Mini Convertible Cooper S Auto 2dr Car Review - March 2012

The four cylinder petrol engine offers decent performance credentials for a car of this class and gives buyers the powerful engine they crave. The maximum power output of 184 bhp at 5500 rpm with torque figures of 177 lb-ft at 1600-5000 rpm handles city driving fairly well and a top speed of 137 mph can be achieved. Acceleration is also fast and the car takes 7.6 seconds to travel from 0-62 mph.

The handling of the car retains the high quality which Minis are known for and this makes it great fun to drive. Steering is responsive and firm, but never feels uncomfortable. The engine works fairly quietly to offer a comfortable and quiet cabin and even with the top down wind and road noise is not overly excessive thanks to great wind-blockers. Dashboard mounted heaters also help to keep occupants safe and warm when the top is down and provide a great interior environment.

The Mini, as you would expect, looks great. It is a stylish car that is very much in keeping with the Mini brand.

Standard equipment is largely the same as in the Convertible One model and includes power steering, central locking, stability control, air conditioning, electric door mirrors, electric front windows, rear parking sensors and an advanced stereo system with both CD and MP3 compatibility. Alloy wheels become an additional standard features but other options are only available for an extra charge.

A built-in sat nav is available for £1,345 whilst Bluetooth connectivity is priced at £295. The air conditioning can be upgraded to climate control for £235 with cruise control and a leather interior priced at £175 and £1,105 respectively. A metallic paint finish is also available on the exterior for an extra £340.

This four seater car offers ample space within the front but rear passengers will be a little cramped. The seats and steering column adjust but taller drivers may find that the seat doesn’t push back far enough for their liking.

Boot space is limited with just 125 litres available when the seats are all in place. Folding the rear seats down expands this to a practical 660 litres, but this will limit the practical use of this car somewhat.

The car comes with driver, passenger and front side airbags all as standard features. On top of this, the car also comes with an alarm and immobiliser already fitted as standard, so it does have strong security credentials.

The model comes with a three year warranty for unlimited miles too.

Priced at £21,590 this car is fairly expensive to buy considering its size and class and costs a fair amount more than others within the range.

Unfortunately, the additional power boost comes at the sacrifice of efficiency and the Cooper S model only achieves 42.8 mpg on a combined cycle. Whilst this is still fairly reasonable for its class it combines with higher carbon emissions, and therefore higher road tax costs, in turn decreasing the value for money. The car falls under insurance group 30 and road tax band G.