MINI Cooper

You can blame MINI for the explosion in retro cars cluttering showrooms. It wasn’t the first mainstream model to take its inspiration from an old design – that honour falls to the VW Beetle – but it was the first to mix nostalgia with sales success.

It couldn’t be more different from the Citroen. While the DS3’s designers started with a blank canvas, the MINI takes cues from the Fifties’ original. It looks like nothing else, with its large, round lights, flat bonnet and chrome details. (Eagle-eyed readers will notice the model supplied for our pictures is a Cooper S, but the car we tested against the DS3 was the more closely matched Cooper.)

Video: watch CarBuyer's video review of the MINI Hatch

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MINI also revolutionised the accessory market by providing a huge array of add-ons. You can specify anything from larger wheels to Union Flag decals to make your car stand out.

The retro touches continue inside. Just like the original, there’s a round central speedo, and the eyeball-style air vents and rev counter continue the circular theme. Build quality is first rate.

There are other, less welcome hangovers from the past, though, as cabin space is limited. The two back seats are cramped, offering 50mm less legroom than in the Citroen. Boot space is restricted to 160 litres – a huge 125 litres down on the longer DS3. Our other gripe concerns the MINI’s spartan spec tally. Air-con is standard, but you’ll have to raid the options list for a leather steering wheel (£105), foglamps (£120) or trip computer (£105) – all of which feature on every DS3 variant.

The MINI isn’t the ideal choice for practicality and kit, then, but for driving thrills it’s in pole position. The 118bhp engine is a gem, and while it doesn’t give the performance of a genuine hot hatch, it’s smooth and willing. It lets you make the most of the alert chassis, responsive steering and strong brakes.

This is where the MINI trumps its rival, because the perfectly weighted controls and agile handling make it more involving to drive. The standard alloys provide good ride comfort, too, although the optional larger rims see this deteriorate alarmingly.

Unlike the DS3, the MINI has a six-speed gearbox, and it delivers slicker, shorter shifts than the Citroen. It means the engine is more relaxed at high cruising speeds – although the French model’s quieter cabin has the edge on long-distance refinement.

Even so, the cut-price tlc servicing deal and class-leading residual values make the MINI one of the most appealing cars to own on the market.

Details

Chart position: 1
WHY: The MINI continues to dominate the class, and has beaten everything from the Alfa Romeo MiTo to SEAT’s Ibiza in recent months. Can it make it a hat-trick of scalps?