Category: Superminis 
Price Range: £13,290 to £17,530
Great fun to drive; looks good; fuel-saving tech; it's the latest must-have Mini.
Not particularly practical; expensive; poor rearward visibility; hard ride.
Form over function. Flawed - but immensely desirable.
BMW's first-generation Mini (2001-2006) had a number of problems, mainly with its suspension and electrics. While reliability improved during its run, reports so far from MkII owners suggest that this new generation of Mini is not bug-free either. Discussion on enthusiast forums such as Mini2.com includes stories of serious transmission and clutch problems, water losses and overheating, electrical and electronic failures and general build quality defects.
There's still a real feelgood factor about the Mini, however: the fit and finish of the cabin is excellent, with good-quality plastics and upholstery materials, and a sense that a lot of effort has gone into its design and construction.
