After the Mini was acquired by BMW in 1994, the brand name was changed to the capitalized MINI, and many models were derived. MINI is a series of small cars launched by the MINI brand, which is currently on sale in China in two versions, 3-door and 5-door, divided into three power levels: MINI ONE, MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S.
After BMW launched the B series engine, the whole MINI series also used this series of engines, the MINI ONE uses B38A12U0, the weakest power, with a maximum output of 75kW (102 horsepower); The MINI Cooper uses B38A15M0 with a medium power output of 100kW (136 hp); The MINI Cooper S uses B48A20A with a maximum output of 141 kW (192 hp); There is also the JCW version, which is the most powerful, using the 170kW version of the B48 engine, with 228 horsepower, but the sales are very small, and it is basically a toy for MINI die-hard fans.
The code name of this generation of MINI is F, and the gearbox is divided into early and late models, the early use is Aisin 6AT, and the 2018 model year began to use the Getrag 7-speed wet dual-clutch transmission, the model is 7DCT300. The engine is divided into different models of high and low power, but the gearbox is unified with 7DCT300, but because the peak torque of the JCW version reaches 320 Nm, it can only use ZF's 8AT.
The three-cylinder engine paired with a seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission seems to combine two of the hardest things to reassure people about. Actual driving, BMW's B38 engine will indeed have more obvious shaking, especially at the moment of starting, the driver's seat feels particularly obvious, if there will be jitter when it is only started, it is also acceptable, but it has an automatic start-stop function, if this function is turned on, at every start, the start-up jitter will come again, which affects comfort, and it will also make a rough sound when idling.
Compared to the engine, the performance of the 7DCT300 is satisfactory. Getrag or Magna's wet dual-clutch transmission, in the entire dual-clutch transmission field, is in the first echelon with Volkswagen's DSG, if it is not specifically emphasized that this is a dual-clutch transmission, it is easy to mistake it for an AT gearbox, and it is a very small shift action, the gear ratio is very dense, the logic of shifting is particularly clear, and the shift speed is fast enough. It's not out of the question, but it's very, very accidental, and it's not very large, similar to the feeling of releasing the throttle and then plugging it in, and the impact on driving is negligible.
The steering feel continues to be delicate and natural as the MINI, but the suspension is also as stiff as ever, bringing a very clear road feeling, which will also make rear passengers feel uncomfortable. The NVH of the whole vehicle is not good enough, engine noise, tire noise, road noise, wind noise have a strong sense of presence, if you like MINI consumers, you will like this "shell kart" driving feeling, if it is just daily travel, it is a little uncomfortable.
The interior is a very distinctive selling point of the MINI, because a large number of circular elements are used inside, although the appearance is very good, but the actual use experience of the interior layout is very average. Because the size of the steering wheel is relatively large, when you look at the central control screen while driving, the screen will be partially blocked by the steering wheel. The cup holder is set in front of the lever, and the wrist will be pressed against the lever when holding water. When using the iDrive system, the hand is blocked by the central armrest box, and the operating posture is strange. There is very little storage space in the front row, and I can't find a place to put my phone when I get in the car.
The wheelbase of the three-door version is 2495mm, the length of the car is 3832mm, it is not very convenient to enter the rear row, and it will not be very comfortable after sitting in, only suitable for small children, or put child safety seats, but the process of putting children in is not easy. The wheelbase of the five-door version is 72mm longer than the three-door version, the length of the car is 140mm, and the most important thing is that there are two more doors, although it looks like the rear door is very short, but it is already easy to sit in, and there is at least room for head and knee space, but the middle seat is useless, only suitable for two people. The backrest of the seat is straight, the cushion is short, and the padding is hard, making the ride feel poor.
MINI has never been a stable and durable car, reliability is MINI's long-term weakness, after the acquisition of BMW, MINI's quality and reliability is still far from its Japanese rivals. In the long-term statistics of the failure rate of the American "Consumer Reports", the previous generation of MINI had serious problems in the engine and gearbox, and the MINI of more than 5 years old had a large quality gap with Fit, Yaris and other models in almost all aspects. After the replacement of the powertrain in the third generation, the reliability of the MINI has improved to a certain extent, at least the B-series engine is not as prone to oil leakage as the N-series engine, and there are no large-scale complaints about the 6AT transmission and Getrag dual-clutch transmission.
In terms of safety, it is a small highlight of MINI, since the third generation of MINI, it has won the TSP in 2016, 2017 and 2018 on the IIHS, but it has not yet participated in the small area offset crash test of the co-pilot. In crash tests on E-NCAP and A-NCAP, the MINI received only a four-star rating in 2014.
MINI evaluation report