Why Lease The Convertible?
by: Donna KellyDonna Kelly has over 14 years of experience in the motoring industry, writing, test driving and tweeting about cars. Her weekends are spent trackside, covering racing events.
Mini Convertible Review 2022
The Mini Convertible improves the standard three-door Mini Hatchback and adds a folding fabric roof for an open-air driving experience. While it is not the most practical vehicle on the market, it's one of the plushest convertibles.
Rivals to the Mini Convertible include the Mazda MX-5, Fiat 500C convertible and Volkswagen Polo.
Our Mini Convertible review covers:
Mini Convertible Key Features
- Fresh-faced sportier look with integrated fog lights and extended grille
- Modernised interior with new refined upholstery styles
- 215-litre boot, which reduces to 150 litres with the roof down
- 134bhp Cooper, 176bhp Cooper S, 228bhp John Cooper Works engine options
- Two trim levels, including Classic and Exclusive
Design, Practicality and Boot Space
The new Mini Convertible has a fresh-faced sportier look for 2022. The fog lights have been integrated for a simplified, modernised front, along with a large extended grille giving it a sportier stand-out presence on the road.
Inside, the Mini Convertible has been modernised, with refinements to the cockpit panel and updates to the steering wheel design. The roof can be half-opened like a sunroof or folded away automatically and neatly into several stacked pieces. The mechanism takes about 15 seconds to fold and works with the car moving up to 18mph.
As for boot space, the Mini Convertible can hold up to 215 litres. With the roof down, the boot space gets reduced to 150 litres, so you'll have minimal space for bags if you open the top on a sunny day.
Interior and Trims
The Mini Convertible has an impressive modern interior with a refined upholstery style. The interior inside the Convertible is packed with high-quality materials. It has a strong sense of build quality with aeroplane-style toggle switches to metal air vents and a huge responsive infotainment screen, which puts the Mini a cut above what you'd get in the likes of a Volkswagen Polo.
All Mini Convertibles come as standard with a stunning 8.8" high-resolution, full-colour display screen. Unfortunately, you'll have to pay extra if you want things like satellite navigation and Apple CarPlay.
Two trim levels are available, including Classic and Exclusive.
The Classic trim level comes with 15-inch alloy wheels on the Cooper and 16-inch alloy wheels on the Cooper S models with sports seats and a sports steering wheel. There's a soft-top with integrated sunroof function, LED headlights and rear lights, rain sensor and automatic headlight activation. Classic trim also adds a multi-function steering wheel, a rear Park Distance Control and interior lights pack. The MINI Excitement Pack includes MINI logo projection, illuminated door handles and LED mood lighting.
The Exclusive trim level comes with 17 or 18-inch alloy wheels, chrome exterior trim, upgraded leather seats, Walknappa steering wheel and automatic cruise control. Exclusive trim adds LED rear lights in Union Jack Design, wind deflectors, folding/dimming mirrors, and Cruise control with brake function.
Power and Performance
MINI offers the Convertible in three performance power trains. Each option offers a different engine and exclusive feel behind the wheel.
The standard MINI Cooper gets a 134bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder, whereas the Cooper S has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 176bhp. The top-of-the-range John Cooper Works model with the same engine offers a power output of up to 228bhp, making it one of the fastest supermini convertibles.
Whichever engine option you choose, they all have joyful go-kart handling and the efficiency of MINI TwinPower Turbo technology, perfect for driving around town with the roof down and your hair blowing in the wind.
Overall, the MINI Convertible isn't the most practical but is ideal enough for daily life and fun enough to make the most of its open-top roof when the sun finally does come out.
Leasing vs Buying
Prices for the new MINI Convertible start from £25,055.00 OTR* or to lease from £305.03 per month.
Do you have questions about leasing a MINI Convertible? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts are one of the leading car leasing providers in the UK. Our car leasing offers contain road tax and manufacturer's warranty for the duration of the lease, breakdown coverage and free mainland GB delivery (exclusions apply).
Additionally, due to fixed monthly payments, a small initial investment, variable mileage, and contract terms, leasing a MINI Convertible may be less expensive than making an outright purchase with a bank loan or dealer financing.
*'On the road' price is correct at the time of publication and includes one year's road fund licence, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change. Always check with your nearest retailer.
