2016 MINI Cooper S Convertible: Another Reason to Hate Winter

We can certainly love winter for skiing, hockey and making snowmen. And what can be more relaxing than looking at a soft snowfall through the living room window, all bundled up in a blanket with our better half and a cup of hot chocolate?

On the other hand, we can hate winter for the cold, the electricity and heating bills and, of course, for having to step out every weekday morning and head for work, which includes scraping the snow off our car and being stuck in traffic.

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For a few years now, English brand MINI has been giving us another reason to wish winter would end as soon as possible.

The MINI Convertible, freshly redesigned for the 2016 model year, offers a slightly more spacious and comfortable cockpit, enhanced driving dynamics as well as new and entertaining features.

First of all, the car is a little bigger than the previous-generation model. It’s longer by 114 to 129 millimetres, depending on the version, larger by 44 mm and rides on a wheelbase stretched by 28 mm. We thus benefit from a more accommodating cockpit, the difference being noticeable without ruining the MINI experience of driving a small car. If we need more interior room, we can definitely check out the MINI Clubman.

Obviously, the car’s proportions have nothing to do with the original Mini, the tiny runabout created by Sir Alec Issigonis in the late ’50s, now part of automotive history for the simplicity of its conception, its inspiring drive and its ability to carry four passengers. The MINI brand is just reacting to the desires of the North-American market; people who seeked to downsize visit their dealerships and walk away empty handed because their cars were simply “not big enough.”

Two new powertrains are on offer, the same ones found in other of the brand’s recently redesigned products. The base Cooper Convertible receives a turbocharged, 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine that develops 134 horsepower and a generous 162 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, while a six-speed automatic is optional. For an engine with an uneven number of pistons, this one is surprisingly refined, gutsy and very efficient with a combined city/highway average of 7.2 L/100 km.

The Cooper S Convertible, which we tested, gets a turbocharged, 2.0-litre four-cylinder mill that punches out 189 hp as well as 207 lb.-ft. that peaks as soon as 1250 rpm. Thanks to an overboost function that briefly bumps torque up to 221 lb.-ft., the car can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds with the manual transmission. Our fuel economy averaged 8.8 L/100 km during the test; mid-grade fuel is required, super unleaded is recommended.

If we include the John Cooper Works Convertible, there are actually three powertrains to choose from. In this application, the 2.0-litre engine produces 228 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque.

The car may not be a rocket in a straight line, but its low-end torque provides surprisingly muscular launches, which make us laugh like ticklish kids. Like its hardtop sisters, the 2016 MINI Convertible’s handling is remarkable, with ultra-quick steering, a well-balanced chassis and great agility. We always feel like driving fast aboard the Cooper S, which is good or bad, depending on the mood of the local police force.

MINI’s trademark driving experience and joyful character are alive and well here, and the new generation of the car hasn’t lost its charm. The 2016 MINI Convertible allows us to enjoy summer as best we can, since its power-operated cloth top can be raised and lowered in about fifteen seconds, even while driving at speeds of up to 30 km/h. And at up to 120 km/h, we can even slide back the front portion of the top to create a sunroof.

MINI also created a timer integrated into the trip computer, aptly named Always Open, which calculates the number of minutes and hours that we drove with the top down. You know, so as to find out if the Convertible’s extra cost—$6,500 more than the MINI 3 Door—was worth it. If it rains all summer, it’s best not to use the timer and avoid a depression.

In the new generation of MINIs, some ergonomic elements that made these cars unique have disappeared. The huge speedometer that used to be lodged in the centre of the dash has been replaced by a small pod located in front of the driver. The power window toggle switches that were installed on the bottom part of the centre stack have been replaced by conventional rocker switches on the door panels.

However, the attractive and unique design of the cockpit remains. The big round dash display now houses the infotainment screen, either a standard 6.5-inch unit or an optional 8.8-inch affair that equipped our Cooper S Convertible tester. An optional lighting package includes a luminous ring around the screen, whose colour varies according to the drive mode chosen, acceleration forces, radio volume adjustment and phone calls coming in. A nice gadget.

The cockpit is pretty stylish and the quality of the materials used is better than in the previous-generation model. However, some surfaces are still covered with hard, rough plastic. As we mentioned before, space is adequate, at least up front, while in back, legroom is virtually non-existent. If we wish to travel with a full load of passengers in the 2016 MINI Convertible, front-seat occupants will have to move their seats forward, and everyone might end up being uncomfortable. And when we lower the top, it piles up above the car’s beltline instead of folding up in the trunk, which almost completely masks rearward visibility.

The 2016 MINI Convertible retails from $27,990 before freight and delivery charges, but the 2017 edition which is just hitting dealerships received a price hike of $500. The Cooper S starts at $32,240 ($32,740 for the 2017 model) and our test car included $10K worth of options. Ouch. At least the option packages aren’t very costly, so we can mix and match them to keep the price down.

At about $30,000, or less, there aren’t many convertibles offered on the Canadian market in order to enjoy summer to the fullest. There’s the Volkswagen Beetle Convertible, the Fiat 500c, the Ford Mustang Convertible, the Mazda MX-5 and the Fiat 124 Spider. Only the latter two are as fun to drive as the MINI.

In the end, the MINI Convertible possesses all the qualities to attract buyers with its unique style, addictive driving pleasure and festive playful character. All MINI has to do now is improve its reputation for initial quality, trailing at the bottom of the J.D. Power’s rankings for years. At least overall reliability seems to be on the upswing.