2023 MINI Cooper vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI

The 2023 MINI Cooper was available in various body styles, including a two-door hatchback, four-door hatch, and two-door convertible. Despite being larger than its predecessors due to modern safety regulations, it remained compact, even smaller than a Mazda Miata. The MINI Cooper's design was distinctive, with a short, squat appearance and tires stretched to the corners, reminiscent of the original 1959 Mini. It featured playful design elements like stripes, multicolor roofs, and loud colors, making it a cute and authentic small car. The interior was slightly more mature, with Chesterfield leather seats and a unique dashboard design, maintaining high fit and finish quality.

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI, a sporty version of the VW Golf, was only available as a five-door hatchback. Its styling was more expressive than its predecessor, with a wide-mouth grille, LED headlights, and a light strip on certain models. The GTI's proportions were somewhat unconventional, with low-placed elements that visually widened the car. The 380 special edition package marked the end of the manual GTI, featuring gloss black wheels and a black roof. The interior combined classic GTI styling with modern tech, including a digital instrument cluster and plaid upholstery. However, some design choices, like the steering wheel, seemed borrowed from other VW models.

The 2023 MINI Cooper JCW was the quickest in its lineup, powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine producing 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. This engine, shared with some BMW models, offered smooth revving and minimal turbo lag. The six-speed manual transmission had an abrupt clutch take-up, making it ideal for learning manual driving but challenging for smooth launches. The JCW's handling was enjoyable, with flat cornering and impressive brakes, though it lacked the immediate steering response expected from a MINI. Fuel economy varied across models, with the JCW being less efficient due to its power.

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 241 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. It offered both a six-speed manual and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The GTI's driving experience was precise and stable, with a limited-slip differential and optional adaptive damping. It provided a mature feel, smoothing out driver errors with excess grip and well-tuned suspension. While the GTI excelled in real-life usability, it lacked the excitement of a typical hot hatch. The powertrain response was linear, and the car was quiet and comfortable, making it a great daily driver.

The 2023 MINI Cooper offered good outward visibility and ample front-seat space, but the rear bench and cargo hold were limited in the two-door model. The four-door Cooper provided slightly more cargo space. Convertible models had unique features like a tailgate that folded down for easy access and roof rails for a sunroof-like experience. The instrument panel had a matte finish to reduce glare, and the infotainment system included a touchscreen and buttons, though some were inconveniently placed. The dashboard's glowing ring added a playful touch, responding to various controls.

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI, with its hatchback body style, offered 19.9 cubic feet of cargo space, expandable to 34.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. While passenger space was comparable to sport compact sedans, rear-seat passengers might feel slightly squeezed. The GTI came with standard features like heated front seats, automatic climate control, and ambient lighting. Higher trims added a sunroof, leather upholstery, and advanced climate control. However, haptic controls for temperature and audio volume hindered functionality, making them difficult to use while driving.

The 2023 MINI Cooper came with an 8.8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM radio, and LED headlights. Cooper S models added a panoramic moonroof and heated seats. The infotainment system used older BMW iDrive software, lacking the slick interface of newer BMWs. Unique features included an Openometer and cartoonish sounds, adding a playful touch to the driving experience.

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI featured an 8.25-inch touchscreen on the base trim, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, and Bluetooth. Higher trims had a 10-inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi connectivity, and a Harman Kardon audio system. The infotainment system was generally user-friendly, though satellite radio information took time to display. The Digital Cockpit Pro instrument cluster offered various configurations, but its design was somewhat cheesy, and it struggled to convey information effectively.

The 2023 MINI Cooper included eight airbags, rear parking sensors, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warning. However, it lacked blind-spot monitoring and semi-automated driving assist. The NHTSA had not rated the MINI Cooper, but the IIHS gave it high ratings in most crash tests for the structurally identical 2014 model.

The 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI had not received full crash test results from the IIHS or NHTSA at press time. It came with standard safety features like forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. The GTI also included Intelligent Crash Response and Emergency Assist on DSG-equipped models. Additional features like park distance control and traffic sign recognition were available.