Looks Can Be Deceiving
Though the company claims that only the door handles and gas cap were carried over, most folks would be hard pressed to tell the new Mini from the old. In fact, it seems almost a of waste of good body stampings to have redesigned the car and have it come out looking almost exactly the same. But to many fans of the marque, the lack of changes is greeted with a sigh of relief.
 The redesigned second-generation Mini Cooper is 2.5 inches longer for 2007. |
From the rear, your odds of telling a new Mini from an old one are almost nil. Side-by-side you might notice the new car's broader taillights, but the difference is slight. There's not much difference in profile either, save for the aforementioned shorter windows and more bulbous nose.
Even up front, the changes are slight. Besides being more rounded--as though it was a balloon inflated to a slightly higher pressure--the Cooper's face is now marginally less cluttered. Previously, the lower third of the grille was carried in the bumper fascia, which also sported a separate round turn signal lamp and fog light on each side. Now the grille is one piece, with the lower section underlined by an indent at the top of the fascia. Turn-signal lenses are incorporated into the headlight housings, leaving room for larger fog light openings. A separate air intake remains at the bottom of the fascia, now dressed with the same chrome bar motif as the grille.
The Inside Scoop
Perhaps the easiest way to tell the new Mini from the old is to peer inside. The familiar large central speedometer and steering-column-mounted tachometer remain, but the speedo housing is larger and more pronounced, almost a caricature of its former self. Part of that is perhaps a functional necessity, as most audio controls and the audio/climate readouts are crowded into the housing along with the fuel and temperature gauges. (It's different with the optional navigation system; see below.) Where the dashtop formerly flowed in a hump over the speedometer, it's now flat, with the speedometer's prominent bezel protruding from the dash face. The overall effect is a bit overbearing and arguably less appealing, as though someone strapped a full-function Rolex to a child's wrist. Round air vents--also larger--reside in their usual places: flanking the speedometer and at the outer ends of the dash. Replacing a traditional ignition key is a small electronic transmitter that plugs into a dash slot, next to which is a large start/stop button. Wood dash trim is newly available to replace the Cooper's traditional painted accent panels.
According to Mini, a major goal of the interior redesign was to narrow the center stack, thus allowing lankier drivers more knee room. And that it does, though at some expense. Below the speedometer is a CD slot, below that the audio volume knob, and lower still--a bit inconveniently so--are the climate controls. Most notable here are the vertically oriented rotary knobs for adjusting fan and temperature settings, primarily because while saving lateral space, they're quite awkward and tedious to use. At the bottom are Mini's signature bank of toggle switches for power windows and locks, which while traditional and sporty, are hardly handy.
 Only the hatchback was redesigned for 2007. The Mini Cooper convertible carries over unchanged. |
Ordering the optional navigation system no longer moves the speedometer to a separate pod next to the tachometer on the steering column. Instead, the speedometer numbers and needle circle the outer edge of the central speedometer housing, inside of which resides the navigation screen. Audio controls--devoid of separate station buttons--are moved out of the speedo housing to flank the volume knob just below.
The Cooper's modest gain in overall length didn't affect the car's wheelbase, so interior room stays essentially the same. That means a smallish adult can squeeze into the rear seat behind another smallish adult, with "squeeze" being the operative word; knees will be grazing the front seatback and outside elbows will be pressed against a hard, uncomfortably-shaped panel. Taller front-seat occupants effectively render the Mini a two-passenger car.
 There's not much difference in the 2007 Mini Cooper's profile; the second-generation hatchback has shorter windows and a more bulbous nose. |
The Nuts and Bolts
While there's an old industry mantra about not redesigning and reengineering in the same year, Mini did just that. Though the chassis uses the familiar McPherson strut front suspension and central-arm independent rear suspension, some components--such as the rear suspension arms--are now made of aluminum for lighter weight. Steering switches from conventional hydraulic to electric power assist, which not only reduces fuel consumption, but also allows for assist that varies with speed--a lighter feel for parking, increased heft on the highway.
Vehicles ordered with the Sport option package include a Sport mode that stiffens the baseline steering effort. It also raises the shift points on vehicles equipped with the 6-speed automatic transmission, which remains optional on the S but replaces the formerly optional CVT on the base model. Standard on both versions is a 6-speed manual; base models formerly came with a 5-speed. When the optional antiskid system is added, manual-equipped cars come with Hill Assist, which holds the brakes for a couple of seconds when stopped on a hill so that the car won't roll backward while your right foot moves from the brake to the gas.
Underhood lies a redesigned 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. The version in the Base model gains fully variable valve timing that contributes to a slight power increase over the old engine: 118 hp vs. 115, and 114 lb-ft of torque vs. 111.
 From the rear, your odds of telling a new Mini from an old one are almost nil. |
Another benefit of the new engines is increased fuel economy. Base models are EPA rated at 32/40 mpg city/highway with manual transmission, 30/37 mpg with automatic--a substantial 4-5 mpg gain. S versions are rated at 29/36 mpg with manual, 27/34 mpg with automatic, up 2-4 mpg. Mini recommends premium fuel for both engines.
On the Road
Since its introduction in 2002, the Mini has been one of autodom's most entertaining cars to drive--and thankfully, remains so. However, those familiar with the original version might notice a slight improvement in ride comfort and an equally slight degradation in steering response. The Mini still feels like a go-kart, even if its former sharpness has been dulled just a bit. It still zips around corners with athletic agility and little body lean. It hops and jiggles over bumps, expansion joints, and rippled freeway pavement, but most aren't announced with quite the authority they used to be. Even in stiffly sprung--and performance tired--S form, the Mini is now a car most drivers could commute in every day without enduring undue punishment.
With just 118 horsepower from 1.6 liters, the base model is no rocket. Mini claims a 0-60 mph time of 8.5 seconds with manual transmission, a leisurely 9.7 with the 6-speed automatic. We've had no opportunity to time them ourselves, but those numbers seem about right. Manual-transmission versions are lively enough around town, but hills demand a downshift--as does any kind of highway passing. Automatics are slow from a stop to about 15 mph, at which point the rate of acceleration increases markedly. Stab the throttle at any steady speed and the transmission answers with a quick downshift for more power. While neither the manual nor automatic versions have any trouble keeping up with traffic, their full-throttle progress is more stately than exciting.
 Inside, the familiar large central speedometer and steering-column-mounted tachometer remain, but the speedo housing is larger and more pronounced. |
By any conventional measure, the Mini leaves a lot to be desired. The rear seat is virtually uninhabitable to humans, cargo room isn't as usable as it could be, and control layout, actuation, and labeling defy ergonomic logic. But most of those faults fall to the wayside after five minutes behind the wheel. Few cars are more entertaining to drive, and not just because of its go-kartlike reflexes. Items such as the steering wheel and shifter just feel right, the dash looks like a work of art, and the thin roof pillars give a wide-angle view of the world. Impressive fuel economy and Mini's strong resale value and warranty (the latter of which includes 3-year/36,000-mile free scheduled maintenance) make it a sound economic proposition as well.
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