Skip to main content

The MINI line continues to grow with the 2015 Cooper Hardtop 4 door

With its larger footprint and revised interior, you could say the 2014 MINI Cooper is all grown up. That’s true, but the MINI isn’t done growing.

The British brand just took the wraps off the 2015 MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 door, which brings two extra doors and a bit more practicality to the party.

This much-anticipated second model is as straightforward as its name. It adds 2.9 inches to wheelbase and 6.3 inches to the overall length of the existing two-door Cooper, but retains the original model’s proportions and styling.

Inside, there’s a rear bench with seating for three and a slightly-larger cargo area. Otherwise, the interior and options mirror the two-door MINI’s, including an available 8.8-inch center display, and an infotainment system based on parent BMW’s iDrive.

With added interior usability, the 4 door could very well become a replacement for the hearse-like Clubman wagon, and perhaps even give the Countryman mini-crossover a run for its money.

The only other major difference between the two-door and four-door MINI Coopers is a model-specific suspension system meant to preserve MINI’s signature “go-kart” handling. Dynamic Damper Control electronic adjustment is also available.

Unchanged are the engine options, which will be identical to those of the two-door MINI. That means base models will get a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine with 134 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, coupled to a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

With the manual, the base 4 door will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds; MINI adds 0.1 second for the automatic. The top speed of both versions is 129 mph.

Meanwhile, the 2015 MINI Cooper S Hardtop 4 door gets a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which produces 189 hp and 207 lb-ft. With the manual transmission, it will do 0 to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds and hit a top speed of 145 mph; the automatic takes 6.5 seconds and tops out at 144 mph.

With everything that makes the standard third-generation MINI great, plus a couple of extra doors, the 2015 MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 door should draw plenty of interest when it hits showrooms in January 2015. MINI says it will be priced at $1,000 over the two-door model.

Editors' Recommendations

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
The Apple Car was reportedly dubbed ‘the Bread Loaf’
A man checks his phone in an Apple retail store in Grand Central Terminal.

A 2020 prototype of the so-called "Apple Car" was dubbed "the Bread Loaf" for its looks, according to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday.

In a deep dive into the costly project, which Apple canceled last month, the report described the vehicle as “a white minivan with rounded sides, an all-glass roof, sliding doors, and whitewall tires [that] was designed to comfortably seat four people and inspired by the classic flower-power Volkswagen microbus.”

Read more
The Rivian R2 SUV is up for preorder for only $45,000
Rivian R2

You can now get a Rivian without spending more than $70,000. After months of rumors and leaks, Rivian has finally taken the wraps off of the Rivian R2, its newest SUV, and the first to be built on the new Rivian R2 platform. The R2 is built to be Rivian's "Model 3 moment," or its attempt to build a car that's more accessible to the general public and thus could be sold at a much higher volume than the R1S or R1T ever were.

The R2 certainly cuts some corners to achieve the lower price point, but it actually still has a lot going for it -- especially as an electric SUV in this price range. It goes up against the likes of the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Mustang Mach-E, and Kia EV6, but it's much more of an SUV than a crossover-sized car and should appeal to those who want something larger and with Rivian's design sensibility.

Read more
The R3 is Rivian’s surprise electric crossover
Rivian R3

Rivian didn't just announce the R2 platform at its latest launch event -- in a surprise twist, it also announced the R3 crossover. The R3 is Rivian's smallest car yet, offering a size much closer to the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 than the SUVs that came before it.

Of course, not only is the Rivian R3 smaller, but presumably, it's also cheaper. Rivian didn't reveal actual pricing for the car, but it did say that it would be less than the R2's $45,000 price. Also, it may be some time before we start seeing the R3 on the road -- the car will follow the R2, which isn't set to be available until the first half of 2026.

Read more