2007 Mini Cooper S Problems

The Mini Cooper continues to sell well, but a few problems lurk under the hood.yellow mini cooper headlight image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com

The reinvention of the British Mini in 2001 remains one of the greatest success stories in modern motoring as of 2010. Attracting motorists of all ages with its funky exterior, zippy driving style and gadget-laced interior, the BMW Mini Cooper and its top-end S model received a face-lift in 2007, adding new features and a modified design. Despite its continued desirability, however, the Mini Cooper S succumbs to a few specific flaws.

Lack of Space

Spaciousness might not befit the Mini brand, but critics have readily acknowledged the impracticality of the boot (trunk) space and rear legroom available in the 2007 Mini Cooper S. Reviewing the car for "The Times," a British broadsheet newspaper, Jeremy Clarkson quipped that "the rear legroom is suitable only for amputees, and the boot is not even big enough for a mouse's pants."

Additionally, while the new Mini Cooper boasts an additional 10 liters of boot space in comparison with the original model, it still only amounts to 160 liters. To give a clearer indication of this space, the approximate capacity of the Mini Cooper's boot equals that of four average-size rucksacks placed next to one another.

Renowned for its precise steering and excellent feedback, the Mini Cooper S garnered criticism for its uncomfortable ride. The 2007 Cooper S model is noticeably firmer than its predecessor, resulting in a hard, jolted ride. As expert car reviewer Joe Wiesenfelder wrote, "I imagine the firmness would wear on some folks if they drove it daily."

The 2007 Mini Cooper S benefits from excellent handling around corners, allowing the car to glide around bends swiftly. One noted problem concerns issues with torque steer, however. This function concerns a car's tendency, usually with front-wheel-drive models, to drift to one side unpredictably during acceleration. Some critics have accused the 2007 Mini Cooper S of such problems, particularly when the car's engine reaches 3,000 revolutions per minute (rpm). British motoring journalist Jeremy Clarkson critiqued, "This is a car that goes where the camber of the road dictates."

With an approximate $23,000 price tag for a basic S model in 2010---with the potential to cost much more with added features---the 2007 Mini Cooper S is an expensive car for its size. A number of competitors offer comparable specifications---such as the Suzuki Swift, which targets the same demographic as the Mini but with a lower price.