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Car Review

Mini Cooper review

Prices from
£22,825 - £36,125
810
Published: 22 Oct 2024
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Buying

What should I be paying?

With prices starting at £23,150 for a Cooper C and adding £4k for a Cooper S with another 50bhp, the Mini seems reasonable in our inflation-addled world, until you consider the option packs. More on those in a bit.

In terms of rivals, you’re looking at a few grand cheaper for a Fiat 500, Renault Clio and VW Polo, and a couple of hundred quid more for a Peugeot 208 and Audi A1. So which you choose depends on how premium you’re feeling, and how far you can stretch your budget. And whether you’ve got kids, realistically.

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Let’s circle back to those option packs, please…

Going from a Classic to an Exclusive adds £2,200 to the bottom line: Sport is another £1,300. So, a Cooper S Sport looks the part, but costs the wrong side of £30k.

Then you no longer have the ability to pick and choose what optional extras you want: everything’s grouped into packs called Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. Level 1 adds adaptive LED headlights, keyless entry, folding mirrors, heated seats, the vital HUD, the buggy wireless charging pad and an auto-dimming mirror, and comes as standard on all three trim levels in a Cooper S. Fine.

But adding 2 and 3 adds £2k and £4.5k respectively, to unlock goodies like a sunroof, upgraded hi-fi and electric seats. So it’s worryingly easy to turn a £24k Mini into a £34k one just by aiming for a few choice extras.

What’s peak Cooper?

We reckon you want the Cooper C for the 1.5 3cyl engine over the Cooper S’s 2.0 4cyl, then stick with Classic trim and be sparing with the options list to avoid going over £30k. The spoked alloys, Level 1 options pack and a funky colour (standard no cost option is silver) looks a good place to start.

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