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2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000
 
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MINI Cooper D |
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If you run your eye over the entrants in this new category, it’s truly an eclectic mix. Not only does the class have petrol and diesel-powered entrants but also a hybrid. This was a class that, to get right, the judges had to put on their thinking caps. To complicate matters further, if you think of small cars and diesel engines in Australia, it’s not a natural fit. With the MINI Cooper D, the stars aligned to forge a winner. When launched in May 2009, the Cooper D added another bow to the MINI range and made a statement that’s its cool to drive a hip, dynamic small car but also in an environmentally-friendly way. The 1.6-litre engine develops 80kW of power and is in a special class when it comes to fuel consumption, of sub four-litres per 100km. With the Cooper D, it’s not just about having one of the most fuel-efficient engines going. To win a new class, you need to tick more than just that box. The MINI Cooper D jumps ahead of its competition early in the game with four perfect 10s in the Value for Money stakes – pricing, depreciation, running and repair costs, and fuel consumption. That’s a feat that’s quite special in Australia‘s Best Cars. Those numbers are likely to excite the accountants out there. That’s also a recipe for a car that can evoke little in the way of excitement, but hey this is a MINI we are talking about, and the Cooper D has chutzpah in spades. The Cooper D might be relatively small in stature but it still packs a punch in the safety stakes, with a five-star ANCAP safety rating, courtesy of six airbags , ESC and ABS with EBD and BA. Inside, the MINI Cooper D ¬ just like the original Mini in the 1960s ¬ has managed to create an environment for the driver and passenger that’s larger than it looks. Lots of glass, thin A-pillars and a low waistline help to create the feeling of space. Move further back and its downhill from there, though. Rear seat space is restrictive, although headroom is ample as is foot space under the front seats. Open the boot and there’s just enough room for some soft overnight bags. The styling might be retro and mimic the original (it’s got the largest speedometer sitting prominently in the centre of the dash) but the build and finish quality more than befits this class and is above average. Not surprisingly, the Cooper D shines in the On The Road scores. A taut chassis and direct steering combine to deliver an engaging drive experience. Despite the modest power output of the diesel engine (compared with the petrol offerings in this class), if you use the 240Nm of torque that’s available, you’ll smile every time the road becomes twisty.
Finalists
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