The MINI is one of the most distinctive vehicles on the road. Whilst it's almost impossible to complete any journey without spotting a MINI driver, the shape and style NEVER gets old. Each MINI comes with its own personality - along with its driver!
Some of you may be looking at purchasing a MINI due to worries over the current pandemic and the advice around public transport, below are our 6 top reasons why the MINI hatch is a great car to consider.
1. Its size
The MINI Hatch comes in 3 and 5 door variations. Each model has customisable styles and packs to suit every desire and need you have.
The MINI 3-door Cooper Hatch has a top speed of 130mph and a 0-62mph of 8 seconds but most importantly, its compact size makes it the ideal city car. Its length is only 3.89 meters long by 1.93 meters wide (including wing mirrors) making it super easy to park, especially with the optional extra comfort plus pack which includes reversing camera and optional parking assist - but we will cover this later.
If you need a bit more room, the MINI 5-door Hatch is slightly longer at 4 meters long which provides an extra 50 litres of space whilst keeping the same iconic handling and design as the 3 door. Its Cooper engine has a top speed of 129mph and a 0-62mph of 8.3 seconds just 0.3 seconds shy of its 3 door sister model.
To help put things into perspective the average UK parking bay size is 4.8m long by 2.4m wide so with both hatch models you have plenty of wiggle room.
2. Fuel efficiency
The most commonly known engine variant is the ‘Cooper’ which is a 1.5-l 3-cylinder petrol engine producing 136hp in both models. You are looking at between 45.6 and 48.7mpg for the 3 door hatch and 44.8 to 47.9 mpg for the 5 door (combined).
The models also come in ‘One’ variants, it uses the same 1.5-l 3-cylinder petrol engine as the Cooper but produces slightly less horsepower at 102hp which means you can achieve between 47.9 and 49.6mpg for the 3 door and 47.1 to 48.7 mpg for the 5 door. The One models can be slightly cheaper on insurance due to the reduced power which is why they are popular amongst learner/new drivers and those who don’t usually rely on a car.
Of course if you want some more fun, you can upgrade further to the Cooper S. The engine changes from a 1.5-l 3 cylinder to a 2.0-l 4-cylinder petrol engine producing 192hp for both models, or take another step with the John Cooper Works 3 door hatch which produces a whopping 231hp and comes with its own styling perks.
3. Electric alternative
The 3 door hatch is also available as a fully electric alternative - the MINI Electric. We’ve already said why the MINI E is the best small electric car but we really mean it! You get all of the benefits of the 3 door hatch, but it's fully electric. Meaning there is no local CO2 output. It's also priced from just £24,900 making it one of the most affordable fully electric cars on the market.
The MINI Electric delivers up to 145 miles of range, and because most charges can happen when your car is at home after a long day at the office, keeping it topped up every day is easy. You can choose to plug in to any standard home stocket, or for more efficient charging you can install a ‘Wallbox’ which increases the AC power supply, allowing the MINI Electric to charge quicker. In just three hours, you can charge 80% of the battery, making top-ups easy. The cost per mile for the MINI Electric is just 4 pence!
Even better there is a £500 government grant towards installation of the Wallbox or BP Chargemaster available now, so it's the perfect time to do it! You also get a 8 years or 100,000 miles (whichever you reach first) of Battery warranty with the MINI Electric.
4. Technology
The 3 and 5 door hatch comes with a 6.5” Colour Infotainment Screen Intelligent as standard - upgrade to include the ‘Navigation Pack’ and get MINI Navigation and Apple CarPlay. Bluetooth connectivity is also standard but if that doesn’t hit the spot you also have access to hundreds of radio stations with the Digital Tuner.
Upgrade to the ‘The Navigation Plus Pack’ and gain an 8.8” high resolution full-colour display which offers split screen functionality allowing two activities to be visible in tandem to 3D navigation, satellite pics and the larger MINI touch controller.
The Comfort pack includes features such as front heated seats and rear parking sensors, upgrade this to the Comfort Plus pack and gain everything from the Comfort pack plus front parking sensors, rear view camera and folding exterior mirrors with anti-dazzle.
Also available to pick from is a heads up display, Harman/Kardon - Hi-Fi sound system, driving assistance which makes driving even safer and more comfortable and park assist which helps the driver during parallel parking, all the driver has to do is operate the accelerator and brake pedals and the system controls the steering wheel. No more embarrassing yourself trying to perform the perfect parallel park.
There really is an endless list of technology that can be packed into this small car.
5. Unrivalled customisation
Speaking of endless lists, there are thousands of options you can select throughout the build of your MINI and even after it's been built if you are going for an approved used MINI. ‘MINI Yours’ takes it to the extreme with custom MINI LED Door Projectors, MINI Dashboard Trim, MINI LED Door Entry Strips and MINI Side Scuttles Making your MINI totally unique. You can just about design any pattern with 3D printing technology and laser lettering even better, these customised parts installed at a MINI Centre for free.
Personalise your MINI with original MINI accessories such as mirror caps and black light surrounds - If it’s a genuine MINI accessory, your nearest Dick Lovett MINI centre can supply it. You can even spread the cost with interest free monthly payments when you spend over £250.
The MINI is truly the most customisable car on the market today.
6. The best owners
The one surprising feature of a MINI is the instant companionship you feel with fellow owners. It's not hard to find yourself part of a community on social media with MINI owners all around the world who organise rallies, charity drives and all sorts of different events. Be prepared to share your pride and joy every moment you get a chance. #savethewave.
The MINI 3 door hatch Cooper Classic is currently available at £195.84 per month with a £2,000 customer deposit and £500.45 Dick Lovett Contribution at 3.9% APR Finance. The 5 door Cooper Classic is available at £210.48 per month with a £2,000 customer deposit and £499.39 Dick Lovett Contribution at 3.9% APR Finance.
