Used Mini Roadster 2012 - 2015 review

The Mini Roadster is the convertible version of the two-seat Mini Coupé. It's not to be confused with the Mini Convertible, which is a four-seater, despite sharing the same dimensions as the Coupé and the Roadster.

Indeed, the Roadster’s aim was to steal sales from sportier cars like the iconic and purposeful Mazda MX-5, rather than maintain the modicum of practicality that soft-tops based on existing hatchbacks often display.

Underneath, it shared all its underpinnings with the Coupé, and it offers three different versions of the familiar Mini 1.6-litre petrol engine and a 2.0-litre diesel. The basic 122bhp 1.6 is reasonably quick, while the top-of-the-range John Cooper Works (JCW) version packs 211bhp, making it a positive flyer.

In the way it attacks corners, the Roadster is brimming with agility and offers the driver a great deal of involvement, especially so in JCW trim. The payback for all this is a firm ride in the lower-spec versions and a positively crashy one in the sportier trims. There's also a fair amount of shake and flex to the body as the car passes over broken road undulations.

The Roadster is also, it has to be said, very noisy and a bit impractical. The dashboard's also a mess of switches that are overly styled and poorly located. The standard kit is a little spartan, too, in base spec, but there are a bewildering wealth of options to choose from, all adding kit in various stages.

But you might forgive the Roadster's flaws when the sun comes out and you lower the roof. It's a truly open car, and putting the power-assisted hood down is the work of an easy five seconds. Then what you will have is an agile and quick little car adept at enlivening the senses.

Sales of the Roadster (and the Coupé) were never expected to be a huge proportion of total Mini sales, and the car was eventually discontinued without replacement in 2015.

From an independent dealer, just over £6000 will buy you one of the early 2012 or 2013 models. Slightly less than this will get you a high-mileage example and slightly more will get you one with an average mileage for the year.

Up the money to between £7000 and £9000 and you’ll pick up a 2014/15 car with the same criteria. You’ll need to spend between £10,000 and £12,000 to secure a sparkling 2015 car from an independent or franchised dealer.

In terms of fuel economy, the diesel-engined 2.0 Roadster achieves a claimed average consumption figure of 62.8mpg, whereas the best performing petrol unit is the basic 1.6 with a claimed 49.6mpg. The 1.6 in the S version manages 47.1mpg.

Insurance groups for the Roadster are slightly higher than for the regular Mini hatchback but are still pretty competitive.

Comprehensive servicing plans are available for used cars and can provide cover for up to three years and 36,000 miles. These are called Mini Inspection plans, with prices starting from £185.

The standard Cooper kicks off the range. This features the 122bhp naturally aspirated 1.6-litre fou-0cylinder petrol engine, which is perfectly adequate for most buyers. It's acceleration is adequate, too – 0-62mph in 9.0sec.

The turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the Cooper S develops 181bhp, giving a 0-62mph time of 7.0sec and a 138mph top speed. It’s a flexible and lively engine and its nature suits the car, but it will be more expensive to run.

The 211bhp 1.6 JCW is the performance pinnacle, with 0-62mph taking just 6.5sec.

The 2.0 diesel lacks the fizz of the petrol-engined cars, but competitive CO2 and fuel consumption figures and a 0-62mph time of 8.3sec mean it still makes a great deal of sense.

Our favourite Mini Roadster: 1.6 Cooper

The iconic MX-5 is the car most people would think of as a natural rival for the Roadster, and age-for-age we’d be thinking of the third-generation model here. The MX-5 is one of the best-driving cars available, regardless of budget or badge, and both hard and soft-top models are impressively agile. The steering is precise and full of feel, while the rear-wheel-drive chassis offers fluid handling with multitudes of grip. Used examples are always temptingly priced and there are always plenty of them to choose from.

The Audi TT is one of our favourite cars, whether as a closed coupé or an open-top roadster. It's thrilling to drive, with a great range of engines and beautiful handling. It's a great buy, especially used, where prices are surprisingly competitive, although this is one area in which the Roadster might score over it, because its prices are generally lower like-for-like.

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