Insurance Group: 22
MPG: 53.3
CO2: 139
0-62 Mph: 8.4 secs
BHP: 143 BHP
Range: 469 miles
PROS: Strong performance and impressive improvements to the handling make this a really fun car to drive. It is also cheap to run.
CONS: This is not a cheap car to buy, and with a few optional extras it can start to get very expensive. Also, with very few changes made to the appearance, this car does not possess eye-catching good looks.
The 16 valve diesel engine in this model manages a top speed of 127mph and can take you from 0-62mph in 8.4 seconds. It sticks to the road much better than previous Minis and is great fun to drive in town or around winding roads, but you do not get a very substantial response from the throttle once the 6-speed automatic transmission gets into high gear.
1995cc in size, the upgraded engine has a power of 143bhp at 4000rpm, with a torque of 225lb-ft at 1750-2700rpm.
It is essentially very difficult to revamp the looks of such a classic and well-loved car, and this is evident in the design of the Hatch. The appearance of the Mini Cooper Hatch SD Auto is classic, but nothing to shout about. And once inside the cabin, whilst solid and well made, the interior is nothing special either.
It does come with DSC stability control, power steering, central locking, air bags, immobiliser and a sound system with MP3 connectivity, but be warned that you can end up paying substantially more than the list price for the wide range of additional options that are not included.
A Mini is never going to be a particularly practical car to drive. It feels cramped, and there is not a lot of storage space even compared to other superminis, with just 160-litres in the boot with the seats up (although that can be increased to 680-litres by putting the seats down).
However, if running costs are a big concern for you then the Hatch will certainly become more appealing. All of the Mini Hatchbacks have seen improvements in fuel efficiency and reduced emission, but these diesel models have seen the biggest improvements and the Cooper SD Auto is able to manage 53.3mpg with low emission of 139g/km, and comes under the 22E insurance group.
Whether this car is good value for money or not depends on how many miles you will do in it. The Hatch's list price of £20,070 is more expensive than that of many cars in its class, and probably reflects the fact that brand loyalty will be a stronger factor than competitive pricing in the sales for this car. Favourably, running costs are fairly low making it a sound investment for high-milage drivers.
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