MINI Cooper S

MINI Cooper S Automatic

We've always regarded the MINI as a superb city car, thanks to its diminutive dimensions, excellent steering, peppy performance and trendy looks. But unless you were happy to go for the entry-level MINI One, which is available with a CVT, the lack of an automatic transmission has been glaring.

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Craig Cheetham

February 2005

We've always regarded the MINI as a superb city car, thanks to its diminutive dimensions, excellent steering, peppy performance and trendy looks. But unless you were happy to go for the entry-level MINI One, which is available with a CVT, the lack of an automatic transmission has been glaring.

However, MINI is now offering a six-speed auto as a ΂£1,050 option on the Cooper S - producing a town-friendly MINI that still manages to shine on the open road. So does the addition of the clutchless set-up take away some of the car's renowned driver appeal?

Certainly, it's not as smooth as the manual. The box has been tuned for performance, and tends to kick down into a lower ratio when you don't want it to, catching the supercharger at its peak power point and leading to jerky progress.

You can drive it manually, using the steering wheel-mounted paddles, and the changes are slick but less flexible than with the standard six-speeder. On the open road, then, the Cooper S Auto loses some of the manual's sense of fun, although it does still shine in terms of handling agility and steering responses.

Where it proves more appealing is in town, as the transmission is effortless to use, providing you accelerate smoothly and avoid forcing the box to kick down.

In this respect, MINI has widened the Cooper S's appeal, as the car is sure to be a hit among fashion-conscious city dwellers. But the manual is still the best bet for spirited driving.