Does anyone really use the back seats for passengers ? What do your passengers think ? How often do you utilize the back seat for passengers ? Do kids seem to like the back seat ?

The mini usa web site does say " ...four full-grown adults as tall as 6'4", with more than enough leg room for the two passengers in back"

I am interested in getting a mini, and it might be silly for me to think that I can actually carry passengers in back. I just wanted to hear from current owners if they actually can get away with it. :smile:

 

I am 6'4". I have had 4 adults in the car, not all 6'4". I wouldn't want to drive more than an hour with 4 adults.

My wife, (5'8&quot daughter (5'2') and I ride comfortably together in the mini. I think if the MINI site said 4 adul;ts who were 5'4" could fit with plenty of leg room they would be correct.

Bottom line. It's a great 2 person car, or if you are less than 6 foot, probably OK with 2 adults and 2 children in the back.



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It's time to motor. MC CR/B

 

I have had one small child in my back seat. My wife and I both adjust our seats in front all the way back and there is plenty of room for the two of us. When I bought the MCS I was also looking at the Audi TT Coupe as I only needed room for two, but went for the MCS as it had better head room and visibility. You could get 4 adults in the vehicle, but I my case not everyone would be sitting in the position they are accustomed to.

 

We've driven with four adults in our MINI on several occasions; one of these a five hour round trip. I sat in the back on the first leg of the latter ride and had no problem at all (I'm 5' 10&quot. I actually thought that is was more comfortable than our Civic.

 

The only way a 6'4" person can sit in back, when a 5'4" person is seated in front of them. No way a 6' + person in the drivers position can drive safley with another sitting comfortably in back. Three 6 footers can be done with no problem. The seating reminds me of the old Camaro and/ or some Porche's.

We all love this car but lets get real.

~smc

 

As has been said, it all depends on the size of the rear seat passengers. Toddlers? Fine. Elementary-aged kids? Only if they're on the young or small side. In general, kids are ok for short trips...but no adults for more than an occasional haul.

I've personally found that nothing kills (adult) enthusiasm for the MINI faster than having to ride in the rear seat. Everyone at work wanted to go for a ride when I first got it. Those who rode in the rear seat always volunteer to drive themselves to lunch now. [shrug]

It's a two-passenger car. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

>>
>>It's a two-passenger car. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
>>

I agree. There is plenty of room for two, however it will carry four full sized adults in a pinch and there is decent carry space with the rear seats folded down. If I’m taking more than two people I drive the X5.

 

I have 2400+ miles on my MCS and use the back seat regularly. No complaints. Tons of headroom with no sunroof by the way!

The other issue is safety. If you are younger than 12 or less than a certain weight then the front passenger seat is not a good place to sit. Hence my son who is light and short for 12 years old likes to ride in the back just behind the driver. It's a bucket seat, I have upgraded speakers, he does fine but we do not go for long trips. Mostly 10-15 minutes and some 40 to 60 minutes. There is simply not many places to keep driving in Hawaii- doesn't stop us from enjoying the car.

My wife sits in the front and my daughter (both about 5 feet) sits behind her. We try to take the MCS out with 4 of us whenever possible. The exception would be if we need to pick up another person or carry a ton of other things. No one has complained of riding with a full car for any short trips so for us it is very usable- I had my concerns but I used to drive a Honda Civic so this is nothing new. In my opinion the rear seat is very usable. The key points are to get upholstery that is good for your use- space clothe is nice and comfortable- doesn't cost extra, or the leather which I have is nice- I think the padding is a bit better than standard- or that might be the sport seat option with the MCS.
Did anyone else notice that the stock cooper seats in the back were really basic and that the MCS seats were a bit better looking and maybe even a bit better with the leather option in the MCS?

Also there are aftermarket seat covers that look and feel good for the rear. Small children do well in the back, Car seats are fine, adults can do well (my daughter is taller than my wife) but the front seats need to be moved up just a bit for some leg room in the back- not a problem with my family.

For two people the car is just great. By the way in an MCS I don't notice the full passenger load much at all. In my old civic I could tell I had a full load- handled like wet spahetti on corners. Yuk.

