The Cooper D five-door retails at just over £19,000, which seems like reasonable value for money when you consider that this is similar to the amount you'll pay for the cheapest 1.5-litre TDCi 120PS version of Ford's Fiesta. Then you put your sensible head on and consider that plenty of five-door diesel superminis would be much cheaper, so this MINI does in reality remain as something of a boutique product. Still, compare against something that a MINI buyer would be more likely to cross-shop, such as an Audi A1 Sportback 1.6 TDI S line, and you'll find that for one of those, you'll be paying about £21,000, so it's hard to complain too much about this MINI's pricing.
The spec's decent too. You get LED headlamps, a USB interface and Bluetooth, electrically adjustable exterior mirrors, front fog lamps, air conditioning and an onboard computer. Safety equipment includes front and side airbags, as well as curtain airbags for the front and rear seats. All seats are fitted with 3-point seat belts, belt tensioners and belt force limiters at the front. ISOFIX child seat mountings are provided at the rear and the front passenger seat.
This tally can be supplemented with a range of options that includes two-zone automatic air-conditioning, heated front seats, a panoramic glass roof, windscreen heating, rain sensors and automatic light control, a Harman Kardon hi-fi speaker system and a sports leather steering wheel. Other options include Park Distance Control, electrically heated and folding exterior mirrors, plus both interior and exterior mirrors with automatic anti-dazzle function.