2014 Mini Cooper Hardtop

2014 Mini Cooper Hardtop

Episode 3345
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

No one was quite sure what to expect when BMW reintroduced the MINI brand to America, as the first of the modern, 2002 cooper hardtops began arriving here. But, it sure sounded like a good idea at the time. And since then the good times have continued to roll with an expanded portfolio of convertibles, wagons, roadsters, and even crossovers. Well, now it’s time to return to the humble two-door hardtop and start the 3rd generation of “new minis”.  So, let’s see if the 2014 Mini Cooper is still super!

The 2014 Mini Cooper Hardtop has undergone it’s most extensive re-engineering since the 2002 revival. And while most changes seem evolutionary, this Mini eyes the future rather than the past.

It has gotten bigger of course, 4 and a half inches longer, but with only 1-inch more wheelbase, So, there’s more overhang, but the classic shape remains. And while fans will applaud that proportions haven’t changed that much; they’ll be the first to notice the bolder take on iconic elements like the grille, side scuttles, head and tail lights, as well as the longer, flatter nose. 

With the new chassis also comes two all-new engines, as well as new 6-speed transmissions, both manual and automatic. Power includes a 2.0-liter turbo I4 with 189–horsepower and 207 lb-ft. of torque, 221 with overboost. Standard in the Cooper S; output is up from the previous gen.

The more intriguing new engine however, is the standard Cooper 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbo, with 134-horses and 162 lb-ft., 170 on overboost.  

Now we spent time with both motors at the international press launch in Puerto Rico and found the I3 to be the most impressive. 

But to confirm that it wasn’t just the island lifestyle clouding our judgment, it’s a standard I3-automatic equipped Cooper that we have here for testing. And after further review… our previous call has been confirmed. 

There are aggressive Sport, Mid and relaxed Green modes to tailor your driving experience, but it was in Sport mode that we took this Mini to our test track. 

Torque was good off the line and our Cooper Hardtop sprinted to 60 in a respectable 7.0-seconds. It felt great in the short run. However, the ¼-mile run proved more leisurely at 15.4–seconds and 92 miles-per-hour. 

But the Cooper has never been about straight line kicks. The fun starts when you begin sawing the wheel back and forth. Suspension hardware remains Mini’s unique single-joint spring strut front along with a multi-link rear, but everything has been both lightened and stiffened, losing none of the go kart feel along the way. The electronic steering is quick, but a bit numb feeling. 

It all makes an extremely capable back road handler, but much like most of the recent cars from corporate parent BMW the sensory parts have given way to more efficient electronic ones. Brakes weren’t quite up to the task, however, halting our tester in a rather lengthy average of 135–feet from 60. 

Mini has also put the brakes on some of the cheapness on the interior. There’s definitely a more premium feel, if one that’s also a bit less unique. Unless you are a minimalist, you will very much appreciate all of the small item storage nooks, as well as more front cabin space.  

In the back seat, leg room is up, but headroom is down. So, it’s still a tight confine for most adults. Cargo space climbs to 8.7 cubic-ft. seats up; 38.0 cubic-ft. with seatbacks folded.  That’s something all buyers can get behind.

Iconic elements like the “love them or hate them” toggle switches, and of course the big round center dash display remain. But, the speedometer has moved from there to a routine place behind the steering wheel. The center display can be filled with an 8.8-inch color screen controlled by Mini’s version of BMW’s iDrive system.

Surrounding the center display is a “mood ring” that changes with driving mode. From Green for Eco to Red for Sport. Other new bits like the available pop up head up display also make the case for convenience over nostalgia, as does no longer having to insert a key to get the party started. 

With auto stop/start, Government Fuel Economy Ratings are very good at 29-City, 41-Highway, and 34-Combined.  We saw a spot on average of 34.2 miles-per-gallon of Premium. 

Mini fun starts at a reasonable $20,745. The sportier Cooper S, at $24,395.

So, has the 2014 Mini Cooper Hardtop gotten too big for its britches or is it still the fun runabout that we’ve loved so much? Well, more space doesn’t necessarily mean less fun, so we’re good there. But, we could do without the homogenization of more of BMW in the design. Still the spirit of the original Mini remains intact. Let’s all hope that always remains the case.

Specifications

  • Engine: 1.5-liter
  • Horsepower: 134
  • Torque: 162 lb-ft.
  • 0-60 mph: 7.0 seconds
  • 1/4 mile: 15.4 seconds @ 92 mph
  • EPA: 29 mpg city/ 41 mpg highway
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance 1

2024 Audi RS 7 Performance

Up For Grand Touring Around A Racetrack

Episode 4329
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

In recent years, Audi has done an increasingly better job at merging luxury, high tech and sportiness equally into all of their vehicles, but that doesn’t mean they all have the same priorities. So, if you’re wondering what this car is all about… well, it’s right there in the name, the Audi RS 7 Performance!

