Used Mini Hatch cars

The style of the car

There’s no mistaking the Mini for any other car on the road, it’s retro styling giving a really distinctive look. The Mini Hatch is bigger than earlier Minis, but it’s still a very small car. There are three- and five-door versions available. The five-door has a pair of back doors and is a little longer, which makes it more practical. The interior continues the retro theme, with a central dashboard display in a big, round frame. It feels like a premium product, too. There are sporty models with a more aggressive look and you can choose from a huge variety of colour combinations.

How it drives

The Mini feels responsive and engaging – in other words, it’s a lot of fun to drive. It’s great for nipping around town and the view through the large upright windows is excellent. Despite its dinky size, the Mini Hatch is quiet and comfortable on the motorway. Petrol and diesel engines are available; all can be had with an automatic gearbox. Even the smallest engine gives good acceleration and the high-performance Cooper S and John Cooper Works models are really quick.    

The interior

Both the three- and five-door Mini Hatches have five seats. The three-door is about the same size as the Mazda 2 or Nissan Micra.  Access to the back seats is easier in the five-door model and there’s more room once you’re inside. In both cars, though, children will be more comfortable than adults in the back seats, especially on long journeys. The boot is on the small side, too, but a week’s worth of food shopping will fit. The back seats fold down for more space. Every Mini Hatch model is well equipped and available with the kind of high-tech and luxury features that you might expect of a much larger car.

Running costs and reliability

Minis with petrol engines give official fuel economy of 40-50mpg, depending on the model, while diesels give 60mpg-plus. Road tax costs are reasonable. Some high-performance versions can be fairly costly to insure, but premiums for most models are average for this type of car. Safety organisation Euro NCAP gave the Mini Hatch a four-star safety rating when tested in 2014.

How it compares with similar cars

The Mini competes with other premium superminis such as the Audi A1 and DS 3, plus more mainstream models like the Ford Fiesta and Renault Clio. The Mini isn’t the most practical of superminis or the best value. But its retro styling, fun driving experience and premium feel are hugely appealing.