I went to Cincinnati Mini where where they have 5 2014 hatchbacks for dealer use only -- cannot be sold, but of course, can be driven. I sat in them all and drove a base model standard shift and an S with sport automatic -- is that what it's called with paddle shifters? I don't like the cars!

The drive train is nice, very smooth and quiet. Maybe even too quiet! Clutch seems spongy soft. Even the base model is quite peppy, certainly more than the 2013. It's also a whole lot softer ride. This might appeal to some, but it's too cushy for me. Maybe with run flats, BMW was trying to do something. I just swapped tires on our Minis.

My biggest problem is with the high-tech interior that is a lot like riding in a pinball game. Sport seats are comfortable, more so than the ones in my 2013 JCW cloth seats and my wife's 2007 leatherette. Leatherette might be okay, but the combo with cloth looks terrible.

The curved padded molding, left and right, that runs between the glove boxes comes out to a point, very prominent, very ugly. The shifter is slick plastic and feels wrong - not round, not right. The LED light ring around where the speedo used to be is over the top. You can turn it off, but it still comes on under some circumstances. Multicolored nonsense and very distracting. Looks bad even when off, like jewelry.

The iDrive placed to the rear and right from the shifter is nearly impossible to reach with the arm rest / console installed. Without it, I can imagine getting more used to it than the controls and settings on 2007-2013 Minis. I'm not sure if it's there without the nav system, but all the cars had nav. If not and you like an arm rest, it's much better than the current one. Personally, I never want cars with built-in nav -- first thing to be obsolete.

The gas gauge LEDs are now to the right of the speedo above the steering column. Fewer of them and bigger. More LED magic. The window controls are on the door, but not pretty -- chrome in the middle of a sea of black. Empty places where window controls used to be. Steering wheel controls (audio/cruise) have swapped sides on the steering wheel. The door latches are no longer squeeze type, the whole handle pulls out. Though I don't like it aesthetically, but it's very easy on my 68 year old hands.

Because of European safety regs (I was told), there is a hump in the center of the hood required for pedestrian safety -- a struck pedestrian must roll off the hood to the side, not the front. The hood is therefore, also more sloped. The "bumper bar" under the grill and across the front sticks out quite a bit -- I don't know what's up with that, but it looks like an add on. Maybe more safety. Fuel filler cap moved to the right for European safety regs too. Filling gas at side of road.

If you're a big person and want an S, your will have to deal with the sport seats with torso and seat bolsters. Standard seats are not available with the S. Seats are a bit softer - not sure what this will do on a long drive.

I think the rear windows are where the most of the additional length shows up. Not sure but it has a Clubman look.

Headlight assemblies and what's inside is more of the pinball machine. I don't get it. Looks like I will be babying my JCW

 

First predominately negative review I've read. Understanding that someone who has, and prefers the R56, would overall rate the F56 lower in most areas. No car model will be loved by everyone. Enjoy your JCW.

 

Good review!

 

John - Good Job!

 

interesting review, as stated yours is the first negative one I've seen.

 

John. Did you try the Dynamic Damper Control? How was the sport? Soft too?

 

Not every car suits all people. There will be those who dislike the F56. Carry on.

 

I see more difference than negative. John is coming from a JCW perspective, we all should agree that is not where we are, since the current F56 is not the JCW edition. I agree with John on a number of points, I prefer a round shifter **** and will change it, I don't care for the light show, turning it off; the i-drive center arm rest problem I experienced as well, didn't order anything that would include the i-drive; personal preference no factory nav., and I'm sure other irritations will occur over time.
One thing that attracted me to MINI is the flexibility one has when ordering, most if not all options are available independent of packages and the capability to turn most non-critical functionality off. Additionally, you can have an interior in something other than a shade of black. If you have looked at other vehicles you know how limited and rigid your options are. Lastly, in its class, MINI is clearly so much more fun to drive than any of it's competitors.
Finally, not having previously owned a MINI, I am expecting to adjust from my current vehicle's control locations, but if I was purchasing a newer model of my current car, I would be expecting some familiarity with control location.

Good info. John, Thanks

Tom

 

Not only coming from a JCW perspective. We have a 2007 as well. Except for performance items and interior things specific to JCW that are more color than anything else, the 2007 is the same as the 2007 S.

It's more than difference -- I wanted difference! I wanted things that need to be fixed, especially the worst repair record in the industry (I just replaced the timing chain in the 2007 for the second time at 56K, and much more) is what I was excited about with the new drive train. Though a bit on the soft side, likely to appeal to a broader audience, it seems smooth and will hopefully be better.

But the interior and to a lesser extent, the exterior of the 2014 is way too jazzed up for me. LEDs to dazzle instead of providing function do not impress, in fact, annoy. I used the term "pinball" to describe it, but electronic, video game and others apply. Even the colors leave me wondering what I could deal with -- inside and out. Only the black and pepper white appeal to me. I understand this is purely taste, but the Thunder Gray is terrible along side Eclipse Gray, and the great British Racing Green replaced by a metallic version that looks nothing like the real thing. I saw six of the colors in person and they have a much different look in person than on the Mini web site or the samples in the showroom. I cannot imagine the 2014 appealing to a Mini traditionalist -- not without a lot of teeth grinding and tongue biting.

Is this mostly a matter of taste? Of course -- poor taste.

 

I could not tell a great deal of difference. Sport, I am used to, but the ride is so much softer than our 2007 S and 2013 JCW, I'm not sure what it will do. You will have to test.

 

Understand, being new to MINI, I have a lot of expectations to be met.

 

Your own?

 

Is this mostly a matter of taste? Of course -- poor taste

I thought I left this type of opinionated comment behind on the BMW forums. Apparently not. Just because you don't like something, doesn't mean those that do have poor taste.

 

Hey. I think John is OK to express his opinion. I have sat in Mazda's - While thinking that the exterior design is quite good thought the interiors had too much chrome and the lighting was not great.
Mini have gone full tilt into this electronic digital interior. I can see someone thinking that the disco disk around the central console being in poor taste. I would say time will tell. Like good architecture will it look good when you look back at it or will it just be a fad thing.
I will probably be switching mine off because I don't want flashing lights that change color with the music while I am trying to drive. I go to the disco for that.

 

Greg, I will likely switch my "light ring" off as well. It's a bit much for me personally. The only thing in the interior that I don't like. I'll give a day or two and play with it, but inevitably it will be switched off.

 

Yes, we can switch it off, or leave it on. We have a choice, something MINI seems to encourage.

 

I do wonder if the new techy interior will be a turn off to older MINI folks, which makes up a large segment of MINI owners I think.

Then again to someone like me, it's like candy and I can't get enough of it. The quality of the materials used is a huge upgrade compared to both previous generations.

 

Jason. My feeling is... it is information you don't need. Lights for the sake of it. Pop rocket stuff. You think they have this in the cockpit of a plane? I have no problem with tech stuff. In fact I love it.

 

I totally agree with your Greg. It's like somebody just came up with this crazy light show idea and got it pushed through. I know MINI likes to lean towards the quirky side, but this particular feature is just strange because it is absolutely nothing more than a light show. Like the old mood rings back in the day. IMO it totally detracts from the otherwise nicely designed and high quality interior of the F-56. JMO.

 

Question for the OP, did the new F56 drive better than the '07 R56 in your opinion? Did it still feel fun, like a go cart? How were the brakes? Thanks!