The two front buckets are welcoming and supportive. Their multiple adjustments and, for the driver, the tilt and telescoping steering column combine for an excellent driving position. The rearward split-folding bench will not be appreciated by anyone over 4 feet tall. The luggage compartment is diminutive but will do well for a couple on a road trip with gear on the back seats. The week's test unveiled a good number of rattles from interior trim, notably from the driver-side door panel and hatch. The A/C system is disappointingly weak and slow for a pocket-sized car and the lack of useable storage spaces is a little trying.

The Cooper comes equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission.

Move over supercharger, here comes the turbocharger
Also new for the revamped MINI is the presence of a turbocharger rather than a supercharger on the reworked 1.6L 4-cylinder engine. The Turbo unleashes a meagre 4 hp (172 vs. 168) over the previous engine but the real story is the addition of an extra 30 lb-ft of torque, now at 192 with overboost compared to 162. Basic engine output climbs slightly to 118 hp and 114 lb-ft of torque. Transmission choices now reside between a 6-speed manual and an automatic; gone are the 5-speed manual and unloved CVT. A week's time and 850 km at the wheel of the S returned an impressive sub-9 litre of fuel per 100 km as an average.

The new S is fast but the story does not end there; unfortunately, the joy of more power comes at a cost. The throttle pedal is choppy and hesitant; even with a partial steady application of pressure, the engine displayed much hesitation. This posed a problem when downshifting while matching engine revolutions; the pedal required a serious prod before the motor responded. On a less important note, the clutch pedal's travel is very limited, making it difficult for smooth take-offs. Thankfully, there is very little turbo lag.

A MINI is about driving
Although the throttle is problematic, everything else about the way the MINI behaves is to die for. Steering is heavy and perfectly weighted, and the brake pedal is simple to modulate. On that subject, they did tend to fade after a few hard braking exercises but in normal driving situations and when warm, the performed admirably well.

Spot a corner or a curve, line yourself up, clip the apex, come out wide and get on the gas. This describes a typical workday commute when you own a MINI. The Chassis, steering, tires and suspension are so responsive, you will feel like taking racing lines where ever you drive. Simply put, there exists no other front-wheel drive vehicle sold in North America that drives like a MINI, period. Be warned though, an S equipped with 17" wheels and tires will be a little bone-jarring when driving on a rough surface. I would recommend sticking with the standard 16" wheels for a smoother ride and less unsprung weight.

Comfort is somewhat jeopardized by the 17-inch wheels.