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.
Mini claims that the car's bodyshell is two to three times as rigid as its rivals. That stiffness is useful for tuning the ride and handling and also for ensuring good crash protection. Indeed, in the latest Euro NCAP crash tests, Mini scored four stars in the front and side impact trials, but just one for pedestrian safety. Braking is by discs all round, with ABS anti-lock brakes as standard, while twin front airbags and front-seat side airbags give some peace of mind. Remote central locking comes on every car, too.
Latest Readers' Drives About the MINI One
wrote on 24 03 2007
wrote on 28 08 2006