2004 MINI COOPER NEW CAR BUYER'S GUIDE

What's New for the 2004 MINI Cooper?
The ultra-cute, ultra-compact Mini Cooper now provides drivers with a digital readout of speed and fuel consumption, and rear seat riders get a new power socket to call their own. Additional options to spiff up the interior include beige leather trim and a three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel. Mid-year, Mini added a special edition model commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Mini Cooper's historic 1964 win at the Monte Carlo Rally. Named the Mini Cooper S MC40, this new model includes Chili Red paint with a white roof, race-inspired graphics, driving lights, unique 17-inch alloy wheels, a Sport package, extra chrome trim on the outside, and special interior trim including real carbon fiber. Only 1,000 Mini Cooper S MC40s will be assembled.

Advantages of the 2004 MINI Cooper:

• Fun to drive, own and be seen in
• Spirited handling, particularly with the Cooper S model
• Size and agility make it ideal for city driving conditions

Objections to the 2004 MINI Cooper:

• Base 115-horsepower engine could use more oomph, especially when paired with the optional continuously variable transmission
• Some interior trim pieces could use some refinement
• Rear seat not designed for adults

Editor's Advice:
Spirited, adorable, and reasonably priced, the Mini Cooper’s appeal stems from more than its British heritage. Behind its retro-modern styling is a set of contemporary hardware designed and engineered by Mini’s parent company, BMW. The Mini Cooper offers comfort for two adults, and the tiny rear seat is perfect for small children. Or, flip it down for a large cargo space, and treat the Cooper as a two-seater. Select the standard Mini Cooper, or the supercharged S model, but be sure to learn how to drive a manual transmission because the continuously variable automatic that comes with the base motor makes for slooooooow going. Our favorite is the Mini Cooper S, which can charge down a twisting canyon road with surprising verve, with a rough city ride the primary drawback. Optional on the Cooper S is a John Cooper Works package that bumps horsepower from 163 to 200 and adds 22 lb.-ft. of torque. We’d like to see improvements in the quality of some interior bits and pieces, but then BMW would need to price the Mini Cooper too high, so we’ll live with the cheap plastic. Looking like nothing else on the road today, the Mini Cooper embodies the aspects that made the original so popular in the first place: it’s stylish, affordable and a blast to drive.