MINI Roadster – smart handling and fuel efficient

Price: £18,015 – £24,850

Pros: Large boot, even with roof down; sharp handling; powerful engines

Cons: Suspension will be too firm for some; around £500 more than MINI Convertible; wind noise with roof up

Car buyer, 4.1/5.0
"Remove the roof and the exhaust sounds fantastic, letting out pops and bangs when you lift off the accelerator. The car reacts quickly to your steering inputs and stays flat in the corners, so it's great fun to drive enthusiastically. An automatic rear wing pops-up when you drive faster than 50mph and retracts when you drop below 37mph."

Auto Express, 4.0 /5.0
"There's no mistaking the Roadster for anything other than a MINI. Its large round headlights, chrome-rimmed grille and crease-free bodywork are largely shared with its sister cars."

What Car?, 4.0 /5.0
"It costs about the same as its main rival, the 1.8-litre Mazda MX-5, but the Mini will be far more fuel-efficient and its resale values should be at least as strong."

Honest John
"The interior features the trademark oversized speedometer, toggle switches and rev-counter behind the steering wheel. Sports seats with improved lateral support are standard in all but the basic Cooper model. All models come with electric door mirrors, parking sensors, air conditioning, DAB radio, AUX-in and a host of safety systems including roll-over bars."

Evo
"The stiffened chassis from the Mini Convertible and Coupe remains, with Mini keen to point out that the Roadster's lighter roof lowers its centre of gravity, benefiting dynamics. A typically overdesigned Mini interior (and its infamously large central speedometer) is present and correct." ·