb, but the Jag exudes old-world style supplemented by modern technology.Not so long ago you'd have been a fool to consider a Lexus sports car. Now you'd be a fool not to. The RC350 has striking looks — though some won't appreciate the massive spindle grille — and the poise and performance to back it up. A 3.5-litre V6 powers the rear wheels and the 100km/h sprint time is 6.1 seconds despite its hefty 1740kg.A four-year warranty and resale value of 56 per cent after three years are worth noting too.Standard kit includes LED headlamps, satnav, 10-speaker audio and heated/ventilated seats.The poor man's prestige drop-top embodies fun, from the wind-in-the-hair sensation to a sensational handling package. The 1.6-litre engine is no rocket — there's a turbocharged Cooper S for more oomph — but it is a willing performer in partnership with a six-speed manual gearbox (auto adds $2350).Practicality isn't part of the package with minuscule boot space and rear seats that shouldn't be occupied by much more than shopping bags. There's also wind noise and tyre roar with the top up or down.Live with that and the Mini is relatively cheap and extraordinarily cheerful.No, it's not all-wheel drive, but neither are many of its rivals. The 149mm ride height gives the Countryman enough clearance to negotiate rutted roads without challenging the 170mm clearance of an Audi Q3. Neither will be used for off-road duties, so the elevated drive position is the selling point here, along with a big (by Mini standards) 350L boot.It shares its 1.6-litre engine with the Mini Cabrio and rides almost as well, with just a touch more body roll through the turns.The most compelling aspect is the price, which is $8000 less than an Audi Q3 and $14,000 below a BMW X1.The five-door model doesn't quite have the drop-dead looks of its three-door sibling but is a more functional car to live with — and it is $2500 cheaper. The diesels have the lowest prices in the range, as the petrol variant is positioned as the performance model.The 2.2-litre turbo diesel is matched to a six-speed manual, making this front-wheel drive a frugal vehicle to operate. Claimed fuel use is 5.0L/100km There's plenty to admire inside, from the partial leather seats to the soft-touch dash and elegant switch layout. The base model — dubbed eD4 — has a five-inch TFT multimedia screen and rear parking sensors but can't be had with a reversing camera or air vents for the back seat.There are still ways to get a touch of luxury, if not outright prestige, in the major segments.The big all-wheel-drive wagon sits 210mm clear of the road, giving it more than enough room to clamber over kerbs and ride roughshod over piles of snow at the local ski field.Backed by a 575L boot, it is a hugely capable getaway machine.The Volvo is all about cruising in comfort, so the intentionally cosseting ride comes at the expense of cornering ability.The base diesel engine has more than enough go but some expected gear — like a powered tailgate and satnav — require a dip into the extensive options list.