2004 MINI Cooper Review: Interior

The front seats slide and lift out of the way to allow rear passengers into the back of this two-door hatchback, and then they return to the original position. That makes loading rear passengers quick and easy. The seats have recliner levers on both sides for convenience. The rear seats are surprisingly roomy. Legroom is tight, but with a little cooperation from those in front two adults can travel short distances in comfort. There's plenty of headroom and the rear seats are scooped out to provide good support. They split and fold down for cargo versatility.

Mini's interior is stylish and modern, and exudes quality. Prominent circles set the interior design statement. That large circle in the center of the dash, visible to anyone in the car, is the speedometer. A racy round tachometer is perched like an aftermarket muscle car unit immediately before the driver's eyes and tilts with the adjustable steering column. Toggle switches with little guards are arranged in a row near the bottom of the center stack. They operate power windows, power locks, front and rear fog lamps, and the anti-skid system. A pair of cup holders immediately in front of the shifter will hold a pair of grande cappuccinos if you squeeze them gently past the bottom edge of the dash.