Category: Superminis 
Price Range: £13,715 to £17,660
Strong image, excellent TLC service package, good drive, impressive diesel.
Limited practicality, not exactly quick, pricey.
Not as impressive as the original 'new' Mini, but still a strong choice.
One of the main reasons for the Mini's redesign was the imminent arrival of tough new pedestrian safety legislation that requires space between the bonnet and engine to allow for compression, in case an unlucky pedestrian's head makes contact with the Mini. While rejigging the car's structure to meet this, BMW has also further strengthened the car for better crash performance.
The hard work has paid off. The new Mini has achieved a fine five-star rating for adult occupant safety in the Euro NCAP crash tests, with three stars for child protection and two (out of four) for pedestrian protection.
Six airbags - front, side and curtain - feature as standard as do ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution plus corner braking control to keep the Mini on line under hard braking.
Remote central locking, alarm and immobiliser are all standard fit.
Latest Readers' Drives About the MINI Mini
wrote on 12 08 2007