Car of the Year Awards 2024: Best small car interior

When you decide that your marble-clad mansion is too big, downsizing needn’t mean a lifetime surrounded by chipboard. Likewise, the Mini Cooper proves that small doesn’t have to mean built down to a cost.

In fact, even if you’re trading down from a big, posh BMW, you’ll be delighted by the Mini’s interior appointments; Mini is, after all, a division of the premium German brand. 

It’s fair to say that the Mini’s indulgent interior, with its rich materials and delightful retro details, is its trump card; many small car rivals – including the Renault Clio – beat it on practicality, economy and safety. It’s not disgraceful in any of these areas, though, and even the entry-level 1.5-litre engine – our pick – makes the Mini perky to drive.

Another Mini plus is that its fashionable image means you won’t struggle for a buyer when it’s time to part ways. No, it’s not cheap, but it fits with the champagne lifestyle better than any other.

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