2007 MINI Cooper Convertible Safety Review
Safety - What the Auto Press Says
The federal government has not yet tested the 2007 Mini Cooper Convertible, but the 2006 hatchback model does well in crash tests. However, one major shortfall is the Mini's poor rear visibility.
The convertible comes with plenty of active and passive safety equipment. "Despite its compact size, the Mini convertible is probably the safest car in the compact class," says Woman Motorist.
The 2006 hatchback earned 4 out of 5 stars for driver protection in front impact crashes, and 4 stars for front passenger protection. In side impact crashes, the hatchback earned 4 stars for front seat occupant protection. It also got a 4-star rollover rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives the 2007 Mini Cooper hatchback a score of "Good" in frontal offset tests. The agency has not yet conducted side impact tests for 2007, but gave 2006 models manufactured after December 2005 a second-best score of "Acceptable."
Accident Avoidance
The Mini convertible comes standard with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, which helps distribute brake forces to different wheels, and Cornering Brake Control, which evens out braking pressure while cornering at speed. Dynamic Stability Control is optional. All-Season Traction Control is optional on the base and standard on the Cooper S. The Mini also has large, contoured headlamps with reflective prisms designed to boost light output by 25 percent. A standard flat tire monitor system alerts the driver via an indicator light when it detects a change in the rotation of the wheels.
Unfortunately, one of the Mini's flaws is its poor rear visibility. Consumer Guide calls visibility "dangerously restricted" with the top up. Edmunds echoes, "It's really hard to see out of this little car with the top up, and things aren't much better when it's down." Motor Trend describes the rear view with the top up this way: "The smaller (than the coupe's) rear window and the fixed rear rollhoop make you feel like you're looking back through an odd assortment of Buick portholes." To make up for this deficit, buyers can add optional Park Distance Control, which provides a visual and audible warning when an object is near.
Crash Protection
To protect passengers in a crash, the Mini Cooper Convertible provides four front and side air bags. It also comes with an accident sensor, which automatically unlocks doors and turns on interior and hazard lights upon impact. If the air bags have been deployed, the car will cut off the fuel pump to reduce the risk of fire.
