Assets
Fine handling and visual flair now matched by a peppy engine.

Drawbacks
Even this basic model doesn't come cheap.

Verdict
Entry-level Mini no longer lags way behind the Coopers.


Good times for Mini. The Oxford factory is working around the clock to meet insatiable global demand for the range, which now includes One, Cooper, Cooper D and Cooper S versions of the Mk2 as well as the Mk1 Cabrio.

And good times for Mini customers. The Mk2 is slightly more accomplished and more robust than the Mk1, while keeping the original's irresistible looks and continuing to use components of a type and quality more usually associated with larger cars.

Whereas in the Mk1 range the Cooper and Cooper S were generally seen as being in a different league from the One and Diesel, things should be different this time. The turbodiesel is now part of the Cooper range, and the One has a new engine: a 1.4-litre version of the 1.6 used in the petrol Coopers, jointly developed with Peugeot-Citroen.

So, if the One is the big improvement it should be, then customers who want great looks and a decent drive won't have to go for a Cooper - more expensive to buy, more expensive to run - unless they really do want a high-performance hatchback.

It comes with a six-speed manual gearbox for £11,595 on the road. A six-speed automatic transmission is a £1,060 optional extra.

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