Mini Cooper D 5-Door -- Road Test Review

The car carries the distinct Mini look with a cute looking front façade and a large front grille which gives a beaming impression where ever it goes. Running along the bottom of the car and the fenders is a black plastic cladding which adds to the appeal this car carries and the A, B and C pillars have a black high gloss finish while the roof matches the body colour. The roof slopes down at the rear and the boot curves to give the Mini Cooper D a very chic look. The taillights have been redesigned to look sportier and come with a chrome lining. The new Mini also comes with chrome exhaust tips and has a lot of other features which can be customised. The car comes with high performance tubeless tyres and 16 inch alloys which can also be upgraded to a 17 inch option. The new Mini Cooper D has LED DRLs and lots of chrome inserts to make this one of the sexiest hatchbacks to own. 

We took this 5-door Mini to the outskirts of the city for a test and it was probably the most fun I have ever had in any hatch. Throbbing at the heart of this Cooper’s machinery is a 1.5 L, 3-cylinder, V12, turbo charged diesel engine which produces 114bhp @ 4000rpm and 270Nm of torque @ 1750rpm. This car will go from 0-100kmph in 9.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 202kmph which is not bad at all. Yes, it’s not as quick as the Mini Cooper S (3-door) but it does have a much better average of 19.03kmpl in the city, if that sort of thing matters to you. The Mini Cooper D uses a 6-speed automatic which is as smooth as a sliding over ice. You also have the option of electronically controlled damping now and can choose between Sport, Mid and Green modes. Like all other Minis this one also handles quite like a go-kart, it rides close to the ground and has broad 205/45 R16 run flat tubeless tyres which provide some phenomenal grip on tarmac. The Mini Cooper D 5-door comes with a 44 litre fuel tank and a boot space of 278 litres.

On the inside the car is actually quite roomy, well at least for the front passengers. Mini says it’s a car meant for 5 people but it would get a bit cramped in the rear if you had 3 adults sitting. In terms of accessibility it’s better to have the two additional doors. The Mini Cooper D 5-door comes with BMW’s iDrive technology and the circular centre console is very easy to navigate through and operate. The car has a multifunction sport leather steering wheel as optional fitment. Mini has offered a variety of different optional packages for this car and has increased the extent of customization possible. Some handy features which this car has are glove box cooling, cruise control, voice control, climate control and air quality control. The car comes with a variety of safety features like ABS, driver and passenger airbags, brake assist, crash sensors, runflat indicator, dynamic stability control, cornering brake control, etc.

The new Mini Cooper D 5-door feels like one of the most practical and well thought out hatchbacks to ever be made. It does not have any un-necessary features and it has many different options for customisation. It still carries the typical Mini fit and finish along with a go-kart like drive. The interiors are exceptional with a well laid out multimedia system and ergonomic designs. The rear passenger doors are definitely an advantage and the space in the rear is decent by Indian standards. And like all good things in the world, you have got to pay for it. The car comes for Rs. 35,20,000 (ex-showroom Delhi).