   2014 Mini Cooper S with 17″ wheel upgrade. Click image to enlarge |
Compared to the 2013, driving the 2014 Mini is like reconnecting with a high-school crush in your 30s. She’s a little bigger, sure, but more refined, more composed, and more confident. She’s still fun, still open for experiments and still up for action, but more sure of herself and a better performer.
  2014 Mini Cooper S. Click image to enlarge |
All this newfound refinement and maturity usually comes with more cost. But this one is cheaper than the model it replaces. Way cheaper!
My 2013 Cooper S tester’s base was $28,950, by the time I got into it the as-tested price was $39,060. Mini has slashed the base price to $25,490 for this model year, and my tester topped out at $33,365. That included a $50 performance tire upgrade and a $1,000 lighting upgrade that made me finally understand what premium lighting could do. These LED units are dazzling even in the daylight, and well worth the money.
So for almost $6,000 less all I’m missing is the $2,900 JCW package, $550 Sirius XM and $490 metallic paint (which is $590 in 2014). The 17-inch wheels, leather steering wheel, Bi-Xenon headlights, Dynamic Traction Control, leather interior from the JCW kit are all included in my tester, so that package is no longer necessary, and the revised front fascia and rear spoiler render the JCW aerokit largely obsolete.
Translation? The 2014 Mini is legitimately $5,000 cheaper than a similarly equipped 2013 model and now a genuine sub-$30K contender.
I would spend that money on plastic surgery to correct the permanent, Mini-induced grin on my face.
Pricing: 2014 Mini Coopers S
Base Price: $25,490
Options: Loaded Package (comfort access, dynamic damper control, rain-sensor with auto headlamps, automatic climate control, essentials package) – $2,100, LED Lights package – $1,000, Wired Navigation Package (front centre armrest, on-board navigation, integrated visual display, Bluetooth and USB audio, MINI connected wire package – $1,850, 17-inch Cosmos Spoke Black – $740, Anthracite Roofliner – $250, Black Bonnet Stripes – $130, Performance Tires – $50, Black Roof and Mirror Caps – Free.
A/C Tax: $100
Freight and PDI: $1,655
Price as Tested: $33,365
Competitors:
Fiat 500 Abarth
Honda Civic Si
Hyundai Veloster Turbo
Mazdaspeed 3
Subaru WRX STI
VW GTI
VW Super Beetle
Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
