MINI Hatch R56 Review (2008-2012)

Is there a more recognisable car than a Mini? The original car in the late 1950s was and still is a style icon, and while eyebrows were raised at the much larger size of BMW’s 2001 reimagining, the revamped Mini (aptly called MINI now) has found a similar place in the public’s heart.

This is the second generation of ‘new’ MINI hatchback, introduced in 2006 and referred to by the code R56. It very closely follows the design of the successful 2001 car, which was so on the money that even the latest version is recognisably cut from the same cloth. A convertible version of the same car was also released, which has the codename R57. You won’t often hear these model codes mentioned outside of enthusiast circles, but we’ve used them here to differentiate the 2008-2012 R56 model from its earlier (R50) and later (F55) siblings.

From a practicality point of view, the standard R56 hatchback was only available in three-door form, not the five-door version that’s an option on later MINIs. Once you’ve got inside, there’s plenty of room in the front, but grown ups will find it quite tight in the back. The boot is also significantly smaller than you’ll find in most of the MINI’s rivals, although you should just about be able to squeeze a week’s shopping in.

There is one caveat to this. MINI launched an estate version known as the Clubman, which featured a slightly eccentric door arrangement, with a rear door on the right-hand side only (aimed at left-hand drive markets where this would open onto the pavement) and a pair of ‘barn doors’ on the boot. Its boot volume was a useful improvement on the contemporary R56 hatchback – 260 litres versus 160 litres – but it’s still smaller than some conventional superminis. Think of it as a quirky way to add a little extra practicality to the standard MINI recipe, rather than a true estate.

All models mix eye-catching styling with go-kart-like handling, and all are great fun to drive, particularly the performance models. Those with sensitive behinds should note, however, that these cars have quite a harsh ride quality – especially those fitted with larger wheels, which improve the appearance by filling the arches more, but come with lower profile tyres that are less adept at absorbing bumps.

The earliest cars were available as a Cooper or a Cooper S, the former with a 120bhp, 1.6-litre petrol engine and the latter with the same engine tuned to 175bhp. A year after launch, MINI introduced a 1.6-litre diesel version called the Cooper D, as well as an entry-level model called the MINI One, which had a 1.4-litre petrol engine with 95bhp.

Models from August 2007 onwards have stop-start technology which temporarily cuts the engine at standstill, for example when stopped at traffic lights. This helps improve fuel economy and CO2 emissions.

In 2008 a performance model was introduced, called the MINI John Cooper Works, often abbreviated to JCW, which had a 208bhp, 1.6-litre turbo engine. This isn’t to be confused with earlier, upgraded Cooper S cars fitted with the John Cooper Works kit, which comprised a sports exhaust and rejigged software to boost power to 192bhp.

The following year, the MINI One was given a more powerful 1.6-litre engine, and a new entry-level car was introduced, called the MINI First. This had a 1.4-litre engine with 74bhp.

Another update at the end of 2010 gave the styling a tweak and also introduced the entry-level One D diesel model, and a new Cooper SD model was introduced at the start of 2011, with a 2.0-litre, 141bhp engine. At the end of 2012, the John Cooper Works GP model was unveiled, with a 218bhp unit. All are good to drive by the standards of the class, but it’s the Cooper S and JCW models that are the real firecrackers.

When it comes to the specification of your MINI, be prepared to do some homework. With the names of models above tied only to the engine, what equipment you get will depend more on what optional packs were specced when the car was new. This means it’s important to know what packs you want when looking at used models. The packs were named after food (for some reason), and started with Salt, which was only available on the entry-level cars. Cars from Cooper upwards could be specced with Pepper and/or Chili packs, although the Chili pack for the Cooper S was different. Confused yet?

Broadly speaking, the Salt pack includes floor mats, front fog lights and height adjustment for the passenger seat, while the Pepper pack features heated mirrors and washer jets, 15-inch alloy wheels and, from 2010 onwards, air conditioning, Bluetooth and DAB radio. The Chili pack featured sports seats, 16-inch alloy wheels, a leather-covered steering wheel, but the Cooper S version had xenon lights, 17-inch alloy wheels and air conditioning.

However, the packs changed during the life of the car, and by the time the MINI First arrived you could also add a Design package (leather steering wheel, heated mirrors, some chrome bits on the outside) and a Tech pack (steering wheel buttons, Bluetooth, CD player).

If you want the best fuel economy then the MINI One D should officially get you north of 70mpg, and probably at least 60mpg in the real world. But they’ll be harder to find than the petrol models, and than the Cooper D, which has punchier performance for not a huge amount of fuel consumption penalty.

For the petrol models, expect north of 40mpg for the MINI Cooper and mid-30s for the Cooper S. If you can get low 30s for mpg in the JCW model, then you’re doing well.

When it comes to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), some of the diesel models will be exempt due to their sub-100g/km CO2 emissions, and others will be only £30 a year. Petrol models will start at £135 per year and rise to £220 for the JCW models.

All R56 MINIs have variable servicing, with intervals up to two years. Pre-2009 cars needed a check up between 10,000 and 15,000 miles, while later models increased that to up to 20,000 miles. The car will alert you with a message on the dashboard when it needs attention.

As R56 cars are now well out of warranty, we’d steer clear of official MINI dealers for servicing, as it’ll be relatively expensive. A good MINI specialist should be able to sort you out with costs starting at around £100 and rising to around £300, depending on which service you need.

Warranty Direct’s Reliability Index ranks the MINI brand right in the middle of the manufacturer table, and appropriately gives the R56 MINI a middling rating, too. Its data suggests there are particular issues with the car’s engine, cooling and heating system and electric systems. This means you should be careful when test-driving a potential purchase, and make sure you check at-risk systems. Ensure all the electrical features work, from indicators to sound system, and everything in between.

MINI changed the engine on Cooper S and JCW models during 2010 and 2011. The earlier engines, known as N14, had quite a few issues from timing chain and fuel pump issues to excessive oil consumption. The later engine, called N18, fixed a lot of those issues. Generally, we’d recommend you look for one of those later models, although N14 engines can be fine if they’ve been well looked after. Rear discs on the performance Cooper S and JCW models can wear pretty quickly, especially if you enjoy your enthusiastic driving, and could last less than 20,000 miles. Replacements, with new pads, will cost around £200 at an independent specialist.

Diesel MINIs are at particular risk of dual-mass flywheel failure, which can be expensive to sort out. You can spot this by a rattling sound, particularly at idle.

If there’s a rattle from the timing chain, especially on N14 engines, this could be because the timing chain tensioner is on the way out, which will need sorting ASAP at a cost of around £600 at a specialist. Keep the oil topped up religiously to help stop this happening. Speaking of oil, watch for leaks from all manner of areas. If you spot one, get it looked at quickly.

Cars with a panoramic sunroof can see it judder or stop working entirely, which can be fixed by a specialist for around £250.

Watch out for white dust coming from the air vents when the air conditioning is on. This can be a sign of a failing evaporator, which can be expensive to fix. Recalls included all cars made until 2011, which needed work on the water pump to fix its circuit board, due to a propensity to overheat. Check that the necessary work has been carried out.

It’s worth noting that if you buy an Approved Used MINI then it’ll come with a 12-month warranty and MOT cover, as well as 12 months of roadside assistance, a full service history and a pre-purchase check. Sure, it might be pricier than an independent sale, but it could be worth the peace of mind.