CNET Reviews 2007 MINI Cooper S

CNET has posted a very good and thorough review of the 2007 MINI Cooper S. They also include a video review that focuses more on the technical gadgets in the car rather than what is under the hood. They scored the MINI at a 9.3 out of 10, noting it as “spectacular”.

We’ve tested a lot of small, sporty hatchbacks recently, such as the Mazda Mazdaspeed Mazda3 and the Volkswagen GTI. The Mini bests them all in looks and quality. Although the Mini has a smaller engine, the power train makes the car feel more drivable, with the engine and transmission finely engineered to work together.

[ Full CNET Review and Video ]

The New MINI Cooper S in Pocket-Rockets Comparison Test

The June 2007 issue of Road & Track compares another gaggle of “hot pocket-rockets”. Included in the test with the 2007 MINI Cooper S are the Honda Civic Si, Mazdaspeed3, Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V, and Volkswagen GTI, all sporty cars in econobox guise. This is the theme of the twelve-page article.

The test took place on the curvy roads of northern California and the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Road & Track testers rated the five cars in several performance categories like acceleration, slalom, skidpad, and braking. Subjective ratings were applied to driving excitement, engine, gearbox, handling, styling, and others. All cars were four-door models except for the MINI Cooper S.

Photo by Road & Track

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