Test drive Mini One D 5-door, a five-door kart with low consumption

For those who want the Mini design but don’t want to give up practicality, the British firm offers the Mini 5-Door. Its 3.98 metres of length fit five adults and five doors, without giving up the retro, original touch of the British brand. That said, versatility does not rule out driving enjoyment, since this 5-door is still a true Mini, and even the entry-level diesel version with just 95 CV is enough to put a smile on our face on winding roads.

We tested the Mini One D 5-door, which hides under its bonnet a new 1.5-litre engine, three cylinders and 95 CV of power. An engine that aims for low consumption while keeping decent performance to move a 1,250 kg car with ease. Original design, versatility and a competent diesel for everyday use, with certain sporting licences: that is what the star of this test offers us.

Exterior design

Keeping the essence of the design while adding doors is not always simple, Mini yet it has managed to make its 5-door differ from the three-door model only in the handle that opens the rear doors and the increase in length to 3.98 metres. The front is typically British, highlighted by headlights with LED technology for all lighting functions (on our unit) and outstanding light quality. The grille has grown in size in the latest generation, adding a modern touch to a car that keeps the essential features of the Mini design of 15 years ago.

From the side, the rear door and the car’s larger size stand out. The front and rear doors are smaller than on the conventional model and have frames, the rear door is smaller than usual, especially when compared with a five-door city car. At the rear there are no changes from the conventional model, the LED headlights standing out.

Interior design

The original interior remains unchanged compared with the other variants of this Mini 5-door: the speedometer and rev counter sit above the steering wheel, isolated, while a large central dial gathers all the elements of the navigation and multimedia system. The centre console also features the three dials of the two-zone climate control and the typical button layout of the Mini. Much of the material used on the dashboard is soft to the touch (especially at the top and the centre console), although hard plastic is also present, but with more than adequate fit and finish.

The driving position is low, very low, with the comfort of the seats standing out in particular, which hold the body perfectly, with excellent lateral support. We were struck by the mixed fabric and leather upholstery, since the leather parts are not the usual ones in this type of upholstery (the parts in greatest contact with the back and legs were leather, not the sides). The front seat base on our unit was extendable.

The biggest novelty lies in the rear seats. It is true that the doors are not the typical size of a city car, being smaller, but even so they are practical and it is easier to reach the rear seats than in the three-door version. There is not much space for feet or head, but someone up to 1.75–1.80 metres will travel comfortably; above that height things become tighter. That said, although it is homologated for five occupants, three at the back, the middle seat is very small and narrow.

A detail that always stands out in the interior of the Mini, beyond its design, is the interior lighting. Our unit includes ambient interior lighting as standard in seven colours, which can be changed from a control in the roof area. In addition, the navigation dial also has LED lights that illuminate in one colour or another depending on the driving mode (green, red or amber, and also white).

Storage and boot

In terms of storage, the door pockets are small, but they are fitted to both the front and rear doors. There is also a small central cubby and a double glovebox: one is the typical main compartment, while the other sits higher up and is considerably smaller (barely enough for a phone or small objects).

The boot has a capacity of 278 litres, which is not among the best in the segment, but it has regular shapes that let you make the most of the space, together with its double floor, which is always handy for storing small loose items.

Engine and performance

In the new generation of the Mini the engines have been completely renewed, to the point that the diesel units are entirely new and three-cylinder in all versions except the Cooper SD. A small 1.5 three-cylinder is capable of delivering a modest yet sufficient 95 CV that moves this five-door Mini with total ease. Among its modest but adequate performance figures, the 220 Nm of torque available from 1,500 rpm and the 0–100 km/h acceleration in 11.4 seconds stand out.

Although this engine may seem small for the Mini 5-Door, we were pleasantly surprised, because it is a worthy entry-level engine within the diesel range which, besides achieving very tight consumption figures, in Sport mode still manages to put a smile on our face, partly thanks to its composed and fun chassis. The worst of the engine is its feel at start-up and the typical roughness of three cylinders, but once we engage a gear, with a precise six-speed manual gearbox, the engine responds from low revs and becomes an interesting ally for covering distance or simply weaving nimbly through the city.

