2021 (21) MINI Convertible 1.5 Cooper Exclusive 3dr

By Jonathan Crouch

Introduction

Originally launched in 2014, the third generation F56 version of the 3 Door MINI Hatch got a useful mid-term update in 2018 to create the car we're going to look at here. In this form, it became smarter and more sophisticated - and could be more individual too. Plus by this point in the F56 design's life, some re-fettling work had been done on the punchy range of eager three and four cylinder engines. Let's check it out as a used buy.

History

As a brand, MINI has come to mean all kinds of things but it's in this simplest 3-Door Hatch form that the company's products are most iconically recognisable. This third generation 'F56' design was first launched in 2014, but four years on was significantly updated to create the car we're going to look at here. This MK3 model didn't really need any fundamental improvements but it's a fashion-led product that must match the style and technological trends of the moment. And, sure enough, in this revised guise, all that was brought bang up to date. As before, 5 Door Hatch and Convertible variants shared showroom space with this 3 Door model and got the same range of improvements made in this 2018 facelift. There were plenty of them too. The piercingly bright headlights evolved to use full-LED technology, as did the trendy new Union Jack-style tail lamps. Mechanically, the re-fettled engine range saw a de-tuned version of the Cooper model's 1.5-litre three cylinder unit make it into the base MINI One variant, plus the four cylinder 2.0-litre powerplant used further up the range was significantly overhauled in pursuit of greater efficiency. As part of this update, the optional Steptronic auto gearbox now had seven speeds; there was a whole fresh level of connectivity via upgraded 'MINI Connected' services. And the brand introduced a 'MINI Yours Customised' programme that set a fresh industry standard for the level to which buyers could personalise their cars. Plus this MINI could be lighter, it was better equipped and it could now come with a wider range of options. So much was changed as part of this update - but thankfully at the same time, nothing that was really important was different. This little 3 Door Hatch model remained still the purest expression of 'MINI-ness'; it could still charm you with its dinky looks and go-kart handling. And it was still a go-to choice for those wanting a style-conscious urban runabout with much of the technology of a larger car. All these attributes remained, but by 2018 had been developed over more than half a century of MINI history into well what? We'll see here. A further update followed in 2021, lasting the F56 design through to the end of production and the end of sales in early 2024.

What You Get

Headlamp styling has always been one of the defining elements of MINI design and a lot of work went into this updated F56-era model to further develop that. The lights may look much the same as 2014-2018-era pre-facelift F56 models, but the full-LED technology behind them was very different, particularly if you get a car whose original owners ordered the optional 'Matrix' adaptive beams that automatically extinguish parts of the lamp that might dazzle other road users. Here, we're looking at the 3 Door Hatch version, but MINI also spun five-door and Clubman estate body styles off this third generation F56 platform for those needing a bit more space, plus as usual there's a Convertible variant too. This 3 Door variant though, is the body shape that really defines 'MINI-ness' though and not much has changed with this facelift about the dinky, power-packed profile, which from new came with the no-cost option of a black, white or body-coloured roof. It's at the rear though, that this facelifted F56 model is most easily recognisable as the improved post-2017-era design. The Union Flag-style LED tail lamps are the reason why. Get behind the wheel and it's all quite BMW-like. If you've driven the pre-facelift F56 model, you'll know that the huge central display doesn't function as a speedo in the way that it did with earlier MINI Hatches. Less characterfully but more practically, the speedo here was re-located to a pod in front of the steering wheel where it's flanked with a crescent-moon rev counter and fuel gauge. All of this freed the central area up for much more infotainical trickery. By 2018, the screen was 6.5-inches in size across the range as standard and could be upgraded from new to 8.8-inches in size as part of the 'Navigation Plus Pack' which included all the latest 'MINI Connected' media features. In the back, legroom remains very cramped indeed if there's an adult of more than average height in front of you. If that's going to be an issue, the five-door version of this car (which gets an extra 72mm of length between the front are rear wheels) will obviously suit you better. What is quite impressive, even in the 3 Door model, is the amount of head and elbow room you get. In the back, there's a 311-litre boot. With everything flat, a surprisingly large 731-litre load capacity area reveals itself.

