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2005 Mini Cooper Compact Sports Coupe
Cheap thrills: Mini Cooper offers lots of fun and style for little dough
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New Car Review of the 2005 Mini Cooper Compact Sports Coupe
Base MSRP Range: $16,950-$24,900
Base Invoice Range: $15,255-$22,410
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MSRP As Tested: $16,449
Versions: Mini Cooper, Mini Cooper S
Vehicle Category: Compact Sports Coupe
Engine Location: Front Engine
Drive Wheels: Front-Wheel Drive .
Standard Engine: 1.6-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 16-valves, I-4,115 â€' horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 110 lb-ft torque at 4,500 rpm.
Optional Engine as Tested: 1.6-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 16-valves, Supercharged I-4, 168 â€' horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 155 lb-ft torque at 4,000 rpm.
Transmission: Five-speed manual, Six-speed automatic, Six-speed manual, CVT automatic (continuously variable automatic transmission) .
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): Five-speed manual 28/36, Six-speed manual 25/32, Six-speed automatic 23/32, CVT automatic26/34.
Standard Safety Features: Driver and passenger airbags, Inflatable side curtain airbags, Tire pressure monitoring system , Seat mounted side airbags, Dynamic stability control, Four-wheel anti-lock brake system, Brake assist.
Competition: Acura RSX, Mazda Miata, Scion tC, Volkswagen GTI, Volkswagen New Beetle.
When you think of cars with sticker prices under $17,000, you don't think of cars like this.
No, you think of cheap, ugly, fall-apart vehicles that lose value faster than betting on a three-legged racehorse.
You certainly don't think of precise German engineering and head-turning European style, but that's exactly what you get when you spend $17 grand on a Mini Cooper. Today, three years after it was introduced, it's still one of the most fun and stylish vehicles on the road.
The bargain-basement price just adds to its charm.
This cute Mini, as its name suggests, has the shortest length of any car for sale in America. It's the antithesis of the big, thirsty SUVs that crowd the nation's highways, yet it's not terribly impractical for a family of four.
While it may look tiny on the outside, the interior is surprisingly comfortable -- at least in the front seat, where there's enough shoulder, head and knee room for tall adults. The back seat is pretty cramped as expected, and cargo space is a total joke, but the back seats can be folded down to create a useful cavern for luggage and boxes. It can handle big loads of groceries so long as nobody sits in back.
Made in England by Germany's BMW, there's a lot to like about the Mini, starting with its unique, whimsical look. Its clean, other-worldly lines are almost reminiscent of Volkswagen's New Beetle, but the Mini has more of a squatty, boxy, blatantly European look that's designed to recall its famous British predecessor.
That quirky European style is carried into the cabin as well, as a Frisbee-sized speedometer is mounted in the center of the dash -- not behind the steering wheel -- and brushed aluminum trim gives it a premium look.
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