Bucket Seat: 2018 Mini Cooper 5 Door Hatch

A few weeks back I got to spend time with the face-lift Mini Cooper hatch, it's always exciting to get a Mini because its an exciting car to drive. I always find myself telling people who have judgy comments about car that they need to experience what the car offers before slating it. It's come along in leaps and bounds ever since BMW took over the famous British manufacturer, apart from keeping the look of the car, they also embodied much of the heritage. How so? Well let me tell you. 

DESIGN

As mentioned already, the general shape of the Mini has remained the same over the years with it evolving and growing ever so slightly, it's still in essence Mini in size and has that dinky look to it. With the face-lift, not much has changed in terms of shape but there are some noteworthy changes to the lights, the front headlamps now feature a rectangular shape lamp which sits in the large oval shell. The is more chrome details around and in the grille, moving to the back, the rear lights now feature a luminous Union Jack, adding to its British Heritage. Mini have also brought out a range of various designs and options for customization, again nailing that individuality that each car can have. From side mirrors, door panels, decals, Union Jack on the roof, the variations are endless and can be quite fun for a prospective buyer when building their Mini. 

PERFORMANCE

The Cooper comes with the 1.5L Twin PowerTurbo engine which is the smallest in the range still has plenty of performance to deliver. 100kW with 220Nm of torque, the car propels it self from 0 to 100 kph in 8.1 seconds. The 8 speed sport automatic gearbox allows for smooth transitions and optimal changes when driving any of the modes. With the cars low center of gravity and perfect weight distribution, it's hard to get yourself to stop driving! When flicked into sport mode, the go-kart feel really kicks in with the steering loosening up and the exhausts get a bit more vocal, though it does tend to drink faster but it's all worth it in the end. The car is quite heavy for it's size but the engine does cope well and doesn't let you feel that weight, even with a full load. 

TECHNOLOGY

The car came with the Mini's connected sat-nav and infotainment screen which is touch and really easy to use thanks to the navigation wheel. There are voice commands for most functions and the car comes with Mini Connect. Big thing on the interior for Mini is the mood lighting, with quite a few colour options, you can set the mood for any occasion in the inside. Dual-climate control is also standard in the new Mini and while not so much a technology talking point, but an aesthetic one, the gear selector has changed to a flat long head which has a better feel and very similar to the BMW's. The car came with Mini's extended light package which illuminate the car beautifully at night and has the Mini logo projected onto the floor, very stylish if you ask me. Fog lights are also offered in LED variant now, which makes the car visible from further in heavy misty conditions. 

COMFORT

Here's the common misconception about a Mini, people think the interior is quite small and cramped, with the 5 Door variant you have the added door which makes the car longer and adds more space but the front passengers still have as much space as the 3 door hatch has to offer. The seats which come in both leather and cloth are extremely comfortable and can come in electrically adjustable with memory seating as well. While you are sitting low to the floor with quite large rims on the car, the general ride quality is great and comparable to some German sedans. The 5 Door hatch comes with a decent size luggage trunk as well, enough for a few cabin bags or a golf bag. 

VERDICT

I'm sold by the brand, while the car has flaws which are mainly minor and driver related, it really is a great car to drive. This even being the Cooper offers so much to put a smile on the drivers face, every time they go for a spin. It will have you offering to do the most mundane of errands just so you can go around for a spin. While pricing may seem steep for the car, the build quality of the Mini is second to none in the premium hatch segment. The car still feels solid with great quality material used on both the interior and exterior. If I had the money and dream garage to fill, you bet there would be a Mini or two in there. 

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	15L Twin PowerTurbo
Gear Box	8 Speed Automatic
Power	100kW
Torque	220Nm
0-100km	8.1 seconds
Economy	4.8 L/100km
Price	R 474,850

Bucket Seat: 2018 Ford Fiesta - First Impressions

This week see's the launch of the all new Ford Fiesta in South Africa, a car which played a big part in forcing the trend of the compact hatchback in the country. Over the years it's grown in size and become quite a great looking car, and this new variant is spot on in terms of styling and interior design. While we may not be attending the launch, we are hopeful of receiving one to test in the not to distant future but for now lets take a look at what Ford tells about this all new Fiesta. 

As mentioned before, new styling, Ford say the new design follows an evolution of the old which is very evident but they also made it more contemporary but just a bit so much not to lose its "Fiesta-ness". After all, Fiesta does mean festive, if the car looked boring they should change its name to "Siesta"....okay enough of the dry jokes from me.  They have managed to make the car look more elegant with the bold styling, silver finishes and the nice LED loop the front headlights make. It definitely looks more mature than the outgoing model. The car has also grown a lot with an additional 71 mm in length and 13 mm in width. Ford says this gives the car a more premium appearance but for me, that just means more cabin space which is a major plus for a big guy like myself. 

Moving under the hood, Ford retains its multi award winning 1.0L Ecoboost petrol engine in the Feista line up, I mean if the engine won the "International Engine of the Year" award 6 times, why change it. The car is available in both 6 speed manual and automatic, with the latter having a conventional six-speed torque converter transmission. The Ecoboost engine produces 74kW of power and 170Nm of torque. More than enough to run around town with. If you prefer a diesel engine, Ford have their 1.5L TDCi turbodiesel engine and is exclusively available with a six-speed manual gearbox producing 63kW and 174Nm of torque. The Fiesta now also features stop/start technology, further enhancing it's fuel efficiency. 

Getting into the Fiesta, while you must take into consideration this isn't a luxury car so don't expect plush interiors to match the exterior, while I say that, Ford have done a relatively good job. The materials look solid and nothing cheap about it, the driver set-up looks great an the new large infotainment touch screen which has SYNC3 loaded on is perfect. SYNC3 also integrates with your mobile device so if you have Apple Car Play or Android Auto, everything gets displayed via the cars screen, rather than you having to check your phone all the time which adds to the safety of the you and your passengers. 

Overall, Ford look to have a great car hitting their showrooms, while many are used to having cars like this for students and so on, with the ever increasing price of petrol, which is said to go over the R15 a litre mark in June, a car like the Fiesta could be for anyone that wants to save on their trip to the petrol station. It has all the creature comforts, looks great and is pretty nippy. If you wanting something a bit faster, the Fiesta ST is due sometime during this year but Ford SA won't giving a date as yet, so watch this space. 

Pricing for the Fiesta range is as follows.

Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost Trend 6MT	R261,900
Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost Trend 6AT	R277,300
Fiesta 1.5 TDCi Trend 6MT	R292,500
Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium 6MT	R295,500
Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium 6AT	R310,600