As with all Minis, the entry point to the Roadster doesn’t come cheap, with a pre-options price of more than £19,000 that is perilously easy to add to with very little effort at all. In fact, some might suggest that a modern Mini without options is no Mini at all; certainly, it’ll be more difficult to resell one without a few desirable add-ons.
Still, for all the performance, this is a small car with a relatively efficient engine, so you should expect to better the fuel economy we averaged, which included a day’s hard use at our test track. Of course, if you desire greater efficiency from your Roadster, the lower-powered models will deliver. The Cooper delivers a claimed fuel consumption figure of nearly 50mpg (49.6) whilst the Cooper SD should deliver 62.8mpg. However, in our long-term experience of an SD hatch, a real world figure in the high 40s is probably more likely.
Residuals should be fine, too. This will be one of the slower-selling new Minis, so values should hold firm due to its scarcity on the used market in the months and years to come. The Roadster is predicted to retain a 14 percent advantage on showroom price over a Mazda MX-5 after three years.
Unlike with more humdrum Minis, we suppose it’s easier to justify the Roadster’s premium tag when you consider its natural rivals, like the MX-5, are equally or more highly priced specialist drop-tops.
