About that headline.
You see it all the time in automotive media: "First Drive!"
But if your name isn't Car and Driver, Motor Trend or Hagerty (the other one), those are few and far between. Those of us who have our own sites or freelance (or both, in my case) more often take turns with what's in the press fleet at the moment.
Which is how, with the re-designed 2025 MINI arriving at dealers now (I'll have a review of the 2025 MINI Countryman September 10th), I get one last drive in the 2024 MINI Cooper S.
I'm not complaining. It's been more than two years since my last week with a MINI Cooper S, and more than nine years since I had seat time in a Mini Cooper S Hardtop 4 Door.
Im my 2022 review, I noted that with the departure of the VW Golf in anything but GTI or Golf R form, the "...starting price of the S might make it the last great inexpensive fun small car".
Under the hood, it's a 2.0-liter turbo four with 189 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, but our tester had an automatic that, oddly, didn't show up on the window sticker.
If you want the manual, you need to grab a '24 from existing stock. The new '25 will ditch the stick for a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. It will also bump power up to 201 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque.
The 2024 MINI Cooper S Hardtop 4 Door's EPA fuel economy estimate is 31 mpg combined city/highway.
Even in slightly-lengthened four-door form, the MINI Cooper S is simply a ball to drive. There are selectable driving modes (Green-Mid-Sport) and performance summer tires are standard equipment.
Small car---small cargo space. 13.1 cubic inches. But fold the rear seats down and it's 40.7.
And it's tight quarters for folks in that second row, with 32.3 inches of legroom.
The base price of the 2024 MINI Cooper S Hardtop 4 Door is $31,095, including destination, and includes a comprehensive suite of active safety features, Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel, 60/40 split folding rear seats, floormats, a six-speaker audio system, anthracite headliner, LED headlights, tire pressure monitoring, rain-sensing wipers and heated exterior mirrors and washer jets.
Our tester also had extra-cost options---one standalone (white bonnet stripes for $150) and one package. That package is called Iconic Trim. You get power-folding mirrors, keyless entry, piano black exterior trim, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, dual-zone automatic climate control, active driving assistant, parking assistant, a Harman/Kardon premium audio system, navigation and a center armrest with a built-in wireless device charger.
The Iconic Trim package is $8,400. Which brings the as-tested price of the 2024 MINI Cooper S Hardtop 4 Door to $39,645.
At that price, you're in GTI territory---a car that has 52 more horsepower, more cargo space behind the rear seats and more rear seat legroom.
On stats, the MINI Cooper S can't beat that. But on charm, it more than tops the GTI, which, as I've noted, has become a user-unfriendly experience because of its cabin tech.
Again, the '25 MINIs will be automatic-only. If you want one, and want it with a stick, start scouring the dealer lots for remaining '24s.
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