My Experience
Perhaps taking a cue from the producers of
The Matrix, MINI has decided to release a sequel right on the heels of their wildly-popular original. A convertible version is new for 2005, unusually close to the MINI's 2002 debut. This is a departure from the route taken by Volkswagen and Chrysler for their New Beetle and PT Cruiser models. Those automakers let several years pass between their cars' initial release and the appearance of a convertible version. Most likely, they planned on waiting until the intial "gotta-have-it" craze had begun to wane, only to revive interest with an open-top variant. Instead, public reaction seems to be similar to that of the new
Star Wars movies--by the time Episode II comes out, nobody cares anymore. The MINI ragtop is likely to do better, since the fad is still in full effect.
So it's trendy, no doubt. But does the MINI convertible have the mechanical merit to succeed, or, like the
Matrix sequels, will it lack the substance to please fans of the original? To find out, I test-drove a 2005 Cooper S Convertible at a local dealership. My test-drive covered mostly city streets, with some freeway driving and a brisk run along a winding frontage road. I also got to toss the MINI around in a huge, empty parking lot. All told, I was behind the wheel for about half an hour.
Performance
In my review of the hardtop MINI Cooper S, I found that the supercharged 1.6-liter engine wasn't the satisfying powerplant I'd hoped it would be. It moved the car briskly enough, but lacked the crispness and verve that I look for in a sporting car. This time around, it felt even less eager due to the convertible's portlier curb weight. Now, don't get me wrong--if you're buying this car for its looks, you'll probably find this engine more than adequate. But enthusiasts will be disappointed with its hesitant throttle tip-in, soft low-end response, and slow-revving nature.
It's not until 4000rpms that acceleration starts to pick up, and even then, it's not particularly forceful. Revving up through the midrange and into the high end was a strangely unexciting experience--I could see the speedometer needle spinning faster, but I never got that satisfying "push in the back" sensation. MINI claims the Cooper S convertible will do 0-60 in 7.4 seconds, but judging by my backside, I would have guessed something in the mid-eights.
By contrast, a Mazda Miata
actually does 0-60 in about 8 seconds, but feels much more responsive than the Cooper S. The Miata's lower horsepower ratings seem like a disadvantage on paper, but its hard-wired throttle response and sparkling midrange pull make it far more fun to drive. It's all about subjective impressions in little sportsters like these.
Finally, the MINI's engine disappoints in terms of refinement. I liked the dense, tough-sounding growl of the MINI's exhaust--especially with the top down--but there was no such music from under the hood. The engine's tenor snarl was overlaid with loud gnashing and whining noises, giving the soundtrack a rough, agricultural quality. Vibrations are nicely quelled, but this engine simply isn't loveable, and therefore out of character with the rest of the car.
Transmission/Clutch
The Cooper S convertible's six-speed shifter is the same as that in the coupe--which means it's a bit of a let-down. The ball-topped shifter looks sporty, and it has a tightly-spaced pattern, but its action needs improvement. Throws are longer than expected, and the lever feels sticky and wobbly as it notches through the gears. I suspect that part of the blame goes to that big chrome shift knob. It puts a lot of weight on top of the gearlever, and gives it an off-balance feel.
The MINI's clutch is far better than its shifter, with a fairly short throw and gentle take-up. Unfortunately, the hesitant throttle-tip in means smooth starts are still tricky. I found it easy to stumble off the line, and once on the move, the engine's slow decay of revs required a deliberate pause before letting the clutch out. On top of all this, the MINI's narrow footwell made it easy to snag my clutch foot on the other pedals while shifting.
Steering/Handling
The MINI's sparkling handling is dulled a bit in the convertible version, but it remains the car's best dynamic feature. As in the coupe, the convertible's overall handling feel isn't what you might expect--it's not light and tossable, but actually rather hefty and substantial. Still, its quick reflexes and tidy dimensions make it huge fun on challenging roads.
The MINI's steering is particularly satisfying. It's firm, hefty, and very quick--perhaps the quickest of any car I've driven. It also has a very strong return-to-center motion, so steady-state cornering requires a surprising amount of effort. But since lane changes are just a twitch of the wheel away, and corners are taken in short, precise flicks of the wrist, I think the stiff resistance is a good thing--it keeps the steering from feeling nervous. Complaints? Well, I noticed the convertible's helm has lost a bit of the regular MINI's sharpness. On-center feel is noticeably less precise, and there's more jittery kickback through the steering column over bumps.
