2018 Mini Cooper

The 2018 MINI Cooper is available only in one trim and is priced at $21,600. There is an Oxford Edition available as well which demands a bit more premium for an even more striking styling via the paint scheme on offer. The standard features list in the Cooper is rather impressive and has almost everything one could ask in a car at this price point. The manufacturer also offers a lot of packages on offer as well which add in more upgrades and features to the list, while the Fully Loaded package adds everything under the umbrella. 

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If one wants to enjoy their daily drives and be strictly inside the city, the Cooper is the perfect combination. It has a lot of features and has all the amenities for the daily grind, while the Fully Loaded package adds all the missing pieces of the puzzle. If one wants to drive on the highway as well, the Cooper S will be a better choice due to the higher output that also reduces the vibrations inside the cabin. 

The 2018 MINI Cooper gets a rather small turbocharged 1.5L inline-3 under its hood which is rated at 134 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission that sends the power to the front wheels only. The engine might be small and might have a cylinder less than its rivals but the punchiness in the engine remains the main fun factor. It works perfectly in the city and the gearbox is super smooth in usage making the daily drives comfortable. 

As for the quickness of the inline-3, the Cooper can accelerate to 60 MPH in 7.4 seconds and can run the quarter-mile down in just 14.2 seconds. The top whack of this engine is limited to 125 MPH but individuals have touched 132 MPH on their speedos as well. 

The Volkswagen Beetle and the MINI Cooper get turbocharged mills for being punchier than their naturally aspirated counterparts, which makes them both equally quick when launched from a standstill. The Fiat 500X gets a small 1.4L mill that gets similar power to the Cooper, but has more torque. The Honda Civic remains the most powerful in the segment but, contrarily, is the slowest in the group. 

2018 MINI Cooper: Handling and Performance

The 2018 MINI Cooper’s USP lies in how nimble it feels while driving through a corner and on the road, in general. The engines are nippy and have torque available on the slightest tap of the throttle given the turbocharger inside the hood. It has a lively character and enjoys being chucked in a corner on a twisty road. The ride is comfortable with the suspension hitting the optimum point between soft and firm - a thing that keeps the car adequately soft in the city while also keeping it super stable in the corners. 

For the highways, the turbocharged inline-3 isn;t the best bet because it feels underpowered and the engine becomes pretty rough when driven constantly at highway speeds. The visibility from the cabin is good but the rear window is rather small and makes it difficult to get an idea of the blindspots. On the upside, the hatchback remains pretty smooth in the city and on the twisty road but the highways aren’t its cup of tea. 

2018 MINI Cooper: Braking

The 2018 MINI Cooper has rather strong brakes to bring it to a halt. The car is light and the brakes measure 11.6 inches at the front and 10.2 inches at the rear which are enough to give the Cooper a very impressive braking distance of just 111 feet, when braked from 60 MPH. This figure is the best in the segment and also compares to a lot of supercars these days. 

The MINI Cooper is one of the lightest cars in the segment and has pretty big rotors. The Civic is lighter than the MINI and takes a bit more distance to stop because of the smaller discs that it employs. The other two cars weigh more than the MINI but the braking on the Beetle is rather poor and takes a massive 140 feet to come to a halt!

The 2018 MINI Cooper has a rather small turbocharged three-cylinder mill under its hood which isn’t particularly powerful but does have pretty impressive fuel economy figures. The EPA estimates this mill to return 28 MPG in the city and 38 MPG on the highway for a combined 32 MPG from a rather small 11.6 gallon fuel tank. The numbers are good but since the tank is small, the range is restricted to 371 miles only when driven in mixed driving conditions. 

The MINI Cooper does have impressive fuel economy but the Honda one-ups the car, and provides even more when it comes to the EPA rating also has more range due to the bigger tank on offer. The Honda’s tank isn’t the biggest but it is the one which can go for the longest duration without being refuelled. 

The 2018 MINI Cooper is a funky car and the same characteristic is visible inside the carbon as well. The overall material quality is fantastic with the panels feeling solid without any creaks and noises. Everything inside has a very spherical theme with many areas being circle and having a premium feel to them. The door panels have a dark theme with a gloss black trim piece to add some texture to the overall design while the door handle and the speaker grille are circular. The armrest is a rubber-ish material but is rather hard to rest one’s arms on. 

The dashboard has soft-touch material on the top portion with a gloss black trim piece on the passenger side area that stretches to the middle of the dashboard. The AC vents have a slightly different shape than usual with a circular knob to adjust the venting. The glovebox is decently big and can hold the car’s documentation pretty easily. In the big circle in the middle, there are controls for the infotainment system as well as some radio controls. In the centre stack, there are classic toggle-type switches that have other controls as well. Down the centre, there’s a small cubby area with a couple of cup holders and an iDrive-type controller. 

The seating in the MINI is great. The front seats have a very strong support for holding the occupants in. The bolstering is strong and the overall though support is commendable for the price. The seating area has simulated leather, while the bolstering has cloth upholstery with a plaid design to it, completed with contrast stitching. There is thigh extension as well for additional comfort and support. Since the hatchback is a 3-door, you’ll have to pull the front seats forward to gain entry to the rear seats. The space in the rear isn’t as bad as one might picture. The feet can be placed without any difficulties but the shins will rub against the seat, making for a rather uncomfortable experience. 

