How Does the BMW MINI Cooper D Handle on Winding Roads?

Next, I took it on winding roads. The redline is around 5200–5400 rpm, so naturally this isn’t a car to rev hard. Still, I flipped the shift selector to the left for Sport mode and pressed the accelerator. The initial response remains smooth, and it builds speed steadily.

The AT seems to prefer running around 4th gear in most situations, providing ample acceleration in typical speed ranges.

However, because of the torque, if you get carried away revving the engine, the tachometer needle quickly approaches the red zone, which is a bit disappointing. As someone who enjoys revving engines on mountain roads, I honestly don’t like diesel engines much.

But that’s a matter of personal preference.

The brakes are very effective and easy to control. If I had to pick one standout feature of this car’s brakes, it would be their high controllability. Honestly, you don’t see brakes like this often on Japanese cars.

Even some well-known sports cars have excellent stopping power but don’t match the MINI in brake feel that faithfully responds to the driver’s touch. This makes it very satisfying and fun to modulate speed precisely with subtle foot pressure before corners.

And the MINI’s biggest feature is its handling. The catchphrase is “Go-Kart Feeling,” and driving it on winding roads really makes you understand what that means.

Simply put, it’s neutral steer. At speeds comfortable for public road winding, once you turn the steering wheel before a corner, you don’t need to add or reduce steering angle. The steering angle locks in crisply and confidently.

At very low speeds, the firm suspension comes into play. The body leans slightly outward with a light roll, balanced front to rear. It then settles firmly, pivoting pleasantly around the armrest area inside the cabin. There’s absolutely no unease in cornering. It’s hard to believe a car with 65-profile tires can feel this stable. Simply wonderful.

There’s a gentle S-curve from Arima Corner to Juhatcho Corner on the Royu Driveway, which can feel unpleasantly linear in poorly balanced cars, but the MINI glides through it effortlessly as if tracing a single perfect line.

On the other hand, the tires are standard eco Hankook Kinergy ECO2s. These tires offer good grip up to a point but become a bit worrisome beyond that.

Since the chassis outperforms the tires, changing to sportier tires would create a perfect balance.

For comparison within the BMW group, I previously test drove the BMW 320d (F30). The MINI’s diesel sounds less “diesel-like” than the 320d’s.

The 320d obviously has more power, but the suspension tuning differs quite a bit between BMW and MINI.

Generally, BMWs feel like they put more load on the outer front wheel when cornering, while the MINI feels like it loads the entire body outward to turn. Even within the same manufacturer, each brand clearly tunes its cars to create a distinct character.

Summary and Closing Thoughts

Riding the MINI made me realize how important it is to know what you want from a car. If you strongly seek engine excitement, revving feel, and sound, this MINI might not be the best choice.

However, for those who value drivability, feel, acceleration, and quietness in town, it’s an excellent car. It handles everything from shopping and long-distance touring to commuting and school runs with ease, and it also performs wonderfully on winding roads.

Especially with the MINI, it’s not just about performance specs. What matters is whether the MINI’s world and design resonate with your sensibility. Don’t judge the car by power figures alone; cherish its unique worldview. The MINI is perfect for those who see it as part of their lifestyle and fashion.

It’s not just an industrial product or a means of transport—it’s a lifestyle accessory that colors your life. That’s what the MINI means to me.