Still Good Form, But Better Function - 2014 Mini Cooper Hardtop Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

Still Good Form, But Better Function - 2014 Mini Cooper Hardtop Long-Term Road Test

A photo comparison of how the 2014 Mini Cooper's interior vastly improves on the 2011 model.

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vvk

I think window switches belong by the shifter. This way you can use them while shifting and keep your left hand on the wheel. It also makes it possible for the front passenger to control all windows, which is very helpful, especially with little kids in the car. When I have to pay a toll, I can concentrate on driving and my passenger can close the driver window for me.

Most of my cars (BMWs, SAABs) have had center console mounted window switches and I greatly prefer that placement. I curse whenever I drive my other cars that have door mounted switches.

bankerdanny

The position of the switches was one of the reasons I didn't consider the Mini when I bought my last new car in 2007 and when I was shopping for a late model used car a couple years ago. My wife is the primary driver of both and thanks to a serious car crash in 2001 can't fully extend her right arm. Plus she is not very tall, so to reach the window switches she would have had to lean over, that simply isn't acceptable.

She loves the look of the Mini, so maybe next time we are in the market we can finally seriously consider one.

@vvk: like you I have had a BMW and 2 Saabs, an '87 E28 535i, an '81 Saab 900Turbo and my current '02 Saab 9-3. I have been a fan of the central switches in all of them (and the central power seat control in the BMW). As you know you do sacrifice some storage however, so ultimately the doors are a fine place for them also.

ebeaudoin

vvk said:

I think window switches belong by the shifter. This way you can use them while shifting and keep your left hand on the wheel. It also makes it possible for the front passenger to control all windows, which is very helpful, especially with little kids in the car. When I have to pay a toll, I can concentrate on driving and my passenger can close the driver window for me.

Most of my cars (BMWs, SAABs) have had center console mounted window switches and I greatly prefer that placement. I curse whenever I drive my other cars that have door mounted switches.

Thanks for the counterpoint! I don't think I've ever met anyone who has preferred console-mounted window switches.

darex

Since the car only has two windows that roll down, and they're auto-up/auto-down switches, it's hard for me to conceive of opening/closing the driver's window as being "distracting" to driving, not to mention one tends to activate them by touch, not by sight. Whatever. I have EZ-pass, so it's not something I have to deal with anyway, although I do have this car, so I do know of what I speak.

schen72

vvk said:

I think window switches belong by the shifter. This way you can use them while shifting and keep your left hand on the wheel. It also makes it possible for the front passenger to control all windows, which is very helpful, especially with little kids in the car. When I have to pay a toll, I can concentrate on driving and my passenger can close the driver window for me.

Most of my cars (BMWs, SAABs) have had center console mounted window switches and I greatly prefer that placement. I curse whenever I drive my other cars that have door mounted switches.

Not many modern cars that are manual shifting anymore. As it is, most younger people have no idea how to drive a manual transmission. I like my window switches on the door. And with auto up/down becoming the norm now, it's not distracting at all to use while driving.