The MINI, the Volkswagen, and the Fiat are derivatives of classic cars from the previous century and hence, can seat only four people inside. Talking of the space inside, the Beetle gets a very spacious front row while the 500X’s rear seats make a commendable choice for the occupants. The MINI’s cabin is huge as well but the shoulder room is a bit compromised in both the rows. The Honda Civic, though, takes the overall win for being the most spacious inside and also for having the biggest cargo area which is nearly 195% of what the MINI Cooper has on offer. 

Some of the most highlighting features of the MINI Cooper are:

• 60/40-split folding rear seatbacks
• Simulated leather upholstery
• Height-adjustable front seats
• Cooled glovebox
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Keyless ignition
• Optional dual-pane sunroof
• Optional keyless entry
• Optional sport seats
• Optional heated front seats

What’s there to keep you entertained in the 2018 MINI Cooper?

The 2018 MINI Cooper gets a 6.5-inch infotainment display which runs a modified version of BMW’s iDrive system and provides an experience tailored to the MINI. it sits inside the big circle in the middle of the dashboard. The overall interface is very smooth and fluidic and is controlled via a dial in the centre console. The lack of touchscreen does make it a bit difficult for one to use the system but once used to, the controller seems a better option. Some of the technological highlights in the Cooper include:

• 6.5-inch display screen
• Bluetooth
• HD radio
• Smartphone app integration
• USB port
• 12V outlet
• Six-speaker sound system
• Optional 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system

The 2018 MINI Cooper is a very striking vehicle with very distinctive looks that pay homage to the older Coopers from the yesteryears. The front has two huge circle headlights with a rather aggressive bumper design. The bumper gets the fog lights, a chrome-surrounded front grille, and front intakes for sucking in air to the engine. To the side, the Cooper gets distinctive 15-inch alloy wheels that suit the overall character of the car well. 

The wheels also have the fenders a bit extended to add to the visual treat while the door-mounted rear-view mirror adds to the nostalgia. The rear windows have a continuous design and seamlessly integrates into the rear windshield. The rear of the Cooper has distinctive looks as well, with Union Jack shaped LEDs inside the tail light and centre-mounted exhaust. 

The MINI Cooper is one of the lightest vehicles in its segment and has the most compact dimensions in the class. The short wheelbase also helps in maneuvering through the tight city traffic, while also making it a very lively car to drive on the twisty roads. The lower ground clearance also makes it stable around the corners while lowering the centre of gravity. The Honda Civic gets modern hatchback proportions and hence has the longest wheelbase in the segment. 

Some of the highlighting features of the MINI’s exterior are:

• 15-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights
• Fog lights
• Heated mirrors
• Rear-view camera
• Extended fenders
• LED tail lights
• Dual exhaust setup

The 2018 MINI Cooper is a BMW afterall, and as with all BMWs, the Cooper is also one of the safest cars to drive in. The small hatchback gets a decent set of safety features, which add on to the mandatory safety features already equipped in the list. The body has been made more resistant to impacts while the crumple zones in the car ensure the cabin is protected. Although the 2018 MINI Cooper hasn’t been crash tested yet, the 2016 Cooper gets a solid 4-star rating from the NHTSA. The 2018 Cooper does get “Good” rating from the IIHS in most of the parameters except the headlights, which are deemed to not be powerful enough. Some of the included safety features in the car include:

• Automatic headlights and wipers
• Rear-view camera
• Rear parking sensors
• Optional front parking sensors
• Optional automated parallel parking system

2018 MINI Cooper Vs. 2018 Volkswagen Beetle

Both the MINI Cooper and the VW Beetle are iconic vehicles and as such, both have separate following. The Cooper is more compact than the Beetle and the interior space isn’t much but the punchy engine and the near-perfect ride quality ensures it is the more driver-focussed option for the people. The interior is more posh and the car feels premium inside-out. The Beetle is a commendable choice for the nostalgic people as well but the turbocharged engine isn’t as lively as the MINI’s nor does the interior feel as upmarket. The Beetle, though, has a good range, a bigger cabin, and loads of cargo space as compared to the MINI. 

2018 MINI Cooper Vs. 2018 Fiat 500X

The Fiat 500X has a bigger engine than the MINI Cooper, but the power output is similar while making higher torque output. The 500X does have a more off-road friendly demeanour while the MINI Cooper is made more for the city and for the twisty roads. The Cooper brakes better and also has more fuel economy but the Fiat earns brownie points in cabin space and cargo space. It also has bigger proportions and a higher ground clearance to deal with the undulations and discrepancies on the road. 

2018 MINI Cooper Vs. 2018 Honda Civic

The Honda Civic is a typical hatchback with respective proportions and a spacious cabin. It follows traditional hatchback lines with a fuel-efficient engine, spacious rear seats, a big cargo area, and is also the lightest which helps in enthusiastic driving. The MINI Cooper adds the turbocharger to the mix which, in turn, adds the peppiness to the engine and the lower centre of gravity makes it very stable around the corners. As for the practicality, the MINI Cooper is of no match to the Civic but does pretty well for its intended audience. 

The 2018 MINI Cooper is a fun car to drive and enjoy on the twisty roads and is super nimble in the city as well. The seating is comfortable and can easily accommodate the people in the front, although the rear can be a bit of a squeeze. The interior technology is pretty good for the price while the cargo space is pretty low. The safety on the hatchback is top-notch with all the latest driver-assistance technology, ensuring a peace of mind while driving enthusiastically.