Handling

One of the characteristics that define the Mini is its fun behaviour behind the wheel: they are cars designed to be felt, to be enjoyed when driving. And our star, with 95 CV, can entertain us on any slightly winding road. Our unit had several driving modes (Green, Mid and Sport), an optional, recommended extra, which change throttle response, steering weight and damper response, so that in Sport mode you get what the Mini calls “Go Kart Feeling“, that is, feeling a car with a low centre of gravity, firm suspension and a stiffness that surpasses that of any city car.

To test the response of this Mini 5-Door we went to a road that, besides offering plenty of calm, is full of fast bends requiring an agile car to keep the pace: the Ribeira Sacra. Despite having “only” 95 CV in our test, we particularly liked the agility of the Mini, the direct response of the steering and the stiffness of the car, which gives it exceptional stability, and as I mentioned, it allows certain sporting licences even with this entry-level diesel engine. When tracing bends we noticed the lower centre of gravity, the car’s low weight (1,250 kg) and the precision in following steering inputs. That said, compared with the conventional Mini, the larger size shows in the fact that it is more predictable and less nervous.

Only for the city? Not at all… The Mini 5-door moves competently on country roads or motorways, is comfortable for travelling and achieves good consumption on the road. The only thing I find improvable is the interior soundproofing. What is more, it is a really practical car, since besides moving with ease in cities it has no fear of taking to motorways or country roads, whatever the type of road (except in poor condition, where the suspension makes itself felt too much).

Consumption

This is another point in the Mini’s favour: on the motorway, on our usual trip between Madrid > Vigo > Madrid, the average consumption was 5.0 litres per 100 km, while on country roads it is easy to get below 5 litres per 100 km, and with a careful right foot it is relatively easy to run at 4.5 litres per 100 km. Even in town it is not a car that drinks much, since in our usual test around Vigo the average consumption was 6.3 litres per 100 km.

Equipment

Within the equipment range, the One D is the entry-level version, so many of the features on our unit are extras. To organise such a list of equipment, let us first look at the standard features of a Mini One D: fog lights, multiple airbags, stability control, tyre pressure monitoring, leather sports steering wheel, interior lighting pack (basic, without colour options), air conditioning, 15-inch alloy wheels, among other items.

The rest of the equipment is organised into packs and optional items. Personally I think there are too many optional extras that should be standard (such as Bluetooth or climate control). One of the equipment packs we recommend is the “Chili” which includes a multifunction steering wheel, extended interior lighting, Driving Modes, climate control, rain sensor, LED headlights, leather/fabric upholstery, front sports seats and LED fog lights, among others.

Our unit was fitted with Mini Connected; by downloading the “Mini Connected” app you can access a wide range of entertainment and social media options, fully integrated into the car’s entertainment system. It also offers two navigation systems, from 850 euros up to 2,300 euros for the most complete.

Prices of the Mini 5-Door

• Mini One 19,839 euros
• Mini One D 21,439 euros
• Mini Cooper 22,289 euros
• Mini Cooper D 24,039 euros
• Mini Cooper S 28,337 euros
• Mini Cooper SD 29,539 euros

Opinion and personal assessment

When I was told that the Mini 5-door I was going to test had the entry-level engine, that is, a 95 CV One D, I thought that perhaps with that engine I would not be able to enjoy the car 100%, or that it would not behave as one expects of a Mini. But sometimes prejudices are not borne out, and after the test I was pleasantly surprised by the response of the Mini 5-Door ONE D, because it is a really practical car, both for its five doors and for its versatile 95 CV engine, which offers a competent response without giving up very tight consumption. Recommended for those who, besides wanting a Mini, want practicality and savings, both in price and in fuel. I even found it a fun car, offering a different driving experience from other city cars, in addition to its distinctive design.

Photos | Test team