With the new Mk3 model, MINI is trying hard to rise up to the expectations people have of it. It’s a brand new models that uses a brand new platform but is it any good compared to its predecessors and can it take on the Fiat 500? Those are questions a lot of people that are into superminis have asked themselves.
Whether you’re looking to buy a new car or simply just curious about which of these is better, you surely stopped at one point or another to weigh the options. Now, we’re taking a look at what they bring to the table.
When it comes to the US, the two have different offering. The base Fiat 500 model has a 1.4-liter engine making 100 HP hooked up to a manual 5-speed transmission. It’s lighter than the base MINI but also down on power.
The MINI Cooper model comes with a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder plant making a beautiful 6-cylinder-like sound and 136 HP. Hooked up to a manual 6-speed gearbox it will blow the Fiat out of the water both on handling and straight-up acceleration. Admittedly, the 500 is also available with a turbo that takes the engine up to 135 HP but even so, it’s not close in performance to the MINI.
Cabin space
Since these are small cars, the cabin space is rather important. From the exterior dimensions you can already tell that the MINI will win this category as well. There’s more room both up front and in the back, in all regards: legroom, headroom, elbowroom. In the boot, the Fiat has a slight advantage with the seats up but once you fold them, the MINI wins it, once again.
You’re going to be spending most of your time behind the wheel so you need to know a thing or two about the materials used and the fit and finish. Even in its base-trim version, the Cooper has the edge. Some people might find the design a bit peculiar but the materials used and the attention to detail win yet another category for the Brit.
On the other hand, Fiat brings a more conservative approach that looks very good but the materials don’t give off the same feeling as on its rival of the day.
How about top tier models?
Even if you go for the most expensive Fiat 500, the Abarth version, you’ll still be lagging behind the MINI counterpart, the Cooper S. The specs alone tell an interesting story.
The Italian comes prepared the 1.4-liter mill taken up to 160 HP and 170 lb-ft (230 Nm) of torque while his rival uses a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged unit making 192 HP and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) of torque. Even though it is a bit heavier, the Cooper S is also faster to 100 km/h (62 mph) by a considerable margin, doing the sprint in 6.8 seconds, 0.6 seconds quicker.
You might say that the pricing makes the Fiat look good but, if we’re to compare the two on same level tiers, you’d be surprised by the difference that is actually less than $2,000, the 500 Abarth starting at $22,395 and the Cooper S at $24,100. Not convinced? Check out the video below.
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