The convertible's suspension has also been softened slightly, but it retains all of the coupe's delightful agility in routine driving. The MINI's tidy dimensions allow it to squeeze through tight spots with ease, and its quick reflexes let you dart around traffic like a slalom skier. Parallel parking? No problem. Just a whip of that quick-ratio wheel and you're in.
The MINI convertible is also a joy to drive quickly on twisty roads. There's almost zero pitch and roll, and the tires bite hard, too, giving the MINI glued-down grip and a surprisingly neutral attitude in corners. However, the convertible's chassis does give up an ounce or two of capability to its closed-roof brethren. The open MINI's higher curb weight and flexier structure make it feel fractionally less coordinated at the limit, and it's more easily flustered by bumpy turns. But the effect is subtle enough that most drivers won't notice the difference.
Ride
While the MINI convertible's handling differences aren't likely to register on most drivers' radars, the degredation in ride quality is harder to miss. MINI's designers specified softer springs for the convertible, presumably to reduce harshness and minimize scuttle shake. But the revisions weren't terribly successful--the ride is still harsh, and there's a lot more scuttle shake.
In fact, I found the convertible's ride even
less comfortable than the coupe's. I really dislike the sensation of a car's structure flexing, and the MINI convertible's shuddery reactions to rough pavement didn't sit well with me. In addition to these open-top quivers, the convertible exhibits the same stiff pitching, thumpy tires, and clunky steering kickback as the coupe version.
Noise levels are also just as high as the coupe's. I've already mentioned the thrashy growling of the engine, but there's also a fair amount of road rumble and wind noise with the top up. Of course, that's one huge advantage to driving a convertible. Just fold the roof down, and all that noise mixes with the breeze in your face to create a joyous sensory overload.
Interior
The MINI convertible's interior is perhaps the biggest let-down of the entire car--just like the coupe's. This being a BMW-designed product, I had high hopes for the interior's quality and attention to detail. And the first time I set foot in a MINI, it appeared my expectations would be borne out. Stylish retro dashboard, metallic trim, googly little round shapes everywhere--it looked like an asthete's dream. But the beauty only ran skin-deep in that car, and the convertible version is no different.
Materials quality is the biggest sore point. After you've run your hands over the padded dash top and grasped the thick, grippy steering wheel, the tactile enjoyment is over. Most other surfaces--the dash, door inserts, and console--are covered in hard, thin plastics that feel cheap and flimsy. The MINI's controls and switchgear suffer from the same lack of consistency. Some interfaces are heavy and clattery, while others feel loose and insubstantial. The column stalks, for example, operate with such brittle snaps that you think you've broken them. The center toggle switches are a nicer touch, but their vague labeling makes them difficult to use at a glance.
Come to think of it, nearly
all of the MINI's interfaces are difficult to use at a glance. The radio crowds lots of small, identical-looking buttons into a narrow band, and the optional automatic climate controls are borderline cryptic. There's a single indicator light to tell you when "the blinkers" are flashing--there's no indication of which direction it is. And while I've never really been bothered by center-mounted speedometers, the MINI's is notably inconvenient--it sits unusually low,
in the dashboard, and its thin-line retro markings make squinting a necessity. An optional Cockpit Chrono Package puts the speedometer back on the steering column--a worthy investment.
As in the coupe, driver comfort is about average in the MINI convertible. You sit low to the floor, and the "sport seats" are neither sporty nor particularly comfortable. The cushions feel somewhat flat and shapeless, and lateral support is lacking. Long-term comfort seems dubious, especially since there's no center armrest.
With the top folded down, the MINI feels surprisingly roomy. The cabin affords plenty of legroom, and as far as headroom goes, well, the sky's the limit. But it's a very different story with the top up. Suddenly, the MINI's cabin feels dark and closed-in. Forward visibility is fine--and fun, framed by the pinched, upright windshield--but rear visibility is not. The roof's rear pillars start right behind your ears, and extend all the way around the back of the car. The rear window is a narrow slit, most of which gets obstructed by the rear headrests and hooped rollbars. Before I drove this car, I thought it ludicrous that parking-assist sensors are offered as an option. By the time I got out, they sounded like a perfectly reasonable idea.
