2017 Mini Cooper S Convertible

Although changes for the 2017 version are minimal, prices for the Mini Cooper S Convertible start at $28,900. It is an excellent choice despite this price with its razor-sharp handling and iconic design. It competes against the Ford Mustang convertible, Mazda MX-5 Miata, and the BMW 2 Series convertible. Let’s see how the car performs in this ever-competitive segment in this in-depth review.

The Mini Cooper is split into two different body styles and several trim levels. There are also classifications based on engines. You get the base Cooper, and the Cooper S while the John Cooper Works edition is the highest performing variant of the Mini Cooper. However, the car being reviewed here is only the Cooper S version which is itself a very fast performer. This trim is the second most expensive one in the convertible line-up and comes loaded with features such as sport suspension, unique sports seats, LED headlights, cornering lights, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and so on. This is further split into three different trim levels. These are called Classic, Signature and Iconic. Prices start at $32,900 and go up to $39,400 without options.

Which trim should you buy?

When deciding which trim to buy, it is quite difficult because it is offered in a wide variety of trims. However, if you’ve narrowed down to the Cooper S variant, then you are only asked to choose between three trim levels. Among these three trims, we feel that the best pick is the Signature trim level. It is offered at a slight premium over the base trim at dollars and 35,900 and comes with excellent options such as head up display, 6.5 inches media display and a different type of seat upholstery. Like we have mentioned before, it is a very well-loaded trim but in terms of options Mini offers you a lot as well including larger wheels, heated seats, keyless entry and start, dual-zone automatic climate control, upgraded Harman Kardon stereo, and so on. We believe that the 8.8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay is a must-have and truly enhances the strengths of the car.

When it comes to the performance of the Mini Cooper S convertible, you quickly find out that this is a car that likes to punch above its weight. There is a 2 L turbocharged four-cylinder engine available in classic Mini fashion. Although it sounds dull on paper, it is an extremely lively unit that is set to take you buy storm. The car is front-wheel-drive by default and there are no other options in terms of the powertrain. And honestly, it does sacrilegious to think of the mini in any other way. It produces a power output of 189 hp and 207 pound-feet of torque.

The transmission is an eight-speed automatic gearbox by default and unlike the hardtop version, no manual transmission is offered with the convertible. Its acceleration is quite brisk because the engine is very peppy. This results in a 0 to 60 mph time of 6.5 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 16.2 seconds which is brisk for today’s standards. But what truly sets this car apart is its razor sharp handling and its road manners. It is extremely rewarding to drive and a totally easy to use in town.

In terms of performance, the Ford Mustang convertible is definitely a big bargain because it offers a lot. It offers a 310 hp engine and acceleration figure of five seconds to 60 mph for much less in terms of price. It is a significantly better-performing car in every single aspect. The BMW 2 Series is more expensive but it comes from the same group and is a very different car when you compare it with the Mini Cooper. The Mazda MX-5 is also known as one of the best drivers cars ever due to its light chassis and rear wheel drive layout. Overall, there is no wrong pick in the segment in terms of performance as you are served very different flavors of extremely engaging cars.

In the subcompact segment, all the cars are powerful, but they are all powered by a very fuel-efficient engines. The case of the Mini is similar as it offers 28 MPG in the city, 36 MPG on the highway, and 31 MPG combined which is an excellent figure for something that manages to keep you engaged in terms of driving. The fuel tank is considered tiny at just 11.6 gallons but in this car, it is good enough to give you a range of 302 miles inside the city and 394 miles on the highway.

The Mini fuel efficiency figures in this class and sets the benchmarks very easily. Its excellent figures are only seconded by the Mazda MX-5. The Ford Mustang offers you a large fuel tank of 15.5 gallons, but it’s fuel efficiency figures are much lower than what you find in the other cars. However, this combination still results in the Mustang having the highest range figures in this class. We are thoroughly impressed with the Mazda and the Mini because they have a very high range without even having a large tank.

Not only are that this car’s interiors iconic, they are also very high quality and built to much higher standards than the rest of the category. One can see that the material quality is extremely good and the fit and finish are excellent. One will find that the cargo capacity of this car is quite less even for a convertible and that the rear seats are not exactly spacious either. Ingress and egress can be a bit hard for tall individuals due to the modest proportions. It is not the most practical interiors you will find, but it is one of the most unforgettable ones in this category.

The seats are also excellent and supportive and the fabric is very plush. We can see that the premium the car commands over its competitors is justified to some extend over here. Seating is for four people but in reality, only the two people at the front feel ever be comfortable in this car. There are a good number of interior features inside the car that make it a nice experience overall. The dials are large and very readable.