What to Look For

There aren't many reported issues with this F56-series MINI Hatch mechanically. The only one we came across related to a batch of cars with the 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine that suffered from oil leaks. This came from the rocker-cover gasket which in the case of these rogue models, had somehow managed to bulge out from between its mating surfaces, spraying oil everywhere. If the car you're looking at had such a leak, tell-tale signs include rough running and a poor idle. A new gasket is the ultimate fix. We also came across a few 2.0-litre cars experiencing the odd clutch problem. The torque of the engine seems to be part of the problem, but some owners have reported that their clutch is slipping quite early in the car's life. Even then, it wasn't that straightforward. Apparently, the on-board sensor designed to be an early-warning system of clutch failure proved in some cases to be just too sensitive for its own good, throwing up a false warnings on the dashboard when there was actually no problem at all. Dealerships have tackled this by taking any car in question out on to the road and performing a series of full-throttle acceleration tests in both second and fourth gear. Any clutch slip meant a new clutch was needed, but if there was no slip, the software was recalibrated to prevent the false alarms. Either way, the acceleration test is one you should perform when test-driving any Cooper S with a manual gearbox. The other thing to watch is for a car that has had skipped oil changes. Check the service handbook for any missed scheduled services and ensure the oil on the dipstick is relatively clean. The problem with skipped oil changes is most likely to show up in the variable valve-timing system these engines use, and dirty oil will foul the small oilways and filters quick smart. At which point, it's a pricey, expensive fix.

Replacement Parts

(approx based on a 2019 MINI Cooper 1.5 excl. VAT - autopartspro.co.uk) A front brake pad set costs in the £23-£33 bracket. A rear pad set is in the £15-£33 bracket. Front brake discs start in the £24-£54 bracket - it's around £22-£54 for a rear one. Oil filters cost in the £3-£17 bracket. A fuel filter costs between £2 and £24. An air filter is between £11-£16. A cabin filter is in the £11-£30 bracket.

On the Road

One of these just has to put a smile on your face when you drive it. If in a MINI Hatch, the overall feeling you're going to get is of just another supermini wearing a cute suit, you'd have to question this car's place in the overall scheme of things. Fortunately though, in this updated form, this third generation F56 model was still able to deliver the same infectious naughtiness that loyal owners love so much. There's still the same darty steering, the same quick-fire throttle. And still the same unyieldingly bumpy ride over poor surfaces. You'll need a car fitted with smaller wheels or optional Variable Damper Control to sort that out. Mechanical changes to this post-2018-era facelifted version were few. The 1.5-litre three cylinder petrol unit that by this point was used in the base 102hp MINI One as well as in the 136hp Cooper model received a few efficiency tweaks. The diesel range was slimmed down to a single 116hp 1.5-litre three cylinder Cooper D variant. And the 2.0-litre four cylinder petrol engine used for the top 192hp Cooper S and 231hp John Cooper Works hot hatch variants was comprehensively re-fettled. Plus the optional Steptronic dual-clutch auto gearbox had 7-speeds. None of which changed the recipe on offer too much. You might not like the rather baulky manual gear change. But you'll be impressed not only with this car's cornering agility and urban manoeuvrability but also with its surprising aptitude for longer trips. That's down to impressive levels of refinement. The engines are also pretty efficient too. This Cooper model's 1.5-litre petrol unit returns 60.1mpg on the combined cycle and 105g/km of CO2.

Overall

The third generation re-design of this F56-era MINI hatch saw the car grow up a little and face its responsibilities - as all of us have to. Yet at the same time, the brand was keen that this car shouldn't lose its fun and 'joie de vivre', the very attributes that make most customers want to consider one in the first place. The mid-term updates we've been reviewing here were mostly aimed at making sure that didn't happen, this Hatch version being smarter, better connected and more personalisable than before. From its era, it remains a British-built benchmark in the premium small car segment and a model that, though easy to imitate, is now even more difficult to beat if you're looking for a small, sporty runabout from the 2018-2023 period. Some rivals might be arguably more stylish or slightly larger but still none can beat its fun factor and everyday running cost affordability, both still crucial considerations in buying a car of this kind. Back in 1956 when he created the British original, Sir Alec Issigonis knew that. We think he'd have been pleased at how his creation turned out.