Category: Superminis 
Price Range: £12,220 to £12,385
Untouchable image, brilliant design, good fit and finish, strong residual values, great to drive.
A bit sluggish, cramped in the back, expensive options, cheap seat-folding mechanism, poor ride .
Has its downsides, but still brilliant.
Few cars have had as big an impact on society as the original Mini. Penned by Alec Issigonis, the iconic car opened up motoring to a whole new audience, and set trends in small-car vehicle design, which are still being followed today. It was a basic, affordable and remarkably packaged small car first; and became a classless style icon and fashion accessory virtually by coincidence.
There's no coincidence in the fashion credentials of the replacement Mini. Designed from the start (by Rover and BMW designers and engineers) as a car of desire, it's as much a fashion accessory as a piece of transport. Of course, it is a serious car as well, because BMW meant to make the Mini a true baby-BMW, which means top-notch quality, refinement, driving and safety characteristics.
Latest Readers' Drives About the MINI One
wrote on 24 03 2007
wrote on 28 08 2006