2016 Mini Cooper S Convertible review

The two-door

Imbued with the latest Mini styling cues, the third-generation of the modern day Convertible boasts an instantly familiar but arguably more mature appearance than the model it replaces. It’s a much more confident looking car with an improved stance, especially on the optional 205/45 R17 tyres worn by our test car. 

Key exterior design elements include a busy looking front end with a large single-frame grille, heavily structured front bumper and distinctive oval headlamps. The new model also sports added structure within the front wheel arches, a more heavily raked windscreen, characteristic unadorned flanks, significantly larger tail lights and a wider boot with tailgate hinges at the bottom to provide a handy bench seat when opened.

Along with the more contemporary appearance, there’s also a newly developed fully-electric cloth hood, which opens in 18 seconds at speeds of up to 19mph. As before, the multi-layer structure folds and stows in an exposed position above the boot at the press of a button, heavily obscuring visibility to the rear when opened. With integral header rails, it also features a sliding function that allows you to semi-erect the roof when you don’t want the full alfresco experience.

Among the safety enhancements that compensate for the lack of a fixed roof are a reinforced windscreen frame, roll bars that extend from behind the rear seats when sensors detect a possible rollover, more substantial strut braces across the suspension towers front and rear and stiffing within the sills.  

The larger dimensions bring added versatility to the interior. Climb in and you discover an overall increase in space up front. It remains snug, but there’s noticeably more shoulder room and larger footwells than before. It’s in the rear, though, that the more significant increase in accommodation has taken place, the width of the rear seat having increased by 34mm and, crucially, there is now an added 36mm of leg room.

Luggage carrying capacity, never one of the Mini Convertible’s great strengths, has also increased by 35 litres to a larger-than-ever 215 litres with the roof in place and 160 litres with it lowered. As before, the rear seats receive standard split-folding backrests, but the inherent properties of the high-strength steel UKL platform, including a stiffer rear bulkhead, allow for an 8mm wider through-loading facility for easier stowage of longer items.

Given how aggressively it is marketed at the lifestyle set, you would be forgiven for not taking the Mini Convertible that seriously, but it is also a highly engaging car to drive in the right conditions.

The adoption of the larger turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder provides the Convertible Cooper S with an additional 9bhp and 20Nm, which hardly sounds like much until you drive it. Along with the subtle increase in overall power and torque, the new powerplant also provides a noticeable improvement in tractability and refinement over its predecessor, a smaller turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder unit.

Whether tooling around town or charging along deserted country roads, you’re aware of the increase in performance. There is enhanced response and urgency at low revs along with stronger flexibility and vigour through the mid-range.