New Mini Cooper S India review, test drive

What is it?

This is the sportier version of the already sporty standard car. The new Mini Cooper was launched in India last year in diesel guise but it’s the petrol S version we were waiting for and we have finally gotten our hands on it. Initially, only the three-door version will be available.

Based on the new UKL platform, the new Mini Cooper S is 98mm longer, 44mm wider and 7mm taller than the old car. The overall looks and stance of this car is unmistakably Mini. The large frowning grille, bug-eyed headlights and minimalist tail design is all typical Cooper, but now, with the larger dimensions, it looks more mature. Like the old car, the wheels are pushed to the new one’s extremities, leaving minimal overhangs. Also, the squat stance and low roof make the Cooper S look taut and racy even when standing still. But how will the neighbours know you bought the sportier Mini? It gets a different honeycomb grille with the S badge and the large sporty air intakes. At the rear, the large twin exhausts point to the extra horses under the hood.

On the inside, the changes are more ergonomics-related. The most noticeable is that the central speedo is gone. The new car has a more conventional speedo in front of the steering, with a rev counter and fuel gauge on either side. This is a significant improvement as they’re closer to your eyeline. Electric window switches and door lock toggles are now on the doorpad rather than low on the centre stack. The S version of the car gets additions like the black chequered finish on the dash and the chunky leather steering wheel. The front seats on this Cooper S are just fabulous. They are very supportive for sporty driving and at the same time, extremely comfortable on long runs. As before, the backseats are small and even the boot, while larger than earlier, still won’t swallow too much luggage.

The biggest change is under the bonnet. At present, with the downsizing of engines for better efficiency becoming the trend, the larger 2.0-litre petrol motor comes as a pleasant surprise. Displacing 1998cc, this twin-scroll turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine is 400cc bigger than the unit it replaces, and it is 7kg lighter than the old powerplant.