UK Drive: The latest Mini now brings the added practicality of an extra two doors

The Mini is one of those cars that doesn’t get old, and ever since the BMW rebranding back in 2001, this little car has become the go-to choice for those wanting a small, fun and premium car.

The firm in recent years has made a strong commitment to going green, and now has a solid strategy in place for its future products including going all-electric by the end of the decade and producing more sustainable materials inside of its cars to reduce the company’s manufacturing carbon emissions.

The latest Mini was released this year, but now, to complete the set, the firm has introduced the new five-door version which brings the added benefit of two extra doors to make entry and exit out of the back easier.

This new model still keeps the latest car’s circular OLED infotainment screen, lots of different customisation options and now all Minis come with an automatic gearbox as standard with no manual option available – which is a rather bold move for the brand. But does that mean the Mini’s fun nature has been lost? We’ve been finding out.

There are two choices of engines and they are labelled as the C or the S.

We’re driving the more powerful Cooper S which utilises a 2.0-litre turbocharged-four-cylinder engine that develops 201bhp and 300Nm of torque. Its performance is impressive and gets the Mini from 0-60mph in 6.6 seconds and to a top speed of 150mph.

All Minis now come as standard with a seven-speed double-clutch automatic gearbox.

In very few words, it’s brilliant. Minis have always carried this cliche that they handle like go-karts, but it remains true for this new model. There’s loads of grip and you sit nice and low with all the controls perfectly weighted – with the exception of the very fat and large steering wheel.

There are several different driving modes, but our favourite is go-kart mode which turns the interior ambient lighting red, auto-blips the throttle and makes an already fun experience even more enjoyable.

Our test car is the more powerful Cooper S variant, which is rather brisk with its acceleration and outright performance. The engine note is also rather fruity and it’s one of those cars you don’t have to thrash to have fun.

The only irritations come from the rather harsh ride crashing over lots of the road’s uneven surfaces and there is quite a lot of wind and road noise that enters the cabin – but you can forgive the car for that for just being a real giggle out on the road.

Looks are always a subjective matter, and from the front, the five-door variant of Mini looks like any other three-door version. There are the round circular headlights and octagonal front grille, while the blacked-out front A-pillars and door-mounted wing mirrors also keep in tradition of the Mini design language.

At the back, the car utilises the firm’s Union Jack-styled rear tail lights, but it’s the side profile where things get a little different with the addition of two extra doors – which from any angle looks a bit like an afterthought. Our test car’s black roof and larger alloy wheels do make up for the styling, but the overall design of the Mini five-door looks a little bit confused and awkward from a lot of angles, with the car much better suited to the three-door setup.

Keeping with Mini’s sustainable future, the latest car utilises lots of recycled materials, one of which is the 2D knitted dashboard which is made from recycled polyester. The design also moves its way onto the door cards and there is a nice strap design on the dash and steering wheel spoke, too.

The large circular OLED screen looks modern and fresh but is a real pain to use on the move, with all the climate control buttons located on the screen, though you have got physical buttons for the front and rear demister as well as the volume control for the stereo.

Storage up front is not too bad with an average glovebox, two cup holders and a little knitted compartment in the centre console – which is perfect for storing sunglasses. Our test car also has the optional phone strap, so you can secure your mobile to the wireless charger – which is handy.

But, step in the back and things get a little too snug. The rear doors are small and don’t open that wide and space for rear occupants is rather tight with even average-sized adults struggling for head and leg room. The centre seat is rather made redundant by the transmission tunnel eating all of the legroom, too.

The Mini’s Achilles heel has always been its boot space and this latest model is still rather small in comparison to its rivals. With the rear seats up, space stands at just 275 litres or 925 litres with the back seats folded – which is way off the mark of something like an Audi A1, Peugeot 208 or even a Seat Ibiza.

As mentioned beforehand, you can get the Mini five-door in two different powertrains, but there are only three trim levels to choose from – Classic, Exclusive and Sport.

The range kickstarts at £24,050 for the entry-level car, but we’re driving the mid-level Exclusive trim which comes as standard with automatic climate control, LED front and rear lights as well as a rear-view camera. But, our test car has a few options fitted which takes the cost to nearly £34,000 which is rather pricey for a car in this segment.

Go for a flagship Sport model which adds sportier exterior and interior detailing and the costs can easily spiral towards the £40,000 bracket.

The Mini is a car you buy with your heart instead of your head. But, this latest five-door variant may just be the best of both worlds. If you can get past its controversial looks, rather tight rear passenger space and compact boot, it could be the ideal small car as the added ease of the extra two doors might make it more appealing.

The dear price tag and costly options might put other cars in the supermini category at an advantage over the Mini, but nothing drives as good as this, and for that reason, the Mini is in a class of its own.