Following swiftly on from the new electric and petrol-powered three-door MINI Coopers, the BMW-owned brand has today taken the wraps off its new Cooper 5 Door.
This isn't the first five-door MINI, is it?
That's right, there was a five-door version of the outgoing, third-generation MINI hatch. This new model is actually an evolution of that car - the big giveaway is the doorhandles, which are identical to the outgoing car's, while the door skins are the same design as before, too. Rather than just shoehorn a second pair of doors within the length of the MINI Cooper, the 5 Door has a longer wheelbase - increased by 72mm - while the bodyshell is 172mm longer overall, at 4,036mm, but that also means the five-door model's slightly awkward looks remain.
MINI has given the 5 Door the same styling cues as the three-door Cooper, with a smooth front end, simple lines and triangular taillights, while the interior receives the same cutting-edge tech as the three-door hatch as well. One introduction with the 5 Door is a new graduated roof colouring, which, on the model shown in the official pictures, fades from the car's body colour into a white finish. Standard and contrast roof colours will also be offered, along with the usual upgrade packs and personalisation options.
If this is an evolution, does that mean no electric 5 Door?
There's no sign of one with the new model announcement, and since the combustion-engined version of the new MINI Cooper uses a different platform to the electric one, we wouldn't hold our collective breath on the appearance of a 5 Door EV. From launch the car comes in the same Cooper C and Cooper S forms as the three-door.
The Cooper C features a three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that makes up to 156hp and 230Nm of torque, which gives the car a 0-100km/h time of eight seconds and an official fuel consumption figure of 6.0 litres/100km. The Cooper S has an extra cylinder for a 2.0-litre capacity, and peak outputs are 204hp and 300Nm of torque. This one manages 0-100km/h in a time of 6.8 seconds and only slightly worse consumption at 6.3 litres/100km. All cars are front-wheel drive, and like the three-door Cooper the only gearbox choice is a twin-clutch automatic.
How much more practical is the 5 Door model?
Well, the extra doors boost access to the cabin, while the additional length at the rear means boot space increases from 210 litres in the three-door Cooper to 275 litres here. The back seats fold in a 60:40 split, with a maximum of 925 litres on offer, which is 125 litres more than in the smaller car.
MINI claims that there's enough space for five in the Cooper 5 Door, but if our experience of the similarly-sized previous-generation model is anything to go by, we wouldn't want to be stuck in the back of the 5 Door for long periods - though it’s considerably easier to get in and out of thanks to the extra doors.
Are there any other differences for the 5 Door?
The 5 Door model carries over the impressive new interior design of the three-door Cooper wholesale, so it features MINI's latest minimalist cabin layout. All the major functions are found within the large circular screen in the centre of the dash, with a handful of controls in a pod below that. MINI's Operating System 9 is behind it all, so advanced connectivity and voice control functions are included, while the high-resolution OLED screen offers a sharp display that's designed to be as user-friendly as a smartphone's, according to MINI.
The controls below include an Experience button, which can cycle through seven colour themes for the interior, while the Go Kart mode also enhances the car's steering, gearbox and throttle response for a sportier drive. MINI claims that the 5 Door will offer the same level of driving engagement as the standard Cooper since it features the same suspension set-up, though of course it’ll feel a little different as it weighs more and there’s a longer wheelbase.
When will we find out more?
Irish prices for the new MINI Cooper 5 Door start at €33,435 'on the road' in the case of the Cooper C, rising to €40,305 for the entry-level Cooper S. For reference, the three-door model starts at €31,902 for the Cooper C in Classic guise.
Read our first drive review of the new electric MINI Cooper SE.