The Mazda MX-5's only rival? | MINI Convertible review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 ก.ค. 2024
- Can the MINI Cooper S Convertible dethrone the Mazda MX-5?
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The third-generation MINI Convertible just oozes style, with a big personality and a quality feel that's hard to beat. It received a facelift in 2018, adopting standard LED headlights, Union Flag rear lights, new daytime running lights, fresh paint and wheel options and an improved sat-nav screen, while a further refresh in 2021 brought in additional styling tweaks and extra standard kit. As ever, owners have the opportunity to choose from a range of custom options, such as puddle lights, mirror caps, bonnet stripes and inserts for the side indicators
Direct rivals for the sporty MINI are few and far between, but there are quite a few contenders for sporty open-air enthusiasts that arguably range from two-seaters like the Mazda MX-5, through to fashionable style-led models like the Fiat 500C convertible. The Fiat only has roll-back roof panels of course, while the MINI and others are full convertibles, which are definitely more fun on a warm day - for those who enjoy such things, at least.
The MINI Convertible comes in three versions - Cooper, Cooper S and John Cooper Works. As with the MINI hatchback range, the standard Cooper is powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine with 134bhp, while the Cooper S and JCW use a 2.0-litre four-cylinder with 176bhp and 228bhp respectively. The Mazda MX-5 is the most successful convertible sports car of all time, and in this video, we find out if the MINI Cooper S JCW Convertible has the best chance of beating it.
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Test drove a JCW convertible and asked the sales person “who buys a car like this!!??” It was far too stiff for British roads. Subsequently bought a Cooper S convertible and it is a sublime ride. Really fun car to drive.
Loved your review Nicola 👍🏼
I love both the mx5 (having owned 4 of them) and the mini (owned 2), both great cars but still rather different beasts to drive, I still prefer the mx5 over the mini
Had one of these MINI’s and it was the most fun car I’ve ever driven so far. An old friend had an MX5 and it was also fun to drive but a handful in the wet 😂
As I'm getting older and seem to be dropping to bits and that I would love either or both of these cars it would be a tough decision to make for just one. Either I gat shaken apart in the MIni or fall to bits trying to get in and out of an MX5. A tough choice but what a way to go. Another great review Nicola.
Great car review and it helped me get a 2021 Convertible S manual! Cheers.
I’ve had two MX-5s and two MINIs. My JCW Convertible is brilliant. It’s a different experience than a Miata. Love the back seat space for traveling and it just has more theatre than the Miata. They’re both awesome in different ways. Take your pick based on your driving style.
If this is the only MX-5 rival, then I think the MX-5 has very little to worry about!
The MX-5 has no turbo, and the engine is more reliable for longer.
It also has a wonderful gear change, whereas I found the manual Mini gear change was a big disappointment.
My phone goes in my pocket, where it will not be left behind in the car!
When I test drove the Mini, the fun wasn’t there.
MX-5 every time for me!
Ha, you've obviously never owned (or driven) a MINI
Well, it’s all subjective I guess as I preferred and bought the mini!
You have it all wrong. The Miata is very uncomfortable to sit in for both the driver and the passenger. Your head is too close to the windshield, not enough leg room, seats don't recline back enough, insufficient elbow room and the seats are unsupportive. There is also a weird hump on the passenger side on the floor making it even more uncomfortable for your guest. The Miata doesn't even have a normal glove box and storage is terrible. Mazda couldn't even get the cup holders right. In contrast, the Mini seats four. Plenty of leg and elbow room for both the driver and passenger, lots of storage room in the back and the rear seats fold down to give even more room. Cupholders are front and center where they belong. The well made convertible top can open partially as a large sunroof or open completely for the full convertible experience. The materials in the Mini are also much better. Everything from the exterior paint, dashboard & seating surfaces, glass, shocks, springs, brakes, rims...are superior to the cheaply made Miata. Heck, even the hood prop in the Miata is a cheap thin piece of tin while Mini has hood struts. The Mini also handles like a go-cart. Bottom line: with the Mini there are no compromises - it does it all.
@@grantrimbey9022 I did test drive a Mini Convertible. Terrible gear change (in the manual), and not as much fun as the MX-5.