The Ford Mustang offers very generous space in the front row and is one of the most spacious cars in this category as long as you don’t count the cramped rear seats. The Mazda does not even have a rear seat and this could be a problem for some people. We still feel that the BMW has the most practical interiors in this class and they are also very high-quality like the ones we see in the Mini. This category generally offers very nice convenience and safety features. Some standard features include:

• Tilt & telescopic multi-function leather steering wheel
• 6-way manual-folding front seats
• Leatherette & leather upholstery
• Ambient lighting
• Metallic-tone interior accents
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Push-button start
• Power soft-top

What’s there to keep you entertained?

Infotainment system in this car is not exactly its biggest strength. In fact it slightly lets it down. Mini equips it with a very basic infotainment system which is a big disappointment from the BMW group since they have excellent infotainment systems. The standard infotainment screen is a 6.5-inch touchscreen while an 8.8-inch touchscreen is available as an option. This upgrade is definitely recommended as the 8.8 inch system does make things a lot better. We also feel that the Harman Kardon sound system which comes as an option and the navigation system is another worthy upgrade. It is also quite sad that one has to go to the options list to even get Apple CarPlay. Overall, it can use a lot of upgrades here. Some features of the infotainment system include: 

• 6.5 & 8.8-inch infotainment display
• Optional Apple CarPlay
• 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Satellite radio
• Two additional USB ports

The Mini Cooper S convertible is truly stunning and is an icon in terms of the design. It is not exactly the purest design from the brand’s line-up as it has always been a brand that has specialized in hatchbacks. Even then, it is certainly a looker and is enough to turn heads wherever it goes. Its design has equal elements of retro and modern elements. There is a very playful and fun side to this car that you cannot find anywhere else. Although its category has some very beautiful cars, the Mini still stands out from the crowd.

Although it has grown in terms of size over the years, the Mini Cooper is still a very ‘mini’ car. The Mustang is the largest car in the segment but it only offers similar amounts of interior and cargo space as the BMW. This is definitely a very nice thing on the part of the German brand as it shows there are ergonomic and design superiority. However, Mazda has done a great job of keeping its car incredibly light and that the Miata only weighs 2453 pounds. Mazda’s very short wheelbase makes it very fun to drive and agile. Some standout features include:

• LED headlamps
• LED DRLs & taillights
• Power-folding exterior mirrors
• Chrome exhaust tips
• Black fender lip moldings
• Black grille with chrome surrounds
• Black headlamp bezels
• Black window trim
• 17-inch alloy wheels

British manufacturers have generally given a priority to safety and the Mini brand has always given due consideration for the same. In terms of NHTSA ratings, the Mini Cooper hardtop is rated with the four-star safety rating which is good but the organization has not tested the convertible version yet. The IIHS has also given good ratings to the hardtop version but the convertible has not been tested there as well. We cannot use the same results because the addition of a top does change things by a lot. Still, it comes with most of the advanced safety features available in the market today as standard features and hence is a very safe car. Some of the standout safety features include: 

• Front & Rear Parking Sensors
• Parallel parking Assist
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Forward Collision Warning
• Automatic Emergency Braking
• Rearview Camera

2017 Mini Cooper S Convertible Vs. 2017 Ford Mustang Convertible

One can very easily see that the Mustang convertible is a much better car in terms of performance and is also cheaper to buy. But however, cars like the Mini cannot be evaluated in terms of their numbers. However, anyone who is driven both the cars can agree that the driving experience of these two cars is entirely different and hence it depends on what kind of performance you really after. The Mini also offers much better fuel efficiency and this is a very easy car to drive inside tight cities. It also has better interior quality and while both are icons, they appeal to very different crowds.

2017 Mini Cooper S Convertible vs. 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata Convertible 

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is another way of interpreting the same goal of driving pleasure. However, it is the Mazda MX-5 that is often touted as the most fun to drive car because of its rear-wheel-drive configuration, affordable price, 50-50 weight balance, and light weight chassis. However, the Miata is a much less practical car due to its cramped interior space as well as its tiny boot space. Its interior material quality can also be improved by a lot when compared with the Mini.

2017 Mini Cooper S Convertible Vs. 2017 BMW 2-Series Convertible

The BMW 2 Series convertible is a corporate sibling of the Mini even though they do not share many parts. Again, it’s driving experience is much more similar to the Mustang than it is to the Mini. It is offered at a slight premium when compared with this car and is quite different as well. The BMW has always had excellent build quality as well and the rivals don’t exactly match up in terms of this aspect. It gives you a very practical and fun car for the price.

The 2017 Mini Cooper S convertible is a nice subcompact convertible that is fun, fast as that is iconic. The problem is that it appeals to a very niche crowd who understands the driving dynamics of a front-wheel-drive hot hatchback and is prepared to pay a premium to get that. However, it is not the most practical car around of the most spacious one you can find for the price. It has no pretensions of being any of this however and hence we feel that it is a great product. It is a very niche product that appeals to a very small number of buyers and they seem to be loving it.