First Impressions of the BMW MINI Cooper D

The other day, I introduced a test drive report where my husband drove his sister-in-law’s BMW MINI Cooper D. Recently, I also had the chance to drive it around town and on the Royu Driveway, so I’d like to share my brief impressions this time. My husband had already told me beforehand, “It’s a very well-made car, easy to drive, and left a great impression,” so I was really looking forward to driving it myself.

By the way, I bought my own manual transmission car this April (though production timing is still uncertain due to semiconductor shortages), and initially, the MINI Crossover was also on my list. The Crossover seemed like a solid car, with five doors making getting in and out and loading cargo easy, plus the kids could ride comfortably in the back, and the design was cute—I really liked it.

However, when I searched for a used manual MINI, there weren’t any well-maintained cars in my preferred body color at that time, so I gave up.

Back to the MINI Cooper… first, I was impressed by the solid, weighty feel of the doors. The moment I closed the door, I felt a comforting sense of being protected inside the car’s space, which I really liked.

Then, once I started driving, I was surprised by the suspension. I had imagined the MINI Cooper as a small, nimble car with sharp handling, but it was completely different. Contrary to its cute appearance, it was very robust, solid, and had a strong road grip. My husband said,

The suspension is really great, right? This car costs over 4 million yen new, but it’s worth every yen—actually, I think the quality feels even better than the price suggests. It’s rare to find suspension this solid in cars around this price range, especially among Japanese cars. It’s firm enough to feel secure and the tire contact with the road is amazing.

Previously, I had the chance to test drive a Mazda Roadster (ND) and felt it was “a very well-built car!” but the MINI Cooper’s suspension felt like an even more solid version of that.

Also, we used to have a Volkswagen Golf 7 at home, which had excellent suspension that we both praised every time we drove it. Personally, I felt that the MINI Cooper’s suspension was even more solid and had stronger road grip, making me trust the car more while driving.

I prefer a slightly firm suspension that lets me really feel the road contact rather than a soft one, so this car perfectly matched my taste. I found myself repeatedly thinking, “This is amazing! I want this! This is amazing!” throughout the drive.

Wonderful MINI Cooper

While waiting at a traffic light, I took a good look at the interior and was impressed by the quality feel. This particular car apparently had almost no options, but if the base interior is this high-quality, that’s more than enough.

Next, my impressions driving on the Royu Driveway: the handling fit perfectly with my natural sense, and both the accelerator and brake pedals were very easy to operate. The car turned exactly as much as I steered, without any need to adjust further, making it smooth and enjoyable. The brake was also excellent—easy to judge how hard to press, and it responded firmly when pressed.

“This makes me want to keep taking corners—it feels so good!”

Before I knew it, I was driving with a big smile on my face.

Whether in town or on roads like the Royu Driveway, the MINI Cooper was very easy and fun to drive. However, when I pressed the accelerator hard at one point, the acceleration felt a bit lacking.

But this is only because I was comparing it to Porsche acceleration—it’s still perfectly fine for highway merging or when you want to accelerate, and it definitely has the comfort that makes you want to go on long drives.

Personally, I also thought that the regular gasoline MINI Cooper’s engine sound would probably feel even better.

I’m currently waiting for delivery of my own manual car (or rather, waiting for production updates), but honestly, this car was so wonderful that I thought, “Compared to the MINI, my own car’s suspension might feel a bit underwhelming… I hope it’s okay….”

I’m grateful for the chance to drive it this time—thank you so much!