Help - Unable to decide on the variant - Mini Hatch

[cardecisionhelp]

I am looking to get company car and am considering a Mini Hatch (would love the 2.0 Cooper S in Sport but unfortunately I cannot get it in the Sport trim with the Comfort and Nav Pack as it will get it out of range).

I think the Comfort and Navigation pack is a must. What are your thoughts? The plus packs would have been better but not allowed

Rear darkened windows allowed in all variants


So my options are as follows:

I cannot find SHADOW EDITION photos anywhere, please can someone help? - colour says Metallic - Midnight Black ll


HATCHBACK SPECIAL EDITION 1.5 COOPER SHADOW EDITION 5DR AUTO [COMFORT PACK] - Automatic - 1499cc


HATCHBACK SPECIAL EDITION 1.5 COOPER SHADOW EDITION 5DR AUTO [NAV PACK] - Automatic 1499cc


HATCHBACK SPECIAL EDITION 1.5 COOPER SHADOW EDITION 5DR [COMFORT/NAV PACK] - Manual - 1499cc
this option looks the best bang for buck


if SHADOW EDITIONS are not available from Mini anymore then

HATCHBACK 1.5 COOPER SPORT 5DR AUTO [COMFORT/NAV PACK]

HATCHBACK 1.5 COOPER EXCLUSIVE 5DR AUTO [COMFORT/NAV PACK] - Automatic 1499cc


Cooper S available but no packs can be added

HATCHBACK 2.0 COOPER S CLASSIC 5DR AUTO [COMFORT PACK] - Automatic - 1988cc

HATCHBACK 2.0 COOPER S SPORT 5DR - Manual - 1998cc

HATCHBACK 2.0 COOPER S EXCLUSIVE 5DR - Manual - 1988 cc



Any recommendations?

[a.foster3785]

I think for me it comes down to what the difference is between the various options.

I nearly admitted defeat after scouring then net for a Cooper S Sport and resorted to compromising with the Cooper Sport.

By complete luck and perseverance, a cancelled F56 3dr JCW popped up. Cheaper than quotes I’d had for the Cooper Sport and Cooper S Sport!

No brainer! Gets delivered on Monday!

I’ve not driven the 1.5 Cooper, but we have the F60 2.0 Cooper S Sport and what an engine, loved every minute of driving it over the last 3.5 years!

[E-bmw]

IIRC the S is for Sport, there isn't a Cooper S Sport, that would be a Cooper Sport Sport.

They are Cooper & Cooper S.

[Northloop]

E-bmw said:

IIRC the S is for Sport, there isn't a Cooper S Sport, that would be a Cooper Sport Sport.

They are Cooper & Cooper S.

They do a cooper S sport, a cooper S classic and a cooper s exclusive. And the same again in the cooper range (non S)

[resolve10]

I found Mini trim levles confusing at first but once we started looking into them for the OH's car they are actually quite straightforward. Difficult to recommend one without knowing your priorities but I can hopefully help you understand them better.

Engine
Cooper - 1.5 3-cylinder turbo 136bhp
Cooper S - 2.0 4-cylinder turbo 176bhp

The Cooper manual does around 45mpg around town, the Cooper S around 38mpg (from personal experience). They are very different in character, they both have good low down torque but the Cooper is almost diesel like in its power delivery, runs out of steam quite early. It also has overly long gearing which doesn't suit a Mini in my opinion. The Cooper S likes to be revved a bit more, but still has good torque. It's definitely the sportier of the two and more suited to a Mini, so it's the one I would go for personally.

Trim
Classic - base spec, basic seats and wheels
Sport - sportier wheels and bodywork, parking sensors etc - £3,000 uplift on classic
Exclusive - more wheel options, leather trim, parking sensors etc - £3,000 uplift on classic (same as Sport)

That's the gist of it, but whether you start with a Cooper or Cooper S also dictates some of the wheel & seat options available. With the Sport & Exclusive you are basically choosing between a body kit or leather seats, the rest of the upgrades over the Classic are pretty much the same. Note that Sport is just the trim level and makes no difference to the performance, a Cooper S Classic comes with the same drivetrain & performance as a Cooper S Sport, for example.

