MINI One 5-Door 1.5 (A) Facelift Review

There's no doubting the fact that having a five-door hatch over a three-door adds functionality into the mix. In the case of MINI, clearly, the 5-Door that you see on this page is more practical than the three-door model that we've all come to know and love.

For one, you don't have to be a contortionist to squeeze into the back seat. Secondly, rear seats can fit two proper adults rather than two kids with ease. Lastly, the 278-litre boot space of the 5-Door is significantly bigger than the three-door model as well.

And then some...

Thankfully, all the extra practicality doesn't make the MINI One 5-Door any less entertaining on the road than the three-door.

You get a talkative and well-weighted steering wheel that communicates well with you at the helm, grippy tyres as well as a sporty-biased suspension setup - all of which combine to give you a lively and cheeky behaviour around twists and turns.

It's no hot hatch, this MINI. With just 101bhp and 190Nm of torque from the 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine thrusted to the front wheels, the MINI One takes a rather leisurely 10.6 seconds to reach the 100km/h mark from nought.

But just because it isn't fast doesn't mean it's any less fun. Thanks to smooth and quick shifts from the seven-speed gearbox as well as marvellous body control, every corner is handled with aplomb, giving you the confidence to throw the car around with little to fear of understeer.

Same yet different

Perhaps MINI knew not to mess with the gem of an engine, which is why technical specification hasn't changed much with this updated MINI One 5-Door. Still, the car has certainly been restructured for better refinement and enhanced sophistication.

Wind and road noises have been reduced from its predecessor even at higher speeds, the while rattling and vibrations that so often plague MINIs are no longer present in this updated model.

Matured and all grown up

What's present, though, is a new design up front. While not significant, it's obvious the MINI One 5-Door now has a larger grille with a new black surround, new bumpers, as well as a pair of new thin vertical air intakes that replace the foglights from before.

On the inside, however, the transformation is a tad more apparent. The multi-functional leather-wrapped steering wheel is new, and so is the infotainment system, which has been given a cleaner and crisper look, as well as a new digital display in place of instrument dials.

Weapon of choice

All that's said and done, the elephant in the room is whether the MINI One 5-Door is a compelling alternative to the Audi A1 Sportback, or even cheaper peers like the Ford Fiesta and the Volkswagen Polo.

I reckon the MINI continues to be a unique offering, almost a proper model in its own right rather than a smaller variant of something bigger like the Audi A3 is to the A1 or the Volkswagen Golf is to the Polo. Plus, the MINI always had an endearing design that's timeless, which is an edge over its peers.

Hence, there's no denying that the MINI One 5-Door is that hippy hatch that's for people who not only want to look good driving one, but have a good time while doing it.

If it is a premium hatchback you're hankering after, there's also these options to consider:

The Seat Ibiza 1.0 has a premium interior along with a punchy drivetrain

While the Skoda Scala 1.5 offers up a pleasing drive with plenty of space for all

Or perhaps the Seat Ibiza 1.0 will charm with its well-built cabin and punchy drivetrain