Do you love all things Mini? We drive the newest family member, the Mini 5-door
Just a few months after the market launch of the new Mini, the British premium brand expands its model range with the addition of the Mini 5-door. A Mini with two extra doors!
When the press release of the 5-door Mini was released around June of this year, I was quite excited about this new variant. Not everyone was as excited, many feeling that yet another Mini being launched was now going overboard and bringing the brand from ‘a premium car’ to ‘just another car’ as one person had stated. This 5-door one would be the 7th variant that Mini has made available.
According to Mini, it’s the first time in the history of the brand that the hatch has been offered with two rear doors, making it a ‘refined version’ of the its three-door sibling. But is it really? Or is it an unnecessary addition to the now quite large Mini family? I was yet to find out.
Except for the added space and doors, the interior and specs are seemingly the same as the 3-door Mini that was launched earlier this year. Again, there are two engines with MiniTwinPower Turbo Technology to choose from. A 3-cylinder petrol engine with a peak output of a 100 kW is available for the Mini Cooper 5-door. 141 kW is the output of the 4-cylinder petrol engine in the Mini Cooper S 5 door. And again, the car is available in manual and automatic.
Of course, the fuel consumption and emissions are affected by the added weight and height of the car. With the new variant, the wheelbase is expanded by 72 millimetres and the body lengthened by 161 millimetres. At the rear of the MINI 5 door there are three seats, with the headroom increased by 15 millimetres as compared to the 3-door model, with interior width increased by 61 millimetres at elbow height. What is more, the luggage compartment space is 67 litres larger with a total of 278 litres. In the luggage department you can clearly see the change, as with the 3-door Mini, you can barely fit two overnight bags in the luggage compartment.
On the road, the 5-door Mini is stable and aggressive. The only difference is the impact of the added weight on the speed and maneuverability, but it’s not such a big difference after all. The most important thing is, it still drives like a Mini. With the Cooper S, you do feel every tiny bump and pothole on the road, but keep in mind that these cars were created with the ‘go-kart’ in mind. If that makes you feel uncomfortable, you can always opt for the Cooper.
The Mini 5-door has an unmistakably unique appearance, even when compared to the 3-door. And I must say, due to the car’s proportions as well as the typical brand styling I favour the appearance of the 5-door over all other Mini variants. The athletic stature of the new Mini 5-door is underscored by a striking sill line between the front and rear wheel arches. Meanwhile the character line below the side windows provides a downward thrust which directs attention to the large wheel apertures.
But, it’s not just the look of the car that gets me, the 5-door model provides greater freedom in terms of interior use. The minor changes in the spacial dynamic of the car has a big impact once you’re inside. Even though I drove the 3-door model a few months ago, climbing into the 5-door model there’s an apparent change and the interior is CLEARLY a lot roomier. You also avoid the squeezing, snugging and tugging when another person (usually the most flexible of all) need to get into the back seat of the car. Now, you can just open the door and climb inside.
I will say this Mini is BIGGER (which is obvious), but not necessarily BETTER. Rather more practical for certain types of people with certain needs when it comes to cars. Will it sell? Well, most definitely. Mini has established an indisputable brand. It is only a matter of time before we see the 5-doors racing around on the roads. What the Mini offers is personality.
With about a R20 000 price difference between the 3-door and the 5-door, it is up to you as the buyer if the extra space and practicality equals the extra spending:
Mini Cooper Hatch (manual)- R305 000
Mini Cooper Hatch (automatic) – R321 900
Mini Cooper S Hatch (manual) – R372 000
Mini Cooper S Hatch (automatic) – R388 900
As for Joburg – I can safely say, like the Mini, this city has been growing on me and is becoming a firm favourite.