The Review

With all the hype surrounding the Minis in the upper echelons of the range it’s easy to forget about the Mini One Stratford, the 1.6-litre entry-level Stratford model exclusive to the singapore market. This is a shame, for in pure driving terms it’s possible to have just as much fun in the unassuming base model as it is in those costing half as much again. In fact, i reckon the $114,000 One Stratford gives the $131,000 Cooper a real run for its money. Even though the power on paper is a pathetic 94 bhp, the sluggishness expected was never present when driving it around on our singapore roads. With its 6 speed automatic gearbox, i have never found myself in a situation whereby im complaining about me needing more power. The ride of the car is extremely well cushioned thanks to the absence of runflats and low profile tires found in the coopers and cooper s. Although the rims brings in some complaints that its too small to fit beautifully to the wheel arches of the one, i feel that it does bring a sense of retro feel to the party. All in all the one Stratford is a gem to drive and the quality it presents itself as an entry level for the mini ranges does gives its other competitors a run for their money.

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The Review

I love the way the car looks. The countryman has a meaner look to it than more traditional Minis. The wheel arches, height and front grill gives it a more aggresive look. The dash is pretty similliar to other Minis but the countryman has so much more space for rear passengers to plus great boot space. One cool addition on the inside is a "Center rail" travelling the lenght of the inside. You clip on additions like sunglass carriers and ipod holders and move them backwards and forwards. It's fast but cause of its weight not as quick as the cooper. But steering is light and handles very well around corners.

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Responded on: 28 Jan 2011 5:07PM

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Responded on: 28 Jan 2011 4:42PM

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Responded on: 24 Jan 2011 8:23PM

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The Review

I love the way the base Clubman handles and the preformance out of the non-turbo. The turbo I test drove was nice, but not needed for everyday driving. The fuel economy with the manual transmission is unbelieveable at high. Plenty of room for a car seat and groceries also. Had some AC issues off the boat, but the dealer quickly fixed that.

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The Review

The Mini has always been and perhaps always will be a quintessentially British icon. Even though it is under German ownership now, the image of the Mini is still the same. The Germans have only served to improve build quality. The Mini Cooper that I got to drive belonged to a cousin of mine. I’ve always eyed it jealously every time there’s a family gathering. And it comes as a big surprise that he’d let me keep it for awhile while he’s overseas for a trip. The Cooper’s exterior is preppy and retro at the same time. Hardly do car manufacturers get the “retro look” right. The biggest boo boo I can remember is the Chrysler PT Cruiser. Sorry Chrysler, it looks bad, IMHO. But back to the Mini, it’s stylish and refreshing to see and be seen in. It does this whole having both genders in the car design thing really well. That is to say that the design of the car is neither leaning too much to the masculine side nor the feminine side. It’s a tough thing to do but the designers have got it just spot on. The interior is quirky to say the least. Everything is placed everywhere based on some nutty designer’s sense of aesthetics. The centrally placed speedometer does not work for me as I’d have to take my eyes off the road just to look down and left at it. The knobs and buttons aren’t really intuitive to use and neither are they user friendly even after some practice. The seats are nice and supportive but this has got to be a two seater car. Why? That’s because the rear seats are more like a torture chamber than a proper seat for a passenger. I’d rather leave the rear seats down in the split/fold option to have a larger cargo space. Besides, who wants to lug around your friend’s extra lard around? Then we come to the ride. The legendary go-kart handling, nimble and sharp steering. You know what? It’s all true. Actually, the Mini feels more like a single roller coaster train carriage with an engine. It hammers through corners with aplomb much like how a roller coaster would slam your innards into the side wall while going through a corner. The only difference is that YOU get to steer the roller coaster. Nice. The 120Bhp on tap is plenty enough to move so little weight. It can feel quite scary if you’re not used to the amount of shove that 120bhp can offer. 120bhp in a saloon car feels normal but in a car like the Mini, it is like shoving a rocket up your ass. It’s fun. It’s small (easy to park) and it’s fuel efficient! I average about 12km/l. It’s the perfect car if you don’t want to move too many friends or cargo around.

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The Review

Really fun to drive. Maintains famous MINI handling despite its longer body. Great pick-up and torque, not heart-stopping but effortless for normal overtaking. Sports Mode guaranteed to wake any sleepy driver up. Steering and foot pedals feel very good, better than the GTI/GT. Engine sounds more exciting than the VWs also. Fantastic brakes. Very practical boot space - transported all kinds of bulky stuff from tables to cellos.

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Responded on: 29 Mar 2009 5:42PM

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Responded on: 3 Dec 2008 9:35AM

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Responded on: 21 Nov 2008 10:46AM

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