Practicality
In my review of the hardtop MINI, I said "the MINI has a rear seat--technically--but it's barely habitable." Well, it turns out rear passengers are even less welcome in the convertible version. A revised rear floorpan cuts legroom to an absolute minimum--at six feet, I couldn't physically fit--and the seatback has been angled bolt-upright to make room for the convertible top. Add the thinly-padded bottom cushion and knee-banging plastic front seatbacks, and the result is a rear seat that even small children will despise.
Trunk space has also taken a hit. In place of the hardtop MINI's rear hatch, the convertible's trunklid is a small fold-down panel, hinged at the bumper. The opening is too small for even grocery bags to slide through. Books, binders, and backpacks are the only feasible cargo.
The rear seatbacks still fold down, but tiny trunk opening means bulky items are a no-go. I suppose you could drop the top and heave them over the rear fender, but that's risking a hernia for you, and scratched paint for your MINI. Cabin storage is also minimal. There's a shallow map pocket in each door, and a small glovebox, but that's it. Cupholders are of the "12-ounce-soda-can" variety, unless you order a dealer-installed accessory unit that clips onto the dash.
Reliability
The MINI has racked up an unenviable record in Consumer Reports' reliability surveys. Past model years were rated Much Worse Than Average, with a modest improvement to Worse Than Average for 2004. This shouldn't come as a huge surprise. The MINI is built in England, and while the Brits are known for many wonderful talents, flawless automobile construction is not among them. Some condolence comes from the fact that MINI provides free maintenance for 3 years or 36,000 miles.
Overall
The MINI convertible is a real hot-and-cold affair. In the MINI's favor, I found it easy to be smitten by its nimble handling, affordable pricing, and unique personality. Character? It's got loads. I'm also enamored of its tidy dimensions and less-is-more attitude. Considering that most of our driving is solitary, more of us should probably be driving cars like the MINI. In fact, I drove a two-seater for a couple years, and you know, I never
once missed the ability to go off-road or tow a boat while commuting to school and work... oh.... uh, hey... how'd this soapbox get here? In any case, the MINI convertible certainly succeeded in charming my socks off and putting a smile on my face with its cute-as-a-button looks.
But the MINI Convertible has one big problem. Its first name is Mazda, and its last name is Miata. The Miata may not be the "hot item" that the MINI is, and it won't attract nearly as much attention. But if you care more about
driving than being looked at while driving, The Mazda will serve you far better. Its crisp, eager engine and rifle-bolt shifter are a joy to command, and its chassis is delightfully poised and intuitive. Reliability has been consistently excellent, too. The Miata only has two seats, but since the MINI's back seats are essentially useless, it's kind of a moot point.
Think you're
really going to need those back seats? There are a number of larger sedan-based alternatives out there--Chrysler Sebring, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Toyota Solara, and Volkswagen New Beetle--but with the exception of the Eclipse, these are all numb, floaty cars to drive. For stylish, four-person travel, a more compelling alternative might be the new PT Cruiser convertible. Like the Miata, the PT is no longer as "in" as the MINI, but it has much more back-seat space, a bigger trunk, and a better reliability record. And about that trendiness factor: the Miata and PT may not be in fashion now, but in five years, the MINI won't be either.
In my review of the hardtop MINI, I predicted that buyers who liked the styling would probably love the car, faults and all. This time, though, I'm not so sure. Most convertible buyers just want a cute, carefree set of wheels for leisurely, wind-in-the-hair drives. As such, these drivers might not be willing to put up with by the MINI's harsh ride, poor ergonomics, tiny trunk, and awful top-up visibility. This car has a lot of character, and almost as many flaws--
it'll take some getting used to. I imagine many buyers will take this car home in a fit of irrational passion, so make sure you shop the competition first. And enthusiasts... form a line here for the Miata.
Feel free to check out my reviews of some of the MINI Cooper S's competitors:
Honda Civic Si
Hyundai Tiburon GT V6
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Mercedes-Benz C230 Sports Coupe
Mitsubishi Eclipse GT
Scion tC
Toyota Celica GT-S
Volkswagen GTI 1.8T
Chrysler PT Cruiser and Volkswagen New Beetle reviews on the way...
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