Turbo to ME is a pro, its in the eye of the beholder I quess, as for transmition, manual is better on the mx5 but in auto its better on the mini. Sound wise the mini win, handling wise mx5. confort/space mini win, all year round drive mini win. Mini is more expensive though and will cost more to maintain. I feel like it come up to what you rly want but yea its kind of a competitor. its the 2 im looking at, normaly id prefer the mx5 but the mini looks very special and I could run it even here in canada winter while the mazda will need to be put in a garage and buy a winter car.
Subscribed after the tweak out over the buttons. She just gets it.
Brilliant fun review, love the term 'chuckability'. Thanks.
The MX5-RF is one of my favourite cars of all time and I had the opportunity to order one last year, but opted for a new Mini JCW 3-door instead because it was slightly more practical. Enjoying the JCW so far (although I've only driven it 1600 miles in 3 months of ownership).
The JCW is not 'slightly' more practical, it's much more practical.
This little video is more entertaining than either cars ….. my age I guess…
outside about an hour ago saw a mini cooper S parked and decided to check out the good news.
Every time I see a minis rear lights It makes me 😊 and very little in modern Britain does.
I agree with you about the roof, I like the roadster design, I wish they bring it back for one more year.........
I love my 2019 JCW Convertible. I'm sure I would love the MX-5 too...if I fit in one. The Mini was the most fun thing I could find that fits taller folk.
still happy with your jcw convertible? i used to drive a 2002 miata 8 years ago, and liked it a lot for a while but realized quickly that i am way too tall for it. so here i am driving polo gti since 7 years.... but i have a test drive booked for coming friday (cooper s convertible)
@@hadouken2123 Absolutely, best car I've ever owned of the 16 I've had. My 2010 VW GTI was my favorite prior to this.
As the owner of a current 2005 Mini Cooper S convertible and former MX-5 owner, the MX-5 wins for actually having a convertible top that functions. I've been to three separate mechanics and apparently these tops are so overcomplicated with so many cheaply built moving parts that no one wants to even begin to try and diagnose it. There is an actual mini dealership 50 mi away from me, and they said they could diagnose it for me, but it could end up costing almost as much as I paid for the car to repair the top.
Does your Mini have a door unlock button on the driver's inside door handle? Trying to figure out when that became a feature.
I had both, a 2019 JCW and a MK3 MX5 that never came out in the winter, after driving both over a couple of years my preference was the JCW so last summer I sold the MX5, no regrets just love the JCW for it's performance, handling, comfort and cheaper to run than the MX5.
So this is not good in the snow then eh? I live in New England and I’m looking for a new vehicle that’s fun to drive and I absolutely love this but I’m concerned about driving in the winter. I need front wheel drive and also a stick shift.
Nicola, I have to say, the recommendation of a sports bra in a car review is a first!! 😮
Great review. For daily driving, the Mini wins hands down.
My wife has the MINI S convertible with an auto and I own a Miata ND with a manual transmission. If you need to drive the car in the winter the Mini is the better choice. If you're looking for a fair weather fun machine nothing comes close to a Miata. I like both. I'd like the Mini better with three pedals but my wife won't have any of that.
I already own a mini countryman. Looking for my future small convertible. Considering this one and the Miata Rx. Due to it has a hard top.
*This front wheel drive car cannot be a rival to the brilliant rear while drive MX-5.*
Yes it can. Front wheel drive is excellent in the Mini and it's a much better all season vehicle. Being front wheel drive, it can easily handle rain and snow.
@@bigmacdaddy1234 If you can't handle a RWD in the rain and snow, it's the driver that needs looking at not the car.
@@Adam.Piper62Ohhhh'...so everybody who lives in a snowy climate buying all wheel drive Jeeps to get through the heavy winter snow are all wrong. They could have simply bought a Miata and took a driving lesson. Riiiiiiiiiiiighhhhhhtttt.
@@bigmacdaddy1234 If their climate requires a 4x4 jeep, then a FWD mini won't help either. That's an extreme example. They both have 2 driving wheels. For example, in the UK we get snow maybe once or twice a year. I daily drive my 1996 MX5 and have never found it to be any less capable than other 2wd drive cars. Throttle control is all that is required. As for rain, yes that is a pretty pathetic driver if they can't deal with RWD just because it's wet lol.
