MINI Cooper SD
MINI Cooper SD impresses on road, but there ’s more body roll than in hot petrol versions on track.
Seeing a MINI make it into our top 10 is no surprise; for a shock here you have to look under the bonnet. The new Cooper SD is the first diesel MINI billed as a genuine hot hatch.
It’s easy to understand the appeal, as the SD’s mix of 65.7mpg economy and torquey diesel performance makes it an enticing prospect. And the reality lives up to this promise.
Don’t be fooled by its modest power output of 141bhp, as the hot diesel develops 305Nm of torque, and when it comes to in-gear shove that’s what really matters. On the road, it makes for effortless overtaking pace and relaxed cruising; flex your right foot at seemingly any speed and the hatchback surges forwards on the wave of torque.
Find a sequence of bends and the SD shows the same appetite for corners as petrol models. Its lively character is barely diluted and you can adjust the angle of the car mid-bend using the throttle, just like in its petrol cousins. You also get the same snappy gearshift and responsive brakes we’ve come to expect. Only when you hit the track do holes in its dynamic repertoire emerge.
Committed cornering shows that there’s more body roll than in petrol MINIs and the diesel’s power delivery is neither as linear nor as satisfying as in the Cooper S or JCW.
The front tyres also surrender their grip earlier than you expect, as the nose begins to wash wide of your intended line. And they scrabble for grip exiting tight corners as they struggle to contain the dollop of torque that arrives with a sudden surge from only 1,750rpm.
For most buyers, the MINI’s track shortcomings will be of little consequence, though. Chances are its fuel-sipping thirst and low CO2 emissions of 114g/km will be what matters, as hot hatches don’t come with lower running costs than this.
Its diesel engine, pre-paid ‘tlc’ servicing package and brilliant resale values add up to a terrific everyday hot hatch.
Performance cars rarely make sound financial sense, but the Cooper SD does. If it provided a few more thrills along the way, it would have finished even higher up our leaderboard.
