Technical Fiat 500 vs Mini Cooper

[Squadrone Rosso]

I've recently drive a new Cooper. The interior is several notches up quality wise on the 500 & any of the current Alfa offerings.

The driving position is low & excellent and the steering / handling is bob on

Gearbox is no better that my 500 TA (which is brilliant) and it feels no faster (but obviously is).

Downsides are minute boot space & rear space for kids only. That's where the 500 trumps it easily:slayer:

It's a car you can fall in love with, just like the 500

 

[RobinPJ]

I have to say I saw one yesterday in a graphite grey colour with big alloys and it looked the business. If I didn't have kids (oh, and if I had any money) then it would be very tempting....

 

[scout]

I drove the 205bhp john cooper works mini before I plumped for the 500, to say I was disappointed was an understatement. It felt sluggish compared to my then current ride (a 165bhp Hyundai coupe V6) and the seating position felt awkward. It was a shame because I'd always fancied a mini, but if the truth be told I much prefer the 500c twinair. I still haven't stopped smiling since I picked it up yesterday lunchtime.

 

[SK Luke 03]

I drove the 205bhp john cooper works mini before I plumped for the 500, to say I was disappointed was an understatement. It felt sluggish compared to my then current ride (a 165bhp Hyundai coupe V6) and the seating position felt awkward. It was a shame because I'd always fancied a mini, but if the truth be told I much prefer the 500c twinair. I still haven't stopped smiling since I picked it up yesterday lunchtime.

I smell BS the hyundai coupe v6 isnt all that fast tbh, john cooper works mini 205 bhp is fast for what it is 1.6 0-60 around 6.4 top speed about 146 mph and your 2.7 v6 coupe is what ? 8 secs to 60 an tops at 135? think you mean your hyundai feels sluggish.
but to top that of you went for a twinair

 

[306maxi]

A turbo engined car can feel sluggish compared to a n/a if you don't have it in the right gear.

 

[ahmett]

A turbo engined car can feel sluggish compared to a n/a if you don't have it in the right gear.

I have to say the tsi engine of the golf with both a supercharger and turbocharger feels quite responsive!

 

[OrangeSport]

A turbo engined car can feel sluggish compared to a n/a if you don't have it in the right gear.

Exactly, ultimate potential performance figures are only half the story. Cars with good low down torque can feel much quicker on the road than faster, higher revving models. Most people don't spend their lives at 6k rpm.

 

[OrangeSport]

I smell BS ....
but to top that of you went for a twinair

Why would he BS? Post makes sense to me.

I also don't think he is comparing the TA to the hotter Mini.

 

[SK Luke 03]

Yeah he isnt compairing the TA to the JCW but he was saying the JCW felt sluggish comapired to his hyundai but the TA would of felt worse (which he went for in the end).. Im just saying I dont get what he was trying to get at hence the confused smiley?

Also in response to the other post basically saying it would have turbo lag etc.. It has near enough max torque at 1850 revs at 2k it is at max torque so it would be very responsive. not like the others are suggesting.

 

[bgunn]

A turbo engined car can feel sluggish compared to a n/a if you don't have it in the right gear.

Equally, an NA car can feel sluggish if you're using the wrong gear. Moral of the story: Use the right gear for the job in hand!

 

[ahmett]

You guys have no idea how disappointed I was when I hit the rev limiter at only 6500 rpm in the NA Mini Cooper 1.6. The engine felt much less aggressive than the Fiat 500 1.4. Is it 16v?

 

[scout]

I smell BS the hyundai coupe v6 isnt all that fast tbh, john cooper works mini 205 bhp is fast for what it is 1.6 0-60 around 6.4 top speed about 146 mph and your 2.7 v6 coupe is what ? 8 secs to 60 an tops at 135? think you mean your hyundai feels sluggish.
but to top that of you went for a twinair

If you smell any BS then its coming from you , I'm telling you what I felt when I took the Mini out on a test drive, I've no need to lie or BS, as you so elequently put it. Now as it was the first mini I had driven maybe I was expecting more than it delivered. It was an auto and fully loaded, that may have made a difference, but I was singularly unimpressed with it, so much so that I didn't even try any of the lower power ones. I really wanted to like the mini as I think they look great especially the Cooper S and above with the bonnet scoop and twin tail pipes but for me the drive didn't live up to the hype. But I was uncomfortable in it and never felt part of the car as the driving position was awful, in fact I was glad to get in my coupe to leave the dealer. Even the dealer told me the John Cooper Works should not be looked at as a daily driver but more a weekend toy.

