Driving: A Mini Love Story

I believe in love at first sight. You know what I’m talking about: that sudden warm glow that starts from the heart and radiates through your whole body down to your toes. The fluttering palpations, the sweaty palms, the moonstruck eyes. I remember the moment it happened: April, 2002 at the New York Auto Show. I got behind the wheel of my first Mini Cooper, and I knew then and there we were meant to be together.

I sat behind the wheel of many cars that day, but when I buckled myself into the Mini, I felt like Goldilocks in Baby Bear’s bed: Just Right. For a compact car, it’s incredibly roomy. My 6-foot-two-inch tall friend sat in the passenger’s seat completely comfortable. After sitting in a Hummer, we both agreed there’s actually more room and comfort in the Mini. Plus, there’s the sleek design, the sporty console, the ability to customize everything about the car making it a total expression of you. What’s not to love?

As an appreciator of all things efficient, I was most impressed with how the Mini’s design allows for the maximum use of space in a minimum compartment. Granted, the Mini is best used as a two-seater, even though it does have a back seat. The choice is yours, however, and the back seats easily fold down to create a three-seater (which I recommend if you must have three adults in the car) or a two-seater which makes it great for hauling luggage, groceries, or whatever you might be carting around.

The best part of all is driving. The Mini has a tight turning radius which makes it super fun to drive on windy roads or make a quicky u-turn in a tight spot. It also has a very responsive throttle which makes it easy to pass a slow driver on a two-lane road, or get up to speed quickly when merging into traffic. Be warned: this car feels better the faster you drive it, and I for one, have a hard time keeping it under 100 mph when I’m on the open road.