Photo: Alain MorinSeen from the back, the only distinguishing aspects of the MINI 5 door are the additional rear doors, and a few stylistic subtleties.
Photo: MINI CanadaFive openings.
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Photo: MINI CanadaEven though it’s ready to hop the pond to Canada, we’ll see it later in 2014.
Photo: MINI CanadaThe MINI 5 door's dashboard is the same as in the 3 door. The 5 door was launched in England, which is why the steering wheel is on the right. Don’t worry, the North American versions offer left-side steering wheels!
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Photo: MINI CanadaThe 2.0-litre turbo engine in the MINI 5 door produces 189 horsepower and 207 lbs.-ft. of torque. There’s also a 1.5-litre turbo three-cylinder that delivers 134 horsepower and 162 lbs.-ft. of torque. European buyers can also opt for a diesel engine.
Photo: Alain MorinThe front doors of the 5 are not as wide as the ones on the 3. Look at the frames around the windows—you don’t see that on the 3 door.
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Photo: Alain MorinThe rear doors aren’t very wide either.
Photo: Alain MorinOk, it’s no limo, but there’s certainly enough legroom and headroom for a person measuring 5’6’’.
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Photo: Alain MorinThe MINI 5 door’s trunk is a touch bigger than the one in the regular version.
Photo: Alain MorinYou can raise the floor to access a few extra litres of storage space.
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Photo: Alain MorinFolding the seat backs down does not create a flat surface.
Photo: Alain MorinThere’s no spare tire, but there is a flat-tire repair kit. The decision was made to save on weight—and the trend is unfortunately affecting the entire industry.
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Photo: MINI CanadaThe new dashboard is much more user-friendly than before.
Photo: Alain MorinAt the launch, they only brought models with the six-speed automatic transmission. But you’ll be happy to know that manual gearboxes are available.
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Photo: Alain MorinJust turn this knob at the bottom of the gear shift lever and the MINI delivers more relaxed or aggressive handling.
Photo: Alain MorinBetween the seats, these buttons and this knob control a plethora of parameters. Unlike many of BMW’s past efforts, this time it’s fairly intuitive.
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Photo: Alain MorinLike the Mazda3, this vehicle is equipped with a clear plastic panel for the heads-up display. It tucks away when not in use.
Photo: MINI CanadaMINI brought diesel (blue) and 2.0-litre gas (red) versions to the presentation. Both were S trims, which are sportier than the base trims.
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Photo: MINI CanadaPretty profile? It’s your call!
Photo: MINI CanadaFront and back. The S versions have a mid-positioned dual exhaust. The base trims have a single exhaust positioned on the left.
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Photo: Alain MorinThe 5 door MINI in front of the Fawley Court castle, built in the late 1600s.
Photo: Alain MorinDuring our test drive, we visited a MINI plant in Oxford, about 1.5 hours west of London.