One other thing. If I go to the airport and I am taking luggage for four I will use the Honda Odyssey. Got to run that car once in awhile too

 

I do have a somewhat regular passenger in the back of mine. Of course, she walks on four legs. She has no, complaints except that the back windows don't go down, so she can't stick her head out a window. :smile:

 

I haven't got mine yet - but only 2-3 more weeks!!! I never even sat in the back of one yet, but didn't feel the need to as my Fiero holds two passengers tops (okay, in my younger days I occasionally had three in there!). I'm gaining a lot of room compared to what I have now and rarely wished I could fit more in my Fiero anyway. One thing I have noticed - any input here? - the seats in back look VERY deep - like your butt would sit as low as your feet. It looks like there is much depth to them top to bottom and front to back. I guess I will soon be finding out!! NUMMYTIME

 

I have had four adults in the car at one time. They said it wasnt the best for a long trip, and I agree. I have sat in the back many times. It looks really crammed, and getting in, it fells that way. Once you are in, your feet fit right under the seat, which gives you a lot of room. I think for the size of the car, the room in rear, is great.

 

I tend to agree that the MINI is a pretty practical car for its size. Upfront it has equal or more room than most midsize family sedans and the back offers very good space, generous head, shoulder and hiproom. The problem with the back seats is the leg/foot room. If you lift the fron seats to a higher or highest setting, feet of rear passengers will fit fine under the seats. If front riders are under 6" feet tall, there is enough room for 3 or 4 adults.

The MINI is a very practical car and takes on the roll of a family car surprinsingly well.

 

We drove four adults (6', 6'3", 5'11" and 5'10&quot without problems. It's tight, undeniably, but doable.

I like the back seat--it's comfortable, and I'm 6'0". I wouldn't have any problem riding there, though I think it'd be tiresome for long trips (haven't tried riding back there for long yet.)

Jeff

 

4 adults for a 4 hour trip (with one stop) worked out fine. I am 6'0, the other front passenger was 5'11" and the rear passengers were 5'4" and 5'10". All occupants were of either average or slim build.

The rear passengers said that they didn't look forward to any longer of a trip, but that they were perfectly fine. I think the main problem for longer trips is simply that there isn't much room to change positions in the back seats.

It is usually either just me or me and the wife - but I have little reservation about fitting four average-sized folk when necessary.

 

The good thing about us Mexicans is that most of us are on average 5´7" and are used to riding in very small cramped rear seats (old beetles still work as taxi cabs and believe, the Mini is a Limo compared to those).

Anyway, I´ve driven with 4 adult passengers on short commutes and nobody complained. My brother even said he could make it all the way to Acapulco (3.5 hours ride)

Still, if you are looking for a passenger car look elsewhere.

 

I have passengers sometimes. They usually don't complain unless they are sitting behind my boyfriend who is 6 foot 6 and has to move the seat back a little ways. As long as they are behind me, they are fine!

(I have had TJ and another guy over 6 feet in the back before and they were fine...but I don't know how it would be for long distances...we were just going down the street. )

 

I'm 5'8" and rode for about a 4 hour trip in the back of mine (My friend about the same height wanted to "test" the Mini...the thought the back seats would be uncomfortable). I drove on the return trip. We both agreed that the back seats were almost as comforatable as the front. What mostly affects the comfort is how far the front seat is pushed back.

 

We normally ride with 3 people in the car. Me, my wife and our 4 year old in the back in a booster seat. She loves the the new car and she has plenty of room in the back. Now we have a new baby coming in July and I test fitted the new baby carrier/seat in behide my and its a tight fit, I may have to move up a notch. The only bad thing is the stroller doesn't really fit in the boot. Really have to wedge it in there to get the boot to shut.

 

I have never ridden in the back of my S...but a normal cruise fits me and my three kids to various chores about town. Typically we move the seats up two notches. They are all about the same size and weight. Also, have had three guys from work in a quick demo through downtown which they said was alright for short distances...not long ones...to the pub and back.

 

The seats are very comfortable. Plenty of headroom. However, if you like to ride with the seats pushed really far back, the rear passenger's shins will touch the seat.

Also, make sure to jack the front seats up a bit so your feet slide easily under them.

 

When we first got our MINI, we carpool and were also giving one of the girls I work with a ride home a coupla times a week - so our MINI was officially a 2-plus-Dawn.

We used to drive four-up in our old classic Cooper, so there's room in a new MINI here somewhere! I've even stuffed our oldest son - 6 ft 3 inches of him - in the back for VERY short trips. I'm 6 ft 2 myself, so only wee people can sit behind the driver anyway. It's prolly OK for families with small units, but once they get bigger - no joy there. I would imagine the possibilty of a Countryman MINI would be easier for 4 seaters.

BCNU,
Rob in Dago