First and foremost, the 2024 Audi RS 7 Performance is absolutely fantastic looking. A gorgeous car from all angles. But this posh performer is a lot more than just a visual treat. Under its silky skin lies a menacing sounding V8 that delivers insane amounts of power and, as we discovered, a gloriously intoxicating driving experience.

RS elements added to Audi’s S7 five-door coupe include new aero treatments with a matte gray finish and silver 21-inch Audi Sport wheels. Those silver wheels are wrapped with 275 Continental summer performance tires and allow for seeing plenty of the enormous brake rotors with black-painted calipers. Up front, there’s a wide grille inhaling all kinds of air and headlights with uniqueness that’s pure Audi. This five-door coupe with frameless door windows speaks a true hardtop design.

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Now that we’ve gotten that out of our system, time to hit the corners of Savannah’s Roebling Road Raceway, and it’s been quite some time since we’ve had anything here or on any road course that exhibited this much body roll. It didn’t matter what drive mode we had dialed in, it just liked to roll. You could sense that soft suspension in our acceleration runs too. Bystanders got a clear view of a lot of its hardware, thanks to major rear-end squatting as it exploded off the line. Those explosions resulted in a quick 3.7-second trip to 60 miles-per-hour and full quarter-mile runs of 11.9 seconds at 118 miles-per-hour. Fast indeed, though we’re sure both times would improve in warmer temps than our 40-degree test day.

Drive modes have been recalibrated and shifts by the eight-speed Tiptronic in Dynamic Mode are quick. Indeed, noticeably quicker and firmer than in the RS6 wagon we tested just a few months ago without the “performance” treatment. Quattro all-wheel drive is standard.

We’ve never experienced a car that can feel this soft yet was absolutely point-and-shoot through corners.

The driving force for that acceleration is a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 cranking out an additional 30 horsepower from the standard RS 7 thanks to installing bigger turbos. That makes for a 621-horsepower rating, with an even more impressive boost in torque from 590 to 627 lb-ft. And Audi was kind enough to remove a little sound deadening material so we can appreciate it even more through the optional RS sport exhaust system.

For what is really a Grand Tourer built for blasting you away on luxurious adventures, the RS 7 performance is amazingly track capable. Steering is very direct with great feel, and all four wheels are engaged in the process. They’re connected to a new mechanical self-locking center differential that is not only capable of handling the additional power but is lighter and quicker to respond. Chassis software has been recalibrated to make it all work together seamlessly. There must be some serious engineering wizardry happening in the RS-tuned air suspension as we’ve never experienced a car that can feel this soft yet was absolutely point-and-shoot through corners. Brakes were truly phenomenal too; there was some significant nosedive happening, but no wandering or fading no matter how hard we worked them.

And yes, it’s hard to call this actual work, considering this work environment is far from hostile. Absolutely nothing has been compromised when it comes to delivering the luxury car experience you expect from a six-figure Audi. Whether it’s the fabulous real metal, leather, and detailed woven carbon-fiber materials or the fine stitch-work and the always impressive comprehensive digital gauge display, the RS 7 performance feels truly special inside.

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The front seats were supremely comfortable and were only mildly bolstered yet held us in place just fine out on the track. Plenty of room for rear seat passengers too, and there’s even a great 24.6 cubic-feet of cargo space with hatchback versatility. Less practical is all touchscreen all the time for just about every cockpit control.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 14 City, 22 Highway, and 17 Combined. That’s a below average Energy Impact Score of 17.5 barrels of yearly oil use with 8.8 tons of CO2 emissions.

Pricing starts at $129,490, and Audi knows they have a good thing going with the RS 7 performance; so much so, it’s now the only RS 7.

So, could they have just made the RS 7 better instead of tacking “performance” onto the name? Sure, but there’s just something about adding performance to a car name that draws people in. And when it backs it up by delivering more actual performance, well, that’s what we call a win-win. We’d be happy to run some victory laps in the 2024 Audi RS 7 Performance anytime.

