Initial impressions of Steptronic MINI Cooper EN51 CVT
- Blue and black look very good
- Road holding excellent even in 15"
- Handling is very good
- Steptronic probably the best auto I have driven aside from Jaguar XK8. Smooth but was tending to lurch from lights but that is getting better. Thr throttle is very exacting and it takes time to start feathering. This also means it needs a few revs to pick up from standstill. Overall exceptionally cannot feel changes.
- The car feels a lot faster than you are actually going!
- The Sport Drive mode gives a lovely rorty exhaust note- it sounds quite purposeful.
- It certainly gets lots of attention considering it was raining and dark.
Bad point and room for improvement.
- The Step gear stick looks great with Silver over the top but it will get scratched by rings and be hot in summer and cold in winter.
- The icons to tell where the gear lever is held e.g. Park are next to the passenger which make it impossible to read when you move the stick back you have to rely on the digital display in the speedo.
- The rev counter can get obstructed in certain seating positions.
- I am amazed and how easy it is to break traction although the wheels did not spin in the rain I could feel the tires 'chirping' under little gas but I think that is the nature of the gearbox that its put power down very quickly.
- Seats were giving me backache but that has now got better due to adjusting seat.
- I keep putting the front fogs on rather than lowering the window! The windows are a bit to eager towards 1 touch.
- Steering is heavy at parkings speeds especially compared to Yaris or even xk8 but that pays of towards good handling.
Hope this helps,
James
- Blue and black look very good
- Road holding excellent even in 15"
- Handling is very good
- Steptronic probably the best auto I have driven aside from Jaguar XK8. Smooth but was tending to lurch from lights but that is getting better. Thr throttle is very exacting and it takes time to start feathering. This also means it needs a few revs to pick up from standstill. Overall exceptionally cannot feel changes.
- The car feels a lot faster than you are actually going!
- The Sport Drive mode gives a lovely rorty exhaust note- it sounds quite purposeful.
- It certainly gets lots of attention considering it was raining and dark.
Bad point and room for improvement.
- The Step gear stick looks great with Silver over the top but it will get scratched by rings and be hot in summer and cold in winter.
- The icons to tell where the gear lever is held e.g. Park are next to the passenger which make it impossible to read when you move the stick back you have to rely on the digital display in the speedo.
- The rev counter can get obstructed in certain seating positions.
- I am amazed and how easy it is to break traction although the wheels did not spin in the rain I could feel the tires 'chirping' under little gas but I think that is the nature of the gearbox that its put power down very quickly.
- Seats were giving me backache but that has now got better due to adjusting seat.
- I keep putting the front fogs on rather than lowering the window! The windows are a bit to eager towards 1 touch.
- Steering is heavy at parkings speeds especially compared to Yaris or even xk8 but that pays of towards good handling.
Hope this helps,
James