Mini launches its 5-door version of the Cooper

• The car retains similar dimensions from the outgoing model.

• Two gas engines are planned for North America.

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With the current arrival of the latest Mini Cooper, it’s no surprise to learn that a five-door variant is also in the cards for the British-born brand. It’s now official: there will indeed be a 5-door Mini Cooper in 2025 in Canada, the United States and just about everywhere else in the world where the automaker is represented.

Of course, the design introduced earlier also applies to this extended variant, the new version retaining similar dimensions of the outgoing model. However, to better understand the positioning of this five-door within the Mini range, the wheelbase is 72 mm longer and the body 172 mm longer than that of the 3-door Mini. Not that this new version is much bigger, but let’s just say that cargo space is more interesting when the 60/40 bench seat is folded, with 925 liters available. With the seats back in place, cargo space is reduced to 275 liters.

Under the hood, the Mini 5-door still relies on two gasoline engines. The 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbo delivers 156 horsepower and 170 ft-lb of torque. The other, more vitamin-packed option is a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder delivering 204 horsepower and 221 ft-lb of torque. The only gearbox option is a seven-speed dual-clutch unit.

Mini Canada will probably offer a few trim levels in 2025. The press release for the UK market announces four trims : Essential, Classic, Favoured and JCW, the latter emphasizing the sportier design of the 5-door, but without the technical enhancements of the real Mini Cooper John Cooper Works. We’ll have to wait and see what North America receives in terms of trim levels.

Inside, it’s business as usual, with a streamlined dashboard and a rounded central screen. Beneath it, several useful controls are grouped together, including the gearshift lever, experience modes, starter button and ventilation. The content of the central screen is much more complex, with a multitude of applications. However, users can carry out commands by touching the screen or dictating what they need. There’s even a voice-activated personal assistant. A simple “Hey Mini” is all it takes to activate this virtual assistant, which learns its owner’s habits over time.

Like the 3-door Mini Cooper, the 5-door also benefits from the experience mode system. Thanks to a projector integrated behind the circular screen, the system changes the mood of the cabin with patterns and colors projected onto the dashboard.

No date has yet been set for the arrival of this new 5-door Mini, but it’s safe to assume that the model will be with us before the end of 2024.