As for the twin air I was expecting the car to be sluggish and it wasn't. It seems to be very eager and I know the limitations and accept them. I no longer need a car that will eat the miles effortlessly but a car that is fun to drive at relitivly low speeds which the 500 delivers in spades, which is why I bought one.

 

[scout]

Yeah he isnt compairing the TA to the JCW but he was saying the JCW felt sluggish comapired to his hyundai but the TA would of felt worse (which he went for in the end).. Im just saying I dont get what he was trying to get at hence the confused smiley?

In actual fact the torqueyness of the TA means it is great at low speeds (where I spend most of my driving) it just means I need to push the pedal down a bit more than the Coupe V6 where it was more flexing the ankle

I was expecting the JCW to be lightningly quick compared to the Coupe but because the coupe is such a torquey car if feels faster at lower speeds. I'm sure the JCW would win hands down on the track but I live and drive in the real world and the JCW just didn't 'float my boat'

 

[Gregi]

Here you can find 500 1.4 100 HP and Mini 1.4 95 HP track comparison made by 5th Gear: http://youtu.be/Ae1RvNu9-pI

To sum up the 500 was a second quicker on one lap than Mini.

 

[The Twins]

Here you can find 500 1.4 100 HP and Mini 1.4 95 HP track comparison made by 5th Gear: http://youtu.be/Ae1RvNu9-pI

To sum up the 500 was a second quicker on one lap than Mini.

And that was before the suspension modifications that came across the range of 500's in 2010!
I was amazed that VBH preferred the handling of the 500. Everyone usually raves about Mini handling and slates the 500. Thanks for sharing the clip.

 

[Squadrone Rosso]

Went out with our Cooper owning friend in our 500 last night.

Three sizeable adults, to Tesco the out for a meal.

She said if we'd tried to use the Mini, we would have been stuffed.

With the Eco button off though & some swift driving, only got 38mpg over a 52 mile return trip.....

 

[ahmett]

Was a passenger in the new Mini Cooper for a test drive for about 1 hour. They really have changed it a lot even though you don't really notice, the rear seats now have more room than the Fiat 500 with headroom as well, a big change from the old car. The boot is still tiny though, but has a small parcel in the bottom that adds some space, as you don't need a spare wheel due to the RunFlat tires.
Suspension/ride, much improved, the car is wider also so it feels really stable in the bends, it feels like a big car basically.
That 3 cylinder 1.5 feels like a peach of an engine, in fact it doesn't even really sound turbocharged as it is louder than I expected it to be, revs past 6,500 rpm, 1st gear 65 kmh, maybe even 70!


BMW makes things so complicated though, I opened the bonnet and there is no dipstick to check the oil or min/max on the coolant, its all computerised! That, in my opinion, just adds to the cost.


So basically a far superior car to the Fiat 500 with all the changes, but at what cost?

 

[PsFiat]

Have driven a few Minis and even rented I've for a week whilst interstate- where the comparison falls down is in the massive price differential, - the base model Mini in Australia is about 50% more than the Pop, so why compare? Two very different markets.

 

[ahmett]

Have driven a few Minis and even rented I've for a week whilst interstate- where the comparison falls down is in the massive price differential, - the base model Mini in Australia is about 50% more than the Pop, so why compare? Two very different markets.

Yes but 15,000 for a basic mini cooper vs about the same for a fully loaded fiat 500. what I am saying the new mini cooper is so much better than the fiat 500 with the latest changes (something I didn't feel as much with the old one), that I am thinking the price differential is worth it. Basically, without increasing the price of the car, the latest Mini is FAR FAR ahead of the old Mini while Fiat have not changed their car for 7 years now.


What I am saying is for 3-4,000 pounds more, the new Mini Cooper is worth the extra price over the Fiat 500 Lounge for example, and most ppl in the UK get their car with the 3 year credit plans, so the difference will be around 50 pounds a month for a far superior product.


It should also serve as a wake-up call to make the Fiat 500 better, its a fun car but its really showing its age now, it is after all based on a 2003 Fiat Panda!

 

[ahmett]

Have driven a few Minis and even rented I've for a week whilst interstate- where the comparison falls down is in the massive price differential, - the base model Mini in Australia is about 50% more than the Pop, so why compare? Two very different markets.

Oh and try the latest mini (model year 2014) , big change from the one before