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2014 MINI Cooper S 5-Door Tested: It's Officially Better than the 3-door

Now that MINI is officially a smaller version of BMW’s own products, it’s no wonder they will keep bringing new models to the table. Sure, they announced that the Coupe and the Roadster will be going out of production but newer models might take their place. That includes the new MINI Hardtop 5-Door. Or does it?
MINI 5-door hatch 1 photo
Photo: Catalin Garmacea
Looking at the car head-on you’ll immediately see... nothing. There’s absolutely nothing to set it apart from the 3-door alternative. Move a little to the side and you’ll notice two extra door handles. That’s when your mind will either explode or start laughing at your. It depends on one simple criteria: were or were you not a fan of the brand in the past.

If the answer is positive then you’ll be disgusted to see that this kind of wizardry even exists. Most hardcore aficionados really take the meaning of the brand’s name to the heart and they don’t want to see the models they bring out getting any bigger.

If the answer is negative, then you’ll be surprised to learn that a MINI can also be practical. Access to the rear seats doesn’t require bending skills that match those of Nadia Comaneci. You can get in and out easily or, at least, easier than before.

Thanks to the elongated body and wheelbase, the car is now even more fun to drive, allowing you to use the rear end as a pendulum with more force. If you want to get the tail out, it’s easier then ever now.

You’ll also get to experience that good old go-kart feeling that everyone’s been mentioning since the original came out. The front axle has plenty of grip and the engine, especially in the Cooper S guise we tested, has enough power for a car of this size.

Speaking of which, compared to the 3-door alternative, the 5-door hardtop has 161 millimeters extra in overall length and 72 of them went exactly between the wheels. That gives you more headroom and legroom in the back as well as a bigger boot. It’s not class leading but still an improvement.

Overall, people might be scared at first about the size the hardtop is starting to shape up to but they should know that there’s a bigger plan at play here. The company intentionally made the new cars bigger to make room for a new model.

According to our source within Munich, the Rocketman concept will be put in production which means that we’ll get another ultra-small MINI to play around with in no time. This new car will be using extremely small engines (the 1.5-liter 3-cylinder will be the top of the range) and will be extremely light on its feet.

Until then though, the British company has to keep everyone happy. If that means creating more niche products, so be it but we guarantee that a lot of people will be looking into the 5-door model and even buy it. Why? We explained it all in our 2014 MINI Cooper S Hardtop 5-door review.
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