I love my Mini Cooper S like it’s one of my kids. I named it. I went to a Mini rally and literally bought the T-shirt. It has personality, pep, is great through the corners and fits anywhere. It’s an all-round gutsy, fun, precision ride and a very hard act to follow.
But it’s a 2015 and I’ve moved hours away from Mini servicing. And we’ll retire soon and want to do long road trips, with golf clubs and overpacked baggage and maybe some more elbow room.
I’ll need that quick responsive engine and stability forever now. A hatchback beats a trunk. And no rough rides or roll warnings on my visors. I mostly don’t want a gluttonish wide SUV that takes up the whole road, garage and parking spot. I know a station wagon might work, like a Volvo, but… not yet. A hybrid? Maybe, but where we live, electricity is like caviar. What’s a girl to do? – PJ
Petrina Gentile: I say skip the hybrid – a fun, peppy gas-powered hatchback would do the trick for PJ, but she didn’t give us a budget to work with. Let’s start with a few budget-friendly options.
Mark Richardson: Don’t be so quick to skip the hybrid. The new Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid uses its electric motor to add power while also saving fuel. I drove it recently in California and I think PJ would enjoy it.
The 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid has a 30-kilowatt motor, which boosts the available power to 196 horsepower.Mark Richardson/The Globe and Mail
Gentile: While I like the Corolla Cross hybrid, with its pleasant road manners and good fuel economy, PJ is used to driving a Mini. And the Corolla Cross doesn’t come close to the zippy performance of a Mini Cooper.
Richardson: The regular Cooper is a relatively straightforward drive – it’s the more powerful Cooper S that’s the most fun for the money, but it pays for it by using a lot of premium gas.
Gentile: That’s true, but the regular Cooper is still much more fun to drive than the Corolla Cross hybrid. The Toyota is also way more fuel efficient, but PJ isn’t looking for that – she’s looking for a fun, zippy car.
Richardson: She can step up a size with a Volkswagen Golf GTI. All the zip of the Mini but with more space. I’m not sure if it will be large enough for all her potential luggage, but it’s often better with a car to get something a little smaller than you think you need, especially if you’re not lugging kids around, because most of the time you’ll be hauling empty space.
The 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI is a high-performance, hot little hatch with great power thanks to a two-litre turbo four-cylinder engine with 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque.Supplied
Gentile: Now you’re talking. I love the Golf GTI – it’s a high-performance, hot little hatch with great power thanks to a two-litre turbo four-cylinder engine with 241 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. It’s a blast to drive around town – even better than a Mini. Wouldn’t you agree?
Richardson: It’s lots of fun for sure, with as many die-hard fans as the Mini. It’ll cost around $40,000 after fees and taxes for the base model, but it has almost a thousand litres of cargo space when the rear seats are folded flat. That should do it. Next question.
Gentile: There’s also the high-performance N line of cars from Hyundai. I bet PJ hasn’t thought about something from Hyundai like an Elantra N or Kona N compact SUV. Both are spirited and fun to drive.
Richardson: The Elantra N would have the larger space she’s looking for, but I think the Kona is too small for road trips and golf clubs.
The 2022 Hyundai Elantra N has a standard six-speed manual, sport-tuned suspension, edgy styling and it’s a blast to drive.Courtesy of manufacturer
Gentile: I like the Elantra N. It has a standard six-speed manual, sport-tuned suspension, edgy styling and it’s a blast to drive. It’s very responsive, has crisp handling, plus it’s practical and roomy, too.
Richardson: I drove it on a wet racetrack and you’re right – it was a blast. I know PJ says a hatch beats a trunk, but this one is big enough to carry clubs and tuck away luggage, and the cabin is spacious enough for some elbow room during a road trip. Not much, but some.
Gentile: And it’s cheaper than the Golf GTI. The Elantra N starts in the high $30,000s after fees and taxes.
Richardson: Don’t confuse it with the Elantra N-Line, which looks sporty but doesn’t have the extra power. But here’s another idea – the Mazda CX-30 with the 2.5-litre turbo engine. It’s a bit bigger than the Mazda3 Sport hatchback that she’s probably already thought of, but it’s just as rewarding to drive.
The 2023 Mazda CX-30 is bigger than the Mazda3 Sport hatchback that she’s probably already thought of, but it’s just as rewarding to drive.Supplied
Gentile: I prefer the Mazda3 Sport hatch over the CX-30 for PJ. I like the driving dynamics better and I think she would, too. It’s peppy, spacious and comes with a manual transmission.
Richardson: Sure, but they have the same engine and she’s asking for something bigger that suits road trips and golf bags. She could squeeze them into the hatchback, but the compact SUV seems a more spacious fit without being “gluttonish.” The SUV is only a couple of thousand dollars more and both in the mid-$40,000 range after fees and taxes with the turbo engine.
Gentile: Don’t write off the hatch so quickly – it still is pretty spacious. There’s enough room for golf bags and luggage. And it’s zippier than the CX-30 in its ride and handling.
The 2023 Mazda3 Sport is peppy, spacious and comes with a manual transmission.Courtesy of manufacturer
Richardson: The important thing is that PJ specifies the turbocharged engine, if she wants the same kind of zip she enjoys in the Mini. It’s the most costly powertrain, but its response is so satisfying, and it’s a lovely piece of engineering.
Gentile: It is. We’ve given her a few good options, so what’s your final pick for PJ?
Richardson: The VW Golf GTI would be my first choice, and then the Mazda CX-30 Turbo. But the Hyundai Elantra N would be just as good if she’ll consider a sedan.
Gentile: I agree on your top choice. PJ, go for the Golf GTI. It checks all the boxes on your wishlist.
What car should you buy? Write to Mark and Petrina at globedrive@globeandmail.com and use ‘What car’ as as part of your subject line. Emails with different subject lines may not be answered.
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