Specifications

  • Engine: 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8
  • Horsepower: 621
  • 0-60 mph: 3.7 seconds
  • EPA: 14 City | 22 Highway | 17 Combined
  • Transmission: 8-speed automatic
  • Torque: 627 lb-ft.
  • 1/4 Mile: 11.9 seconds at 118 mph
  • Starting Price: $129,490
Honda Prologue Reinvigorates Brand’s Electric Efforts

2024 Honda Prologue

Honda Shows Up Late To EV Party, Brings Best Appetizer

Episode 4329
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

Except for some very limited run vehicles over the years, Honda has largely been sitting out the EV revolution. But that all changes now their first high volume effort, the Prologue. So, let’s find out if it is indeed the start of a great run for Honda.

The 2024 Honda Prologue is not only the brand’s first serious battery electric effort, but it’s also a substantial midsize five-passenger SUV, coming in about 3-inches longer than the internal combustion Passport. Though it’s worth noting, they got here with the help of General Motors and their Ultium EV platform.

So, Honda came to play, both with ultra-competitive pricing and segment leading 296 miles of range. That’s with the standard single-motor front-wheel drive EX rated for 212 horsepower, but top Elite doesn’t sacrifice all that much, coming in at 273 miles. The additional rear motor raises total output to 288 horsepower and 333 lb-ft torque.

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Relatively low output numbers in the EV game, but the Elite’s all-wheel drive setup delivered plenty enough acceleration to get our blood pumping during some early and very wet drive time through the recent historic downpours in Northern California.

And while Honda did get here with the help of GM and their Ultium chassis, the multi-link suspension bolted to it has been optimized by Honda for a “dynamic driving experience.” It was indeed plenty of fun to drive, nimble for its size with responsive steering, though we were also happy to find it comfortable and safe feeling in those weather conditions. It also has great visibility and a very natural feel to it that quickly has you forgetting you’re in an EV.

Comprehensive drive modes address just about every aspect of the driving experience, from power delivery to steering response and even braking power; but also changes things up inside with lighting and displays as well as active sound control.

For now, all Prologues come with an 85-kWh battery that will accept up to 150-kW fast charging for 65 miles of range for every 10 minutes on charge.

It also has great visibility and a very natural feel to it that quickly has you forgetting you’re in an EV.

As we’ve come to expect from Honda, the Prologue’s interior is minimalistic and practical, though not fully simplistic as there is plenty of tech on display, including the very high-mounted 11.3-inch touchscreen display. It has a Google-based operating system built into it like in the latest Accord Touring, and you can still use your Apple Carplay and Android Auto phones, both of which connect wirelessly.

Just below that display is some refreshingly easy to use traditional climate controls, and behind the steering wheel is a hoodless 11-inch tablet-style gauge display. Honda worked with Bose to develop an EV-specific sound system with 12 speakers. The standard EX’s system works with six speakers.

Being an EV means more space inside for both front and rear passengers than a vehicle built around a conventional drivetrain. Though with a substantial dual-level center console it doesn’t have the open floorplan of some EVs. The top layer of that console houses dedicated cell phone storage, mega-sized cupholders and Honda’s first use of a pocket-type wireless phone charger, which is standard. There’s space in back for 23.7 cubic-feet of cargo; 54.5 cubic-feet with the 60/40 split rear seatbacks folded; plus, more space under the cargo floor.

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And while length and ground clearance are in the ballpark with the Passport, the Prologue’s wheelbase is nearly a foot longer, and it sits much lower, with a design theme that Honda calls “neo-rugged.” Its slick shape and smooth body panels are clearly designed for enhancing aerodynamics, yet the overall design doesn’t necessarily shout it from the rooftops. Aero-optimized 19-inch wheels are standard, with Elite rolling on 21s, a first for Honda. Roof rails, panoramic roof, and power liftgate are standard on all but the base EX.
With the launch of this new generation of Honda comes new badging that looks to the past with throwback-looking Honda script now spelled out across the back. The Prologue and future Honda EVs also get a new “e” series logo.

Comprehensive Honda Sensing safety features are included on most Prologues, with just rear pedestrian alert and a Surround Vision camera system reserved for Elite.

Pricing starts, before incentives, at just $48,795 for a front-wheel-drive EX, top Elite comes with all-wheel drive and starts at $59,295.

Like most brands, Honda has big plans to deliver a full array of battery electrics in the near future, making significant investments here in the U.S. to make it happen. It may have taken a little help from General Motors to get them started, but Honda is in the EV game for real now, and it arrives at a great time when competition in the midsize SUV EV ranks is getting serious. So, the 2024 Honda Prologue does indeed look like the start of something special for Honda, and for all of us.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Motor Setup: Dual Motor
  • Horsepower: 288
  • Range: 273 miles
  • Battery Size: 85-kWh
  • Torque: 333 lb-ft
  • Peak Charging Rate: 150-kW