I would personally favour an Exclusive over a Sport as you spend more time on the inside as you do looking at the outside, and the Mini leather interiors are lovely and really make the car feel more premium than it is.

Option packs
Comfort pack - heated seats, climate control, armrest, comfort access - £900
Nav pack - £900

Bear in mind with the comfort pack the armrest can really get in the way of the handbrake if you're tall and sit far back! The heated seats are nice but not essential, ditto climate control. The OH had Comfort Pack on her old one and didn't spec it on her new one as she didn't think it was worth the money. The nav pack is even harder to justify now as Apple CarPlay is standard - if you have an iPhone you can get navigation from your phone and save yourself £900.

My personal recommendation would be a Cooper S Exclusive with no option packs. Another bonus is Engimatic Black, usually a £750 option, is a free paint colour on Exclusive models and it looks fantastic (basically BMW Carbon Black).

I can't find any reference to the Shadow Edition on Mini's website? I think it's a Countryman-only model.

[Mark-ri571]

Whichever variant be prepared for a long wait for a factory order. Folk who ordered the JCW in October are still waiting for a build date. Production dates keep slipping.

[Mark-ri571]

Whichever variant be prepared for a long wait for a factory order. Folk who ordered the JCW in October are still waiting for a build date. Production dates keep slipping.

[Mark-ri571]

Whichever variant be prepared for a long wait for a factory order. Folk who ordered the JCW in October are still waiting for a build date. Production dates keep slipping.

[a.foster3785]

E-bmw said:

IIRC the S is for Sport, there isn't a Cooper S Sport, that would be a Cooper Sport Sport.

They are Cooper & Cooper S.

Resolve saved me the job! Nice summary!!

The new trim levels were introduced late 2018. We ordered a F60 Cooper S Sport (Com/Nav) Auto and was the first car to come through our dealer with the new trim level.

[E-bmw]

Northloop said:

E-bmw said:

IIRC the S is for Sport, there isn't a Cooper S Sport, that would be a Cooper Sport Sport.

They are Cooper & Cooper S.

They do a cooper S sport, a cooper S classic and a cooper s exclusive. And the same again in the cooper range (non S)

I stand corrected, is that a trim level then?

[resolve10]

E-bmw said:

I stand corrected, is that a trim level then?

Yes Sport is a trim level, so confusingly you can get a Cooper Sport (1.5 engine) and a Cooper S Sport (2.0 engine). Best way to get your head around it is to forget that the 'S' refers to sporting credentials, even though that's historically what it did mean.

I would personally have called the trim levels Essence, Aero and Luxury. Much clearer what each one gives you, and still in keeping with the MINI brand.

[cardecisionhelp]

Many thanks all for your responses.


Mini's build start period is Feb 2023... For this reason I don't think I will go with Mini

BMW 1 series is August and Kia is August

Looks like either a BMW 1 series SE with full spec (comfort pack 1, heated steering wheel, parking assistant and sun glass) or a Kia Ceed or ProCeed GT-Line

inclined to go for BMW due to the customer service but will decide in couple weeks

[a.foster3785]

cardecisionhelp said:

Many thanks all for your responses.


Mini's build start period is Feb 2023... For this reason I don't think I will go with Mini

BMW 1 series is August and Kia is August

Looks like either a BMW 1 series SE with full spec (comfort pack 1, heated steering wheel, parking assistant and sun glass) or a Kia Ceed or ProCeed GT-Line

inclined to go for BMW due to the customer service but will decide in couple weeks

Keep in touch with local dealers and ask that they give you a heads up when any cancelled ordered become available.

We secured our cancelled order F56 JCW two weeks ago and it gets delivered on Tuesday.