@@Adam.Piper62 A FWD drive car is better in the snow. This is a fact because the engine sits on top of the front wheels. Your experience with both types of cars do in any way nullify the fact.
Its quite expensive but for all the great things about the Miata, I can't get over the wierd mazda-fishy styling of the new one, FWD car handling can be pretty surprisingly good in modern cars.
"The answer is always Miata"
ha
Not any more. The new ones are too cramped.
Why wouldn’t you just call this the John Cooper Works review instead of the Cooper S? There are a fair bit of differences between the two, not just bumpers and badges.
Love one of these but 38k. Ouch!Prefer it to the MX-5.
Inside looks amazing. 228 Bhp nice!
Interesting to compare it to the MX-5! I recently posted my review of the MINI Cooper convertible too. Although, there's a major change from MINI that I chat about in my video. I think it will lose a lot of customers.
Literally out of the box 🙃
But, yeh, it's brilliant inside.
Nice review, but….I would have preferred a back to back review of both cars. As a purist and MX-5 owner, I don’t think an automatic, front wheel drive car even comes close. Many reviewers say the only real competition the MX-5 has is the Porsche Boxster, at three times the price, with a prestige badge. I think the Mini is a great little car, but if you like driving, with a real gear box, and a folding roof that doesn’t look like it’s from a pram, and you’re a purists it’s Miata every time!
Great Nicola 💗
miles, galons, driving od the left side of the road, BRAKE horse power... is there something normal in that country?
Very entertaining presenter
For me it’s the jcw all day long.
The mini's great until the warranty runs out! I've had two and they've been nightmares.
The new Mini's (2016) and up are extremely reliable.
What year mini?
I love this car.
A Nicola review always cheers you up
She is unbelievably annoying to be honest
if only it is cheap as mx5 here in the philippines. I dont mind it being AT however it is almost doubled the price.
What about the brz and 86
They aren't soft tops
No thanks Nicola I'll stick to my true performance Fiesta and on 17" alloys can zip along and beat some mini's as has been proven many a day when out on country roads.
Best car host ever
8 out of 10 Salon owners say YES
£38k???
Nope...
I'll have a second hand boxter thanks very much
And it sounds better
I only watch for Nicola! ❤️
Does it have BSM and Android Auto?? Also that wireless charger is useless!!!!
Sorry but its not a patch on the Mazda MX5 and minis have reliability issues to boot.
Came here to comment that you completely forgot about the brz and 86
Both are truly great driving cars. One is an expensive, unreliable money pit to own. The other is reliable, durable, and easy to maintain. There is clearly only one winner here.
if you look closely (or not too close) , this is a car review
Hi, my name is Chuck.
I enjoyed watching the Video Review. Looks smarter than the Mazda MX-5 particularly the Interior
Nicola just renamed the car 'Mini Chuckability'
The MX5 is purpose built as a sports car not a Mini with the roof cut off.
Yeah...not even in the same league. Maybe Mini vs. Corolla, but Mini vs. MX5? No. And if you're "going to rival the mx5" you're going to need a gt86
MX-5 Miata is a much better driving car. Not to mention the new Mini Coopers front end is hideous just like everything BMW does nowadays. I also think the Mini interior is incredibly low rent for the price
Nicola looking great.
Nicola Hume, Henry Catchpole and Jason Cammisa the three best car presenters on YT? Hard to argue I suspect. I’ll throw in Rory Reid to be honest too.
Oh and I really dearly wish Toyota had continued the MR2 line as it was the best of the lot in MkIII form. As an owner of two of those and an MX-5, as a sports car, the MX-5 couldn’t hold a candle to the MR2.
MX-5 for the win, Mini Convertible looks like a pram with the roof down and I'm not a fan of the interior, my opinion though
No
Rear wheel drive all day
Rival? They are different cars all together.. Not a good comparison. The VW Golf would be a close 'rival'.
I own a Mini and I don't find all the buttons and knobs fun and captivating....I find them weird, confusing and frustrating.
Lovely and I quite like the car too!
