Mini Cooper S hatch 2017 new car review

The 2017 2-litre turbocharged Mini Cooper S hatch follows in the footsteps of the original car. It retains the fun-to-drive character with go-kart like handling and performance, as well as quick steering response and fast acceleration. Buyers looking for something that stands out and has a little more practicality than a normal sports car – but not as much as a normal hatch – will love this Mini. Need more than two seats? This is not the car for you.

The creator of the original Mini, Sir Alec Issigonis, wasn't keen on the idea of a performance version of his 1959 design, believing it would never sell. British formula one racing car maker John Cooper persuaded him otherwise, and the two set to work. The Mini Cooper was born in 1961, followed by the even sportier Mini Cooper S in 1963, which saw the small British car entering motorsport in circuit races as well as international rallies, notably winning the Monte Carlo Rally in 1967.

Unfortunately for the Mini Cooper S hatch, the longer external dimensions don’t translate into a roomier cabin. Space for the front occupants in the hatch is perfectly adequate and comfortable for people who are six-foot-plus, but sadly not so much for people squeezing into the two rear seats. The space inside the boot is also minimal at 211 litres.

Sensibly the quirky interior design touches are toned down in the latest Mini; the switchgear and toggle controls are more intuitively placed and easier to use. It’s a much better setup than in the previous two generations of Mini, even though it eschews tradition.

The easily used cruise control function activates immediately at the touch of a button on the remote steering wheel controls.

The traditional Mini centre speedometer is replaced in the F56 cars with a large screen for the infotainment display which includes vehicle information, audio, Bluetooth, and navigation functions. The speedometer has been moved into the instrument pods directly in the driver’s line of sight, which also house the rev counter, fuel gauge, and temperature gauge.

Underneath the clamshell bonnet is a 141kW 2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine allied to six-speed sports shift automatic transmission driving the two front wheels. There are three driving modes that are accessed by toggle switch at the base of the automatic transmission selector: Green, Comfort, and Sport.

Sport (for maximum go-kart feel according the display screen) is by far the most preferred mode as it tightens up the engine and steering response, adding some lovely snap, crackle, and pop when you lift off the accelerator for compression braking downhill and around corners. In this mode, the Cooper S hatch will sprint to 100km/h from standing still in 6.8 seconds but retain the frugal consumption of 5.5-litres per 100km.

There is a downside to this. While small, rear visibility can be difficult making paring a little harder than you would expect. A reversing camera is an option that we think is a must have.