Looks are everything. In our comparison of the BMW MINI and Volkswagen Beetle retro mobiles it became quite evidence that despite some great qualities such as above average gas mileage, nice handling, and good ergonomics, it is appearances that matter most to many potential buyers. It did not take us long to reach that conclusion as both cars drew serious interest from individuals who didn't even have a clue as to what was under the hood or what these two vehicles cost. They just liked them based on the cars' facades, and from our experiences that should be enough to sell plenty of both models in the years ahead.

The MINI is just that, a mini-sized vehicle that is attractive and enjoyable to drive. Even though it is the shortest car sold in the US of A, it has a fairly long wheelbase giving it an acceptable ride over most road surfaces.

Prices start around A$30,000 and flee northward in a hurry with the Cooper S model realistically likely to cost over A$40,000 in a hot market. The wart on the MINI is its size. In a world filled with cell phone yakking SUV owners who have not mastered the use of turn signals and rear view mirrors, the small size of the MINI can be disconcerting. Nevertheless, once inside you don't feel you are in a small car and those big rigs become simply annoyances. Of course, rear seat room is very limited and the driver's left leg needs to get used to rubbing against the centre tunnel.

Our test MINI had a movable moonroof and a stationary sunroof. Without a solid interior slider to cover these units the sun's rays heat the interior more than normal. On a 92-degree day this feature forced an underwhelming air conditioner to work overtime to keep things comfortable. We would recommend tinted windows and avoiding the sunroof option if you live in desert areas. The sunroof option is also questionable because when left open at any speed over 50 km/h the wind noise was considerable. The sunroof package was part of the option that included air conditioning leather steering wheel with multi-functioning controls (including some on the backside of the rim), and a driver's computer. We also had the stability control system, and the alloy 16-inch wheel upgraded. Our test MINI came to A$35,220 MSRP with a three year, 36,000 mile full maintenance program and a four year 50,000 mile warranty.

The Volkswagen Turbo S was slightly larger than the MINI on the outside, but a whole lot more roomy on the inside. Indeed, the 5.6 cubic feet of space in the MINI's trunk was fine for four bags of groceries, but for more you had to fold down the back seats. The Volkswagen had 12 cubic feet or trunk, and, as the MINI, was most adequate for hauling when the rear split seats were folded flat which greatly expands the cargo capacity.

Even though our Beetle was the potent 180 horsepower turbocharged model that listed for about A$41,300, it wasn't the speed burner we had thought, even with the six-speed transmission. It also was not a nifty handling vehicle, although it is clearly more sports oriented than the regular Beetle. For about the same money the supercharged MINI Cooper S model is available and should be faster than the Beetle with superior cornering ability. Again, the trade-off is whether you need the extra room the Beetle offers and its more elegant highway ride.

The MINI's 1.6-liter, 16-valve four-cylinder engine revs slowly but steadily until all of its 115 horsepower come online around 4000 rpm. The power plant needs a smooth driver to maximize its forward efforts with the five speed manual transmission. There is not enough torque to compensate for a missed shift. The gas mileage on the MINI was rated at 28/37, but we never did see 28 mpg in mixed driving and only averaged 31 on the highway. The transmission is not as easy to shift as the Beetle's, but was significantly better than the majority of units we have tested. The clutch action on both cars was very good, with the BMW's being especially nice.

Volkswagen's 1.8-liter turbo engine is linked to a six-speed manual gearbox. The S model also gets the Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP), a slightly stiffer suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels, redesigned turn signals, fog lights, front spoiler, rear bumper and a jazzy interior with aluminum accents. The sunroof works easily, but the wind noise is quite evident when left open. The S package also includes the very annoying rear spoiler that deploys with a loud trunk when you go over 70 km/h, and drops back into the body when you stop with a similar "what was that?" sound. Very distracting.

Except for the spoiler, we found the Volkswagen S a fun car. The interior is funky, the Monsoon stereo above average (but not the radio reception) and the crash test scores above average. We have not seen the MINI crash test results, but with a car as diminutive as this BMW it should be of note that it has six airbags.

The Turbo S can surprise you with its ride and we frequently found ourselves going over the speed limit, especially in 80km/h zones. when the Beetle can easily be going 120 unless you are careful. This never happens with the MINI, although on the highway the differences between 110 and 130 km/h are slight when you are keeping pace with traffic. When not in traffic, this MINI's speed is easy to judge by seat of the pants sounds and feel. Please note that the MINI is not a quiet car and we doubt it was designed to be.

Mom's view: The little MINI nipped my fingers when I tried to pull the car door handle. It is not a problem if you have large hands, but the flesh on my fingers was caught between the stationary handle and the interior grip that moves into the handle. I also found the backseat too small and the placing of the speedometer in the middle of the dash instead of in front of the driver inconvenient and irksome.

I liked the stereo system in the MINI and, once I got used to having the window controls on the dash, I felt reasonably content. The seats were comfortable, but difficult for me to adjust, especially the rake, which required more strength than I have.

On the road the MINI responds to steering input right now. It goes where it is told and mighty quickly. I would highly recommend the higher priced Cooper S model if you seriously intend to explore the handling limits of the MINI, as the base unit's power isn't enough to push this car's driving potential. In the future, I can see every amateur cone avoidance competition being fought between Miatas and MINIs in a glorious return to inexpensive driving fun.