Baby It’s wort it 😜♥️🚘
🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️ kinell 5 minutes into the review and still no MX-5 comparison AND missing arguably THE most important topic: handling dynamics.
If it’s a rival video, shouldn’t the main focus be comparison w/ MX5 and conclude whether it is or not??
Don't see them as rivals at all. A mini buyer wouldn't choose a mx5 and vice versae
What does she mean by fruitiest you can buy?
Conver-ubble innit
MX-5 don't break down
Mx5 has no back seats
The only way the BMW rivals the MX is in a race to the junkyard. You can easily get 200k miles out of the Mazda and you will never get 100k out of the BMW
Don't be silly! The dumpy (and looks like a pram when the roof is down) front wheel drive notchy gear change mini compared to the wonderfully handling snikety gearchange rear wheel drive gorgeous MX5! You be comparing fine Châteauneuf-du-Pape to Vimto next!
The mini really isn’t in the league of an MX5 both in terms looks and all those BMW engineering oil leaks.
Nicola is HI. LARIOUS.
Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead is better
Mini much more fun. Mazda more reliable
Don’t get JCW…get the Cooper S, it’s much better for daily drive..save your money…
The Mini should not even be compared to the Legend that is the MX5. First you were comparing the CX5 to BMW, now the MX5. How much is BMW paying you robots as influencers??!
Well, essentially, it’s a BMW underneath, isn’t it?🤥
Fiat 124?
IloveU
Mini is no competitor to any competition. The price is too high, quality and reliability too low.
😆
First thing first 😊
The Mazda has a much better chance of spending a large percentage of it's life on the road being driven and enjoyed.
The MINI will probably spend a disproportionate percentage of its life being towed by a recovery vehicle or in the garage being repaired.
It’s suits Nicola but it won’t suit me it’s a bit girly
HELL NO! No front wheel drive or even all wheel drive cars can compare to any rear wheel drive car in terms of fun, especially not the most fun rwd car u can buy the miata, u cant drift a front wheel drive. They understeer at the limit, terrible track cars, no fun at the limit.
You are so wrong 😂 are you even old enough to drive?
Fwd cars are so much fun, the fiesta ST for example will run rings around many rwd cars on a track
@@lewisvincent7479 WHERE DID I SAY A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CAR IS NOT FUN PLEASE SHOW ME? WHERE DID I SAY FWD CARS DONT HANDLE GOOD SHOW ME???????????????????? i think young buck u read the wrong comment. I have a 8 car collection, I been drifting for 10 years now, every intersection I enter I drift through it. Fwd cars can handle really good and also be very fun, but when ur comparing against rwd then u have failed in life, at 10/10ths on track I'm battling oversteer in a rwd which is extremely fun and what driving is all about. If ur a halfass scared bad driver with no skill then fwd is fine for u, because it understeers at the limit and its easier to drive. Ur clearly too broke too afford a rear wheel drive car so ur being biased, no human being in history ever said a fwd can be as fun as a rwd? Have u seen any video from any car journalist in ur life? Because every skilled driver on this planet will tell u the same thing. In fact hagerty and throttle house mentioned these exact words in there newest gr yaris video "its fun, but it cant come close to competing with a rwd car in terms of fun". If u go ignorant now n try to deny that, thats proof u get rear ended daily in ur backside 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Mazda mx5 is way better than this😶😂
Nice car, but typically a girls' car ;-)
Its only a "girls" car if u have been brain washed by society and u are insecure about ur masculinity so u need a car to feel like a man because deep down u know ur not a real man. Society got u enslaved, now u bow down to what u think society might think of u, but no stranger cares about u or knows of ur existence, and even if they did, how does that effect ur life?
@@Sideways_Singh 😂😂 you’ve got too much time to take all this so seriously 😂😂😂😂
@@christian-van-e thats it? U got exposed now u pretend like i dont care? R u 3 years old? U took it serious n yes I have time, I retired in my 20s, u r enslaved to money for life.
@@Sideways_Singh 😂😂😂😂 your mental state worries me 😂😂😂
2 mins in and I haven't learnt anything yet, get to the point...
Neah, still reviewing a ICE car. I will be back when that stops.
I couldn’t watch all of this review. The presenter is truly awful.
Very annoying presenter.