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Two cars never looked more at home at the beach.
(Photo by Scott Jacobs)
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2006 MINI Cooper 2dr Convertible (1.6L 4cyl 5M)
(vehicle detail)
Ups: Pegs the fun meter, ingenious top operation, great shifter, smooth engine, top-notch steering, fold-down rear seat.
Downs: Some more horsepower would be nice, rear visibility is atrocious.
First Impression: The King of Cute
Base MSRP of Test Vehicle: $22,500
Options on Test Vehicle: Pure Silver Metallic ($420); 6-Way Adjustable Sport Seats ($300); Heated Front Seats ($270).
MSRP of Test Vehicle: $23,490
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2006 Volkswagen New Beetle 2.5 2dr Convertible (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
(vehicle detail)
Ups: Super cute, well built, strong performance, high content for the money, tight chassis, standard stability control, supremely comfortable seats.
Downs: Poor visibility top up or down, no fold-down rear seat, tiny tachometer, not very engaging to drive.
First Impression: The best boulevard cruiser for $25,000.
Base MSRP of Test Vehicle: $22,535
Options on Test Vehicle: Package #2 ($3,030 — includes semiautomatic convertible top, premium sound system, cold weather package, wind blocker, leather seating surfaces, leather shift knob, leather steering wheel, leather handbrake, 17-inch wheels with all-season tires, foglights, rain-sensing wipers and self-dimming mirror); Sirius Satellite Radio ($375).
MSRP of Test Vehicle: $25,940
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They may compete for the same buyer, but the VW Beetle convertible and Mini Cooper convertible have very different personalities.
(Photo by Scott Jacobs)
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2006 Mini Cooper Convertible vs. 2006 New Beetle Convertible 2.5
(Photo by Scott Jacobs)
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Although the Beetle proved quicker than the Mini, the Cooper is the better handler of the two.
(Photo by Scott Jacobs)
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See All Photos
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Road Test: Comparison Test
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2006 Mini Cooper Convertible vs. VW New Beetle Convertible 2.5
Introduction
By
Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief
Date posted: 03-23-2006
Cars so cute you want to pinch their cheeks. That's what this test is about. Actually, that's a tick of an oversimplification. It's actually a comparison test of affordable convertibles that seat four and are so cute you want to pinch their cheeks. Turns out there are only two, the 2006 Mini Cooper Convertible and the mildly restyled-for-2006 Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible 2.5.
"Wait," you say, "What about the Chrysler PT Cruiser convertible?"
Not cute enough, we say.
Ford Mustang?
Cool, maybe. Cute? Not exactly.
Audi TT?
Too much scratch. Not enough seats.
If you're finished, let's get down to business and pinch some cheeks.
We gathered the two affordable and adorable four-seat drop tops in sunny Southern California for a no-holds-barred, cutthroat, steel-cage match of a shoot-out. OK, OK, so Mini vs. VeeDub isn't exactly Ali vs. Frazer or Alien vs. Predator. Heck, it isn't even Martha vs. The Donald, but we did expect some hair pulling and the occasional bitch slap.
The idea was simple. We would drive them, test them and pinch them for six days and seven nights. Then, assuming none of our staffers were brought up on sexual harassment charges, the car we still wanted to drive the morning of the seventh day would be crowned The King of Cute.
Two cute
We could have ordered a Mini Cooper S convertible with a 168-hp supercharged engine. Problem is, there's no equivalent hot-rod version of the Beetle drop top. Last year's spunky 1.8T engine is discontinued. Flavors are now limited to the Beetle Convertible 2.5 or the identically priced 2.5 PZEV (on sale in states with tighter emissions standards), both of which are powered by a normally aspirated 2.5-liter, inline five-cylinder that makes 150 hp.
Although the Mini Cooper's little four-cylinder displaces only 1.6 liters and puts out only 115 hp, we felt it was the right choice for this cat fight because the more powerful VW outweighs the Mini by more than 450 pounds. Both cars are front-wheel drive.
To keep things fair we ordered each with a five-speed manual transmission and similar equipment. The Mini arrived with three options, its Pure Silver Metallic paint, its six-way adjustable sport seats and their heaters. A power convertible top is standard. Base price for the Mini Cooper convertible is $22,000. Our test car cost $22,990.
For added adorableness, the New Beetle Convertible 2.5 arrived at our office dressed in Mellow Yellow paint. Although its base price is a palatable $22,535, our test car wore the #2 option package which added a long list of items including a power convertible top, 17-inch wheels and tires, leather seats, heated seats, a premium sound system and foglights. The package is worth the $3,030 VW charges for it, but it helped take our little yellow Beetle's sticker price to $25,940. The only other option on our test car was satellite radio for $375.
And the King of Cute is…
At first, more than a few male members of our staff avoided the yellow Beetle's key like it had been dipped in anthrax. "I'd drive it home," said one insecure staffer, "but I'm afraid the experience will make me want to watch Oprah and buy more shoes."
Others, obviously more secure in themselves, grabbed the Beetle's chunky key fob and hit the road. All returned with their masculinity intact, save for a Pottery Barn bag full of decorative pillows. More importantly, each had high praise for the VW.
It's a car with exceptional fit and finish, a high level of content and plenty of style for those who care to enjoy it. It rides smoothly on its oversized 17-inch tires, handles well and is a pleasure to drive with its top up or down. Although we wouldn't call it quick, it's far from slow. Its 2.5-liter engine has plenty of torque and is exceptionally smooth, even at the 5,800-rpm redline. We also appreciated the five-level seat heaters, flex-free chassis, and tightly geared five-speed.
There's a little more cowl shake in the Mini chassis if the road is rough, but not really enough to matter. It's also built to a high standard, and feels like a lot of car for the money. Although slower to 60 mph and through the quarter-mile than the Beetle, the Mini feels quick and its transmission has the superior shift linkage.
Problems for both cars are their miniscule trunks (although the Mini has a fold-down rear seat) and poor rearward visibility with their tops up or down.
Only the VW suffers from a lack of driver involvement. Despite the fact that the Mini rides on little 15-inch wheels and tires, its feathery 2,700-pound curb weight and perfectly communicative steering give it a fun factor the VW just can't deliver.
As much fun as it is in the city, the VW is more of a boulevard cruiser than the Mini. Although it performed as well as or better than the Cooper in our track testing, the Mini is the car you want to be driving when the road gets twisty. So much so, we would buy the VeeDub with the optional automatic transmission — we wouldn't even consider such a move in the more athletic Mini.
Factor in the Cooper's lower sticker price, its more unisex styling and its better top design, and the choice was easy. For 2006 the Mini Cooper convertible is the King of Cute.
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