The low lift over of the MINI made loading packages easy. However, you might as well just keep the rear seats folded flat because the "trunk" is too small to be useful. We pretty much filled up the rear storage area with by laying out a two by three rug to show its size. By the way, good luck finding a place to put your purse in the MINI when travelling with a friend.

If you position yourself back enough for a good driving position and away from the front airbag, you find there isn't even enough room for a purse behind the seats. Your options are to place it in the trunk or on the rear seat. Neither was acceptable to me.

I found the MINI enjoyable to manoeuvre in parking lots; nonetheless backing out of a parking space was intimidating because the car is so low you can't really see if a vehicle is coming. It is fun to whip into the smallest of places.

Overall, the MINI is a good quality car that is truly fun to drive. It is not demanding, is easy to master, and puts a smile on your face every time you see it. On the other hand, the Volkswagen was more my type. It was very cute, too, especially with the S Turbo modifications to the body that made it look like a chubby body builder.

Dad's view: There is great art in the styling of these car's interiors. They truly deserve to be viewed with their high-tech looks, sporty steering wheels, and creative use of materials. Both cars feature excellent stereo units, heating and cooling controls, and attention to details. The toggle switches on the Cooper were very easy to use and I found them an improvement over those found on other cars. Unfortunately, both cars suffer from interior design flaws, too. Despite an expansive dash the Volkswagen's glove compartment has little room inside and the sun visors are hopelessly inadequate to deal with the large windshield. The kill switch for the noisy spoiler is under the dash. The stereo volume control knob on the MINI is extremely small, the BMW's centre speedometer unit is filled with difficult to read gauges, and at night the red warning lights are difficult to discern from one another. And, we are not going to tell you where the hood release for the Mini is because we want you to gain an understanding of what it is like to drive an English car.

Performance wise, as you can imagine, the turbocharged Volkswagen was faster. Still, I wouldn't call the VW a performance vehicle in the same category as the similarly priced Subaru WRX. It can get to 60 in fewer than eight seconds, but don't expect much more. On the plus side, if I wanted to own a Beetle, it would be this Turbo S model.

Braking was very good in the Volkswagen and great in the MINI Cooper. Handling was terrific in the BMW and bordered on the exceptional even with the stock tires. With some upgrades this car would have go-kart type grip.

The Volkswagen's grip was much better than that of other Beetles, but felt like a compromise leaning towards a highway cruising over corner abusing.

Driving the MINI Cooper was always fun. It reminded me a lot of the four cylinder powered BMW Z3 because you could have a lot of fun without going fast. The MINI Cooper is meant to put a smile on your face and it does. The ride isn't too firm, although you are going to be made well aware of potholes and rough roads. You should also watch where you are going because our test MINI did not have a spare tire; instead it was shod with run flat tires.

Getting into the front seats of both cars is not a problem. Getting into the rear seats of both cars is not a problem if you attend primary school.

Actually, the real problem with both of these cars is that they are not family vehicles and, as such, lack the degree of practicality other cars in this price category may offer. That said, the MINI and the VW S are niche cars developed for those who enjoy driving something different and still get excellent gas mileage and good performance. My choice is the BMW MINI Cooper for this reason. If I wanted room I would go for the Volkswagen, but I don't need it and so I treasure the braking and handling of the MINI. As for performance, I would just get the base model and modify it as my budget grew or until a MINI convertible became available (perhaps next year).

Female unemployed graduate student: Those that can get jobs do, those that can't await acceptance in law school. That said the Volkswagen S Turbo is my type of ride. There is little turbo lag, the gas mileage isn't bad, and there is room for a few friends. It looks better than a normal Beetle, and it handles curves well. I especially liked the brakes.

The MINI was too small, too jolting with the optional larger tires, and never allowed me to relax because it responded so fast to driver inputs that I felt it was darty. Personally, I was disappointed with the gas mileage from both cars. I noticed that the BMW four-cylinder engine really never produced notable acceleration until it reached nearly 4000 rpm, which meant I had to constantly watch the well-placed tachometer and downshift if I wanted decent acceleration. Normally, this would not be a problem, but in grinding daily driving it loses its appeal. The transmission on the MINI was not as slick as on other BMW models I have tested. I felt the Beetle's unit was better, but neither unit was up to my standards for such machinery. The MINI also has very tight spacing of its brake, clutch, and accelerator pedals. Formal footwear is not for those who drive this BMW. However, the close proximity of the pedals makes heel-toe braking and shifting delightful.

Family conference: We liked the Volkswagen better for daily driving, although we would have preferred a stiffer suspension for this fairly heavy hatchback style car. Both front wheel drive cars had good prospects for high resale value and a high quotient of fun with the benefits of above average gas mileage and visual attractiveness. As for fun, the BMW MINI Cooper should not be missed. It is delightful to manoeuvre, and holds the promise of being the forerunner of some exceptional small vehicles from BMW that should keep that manufacturer financially secure.

Bottom line: The BMW MINI is an exceptional handling vehicle with adequate power and a large fun factor. The Volkswagen Turbo S is faster and larger, but lacks the Cooper's road handling ability, panache and attitude. If you love to drive go for the MINI, but if you like your comfort and enjoy the attributes of turbocharging, the Volkswagen is worth considering for your garage.

Written by The Car Family