Here's a really good thing in a small package

This review first appeared in the May 2022 edition of the Cruisin' News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

To subscribe to the Cruisin' News, visit www.cruisinnews.com, call (916) 933-0949 or send an email request to subscribe@cruisinnews.com.  Mailed requests for information should be sent to Cruisin' News, P.O. Box G, Virginia City, NV 89440.

Sacramento, California -- The store in Orangevale that provided the photo backdrop was called "That's Cheap," and it could have been a shout out to my test auto -- a 2022 Mini Cooper S Hardtop.

After all, how many cars dressed up with $8,000 in special perks go for $35,750 these days?

Sure, my two-door Mini Cooper tester was a bit of a pocket rocket, but that's not the point.  The point is that this small car was equipped with a lot to enjoy.  And so I did.

For 2022, the Mini Hardtops received styling updates that present a sportier, saucier look than the previous editions.  The nicely sculpted, aerodynamic front end is particularly fetching.

Those taillights on the rear of my tester looked like they would form the Union Jack flag if pressed together.  Those clever Brits! ... Oops, or BMW's Germanic ownership, maybe.

As I've said before, these Minis look like purpose-built race cars right from the get-go.  You feel like you should drop some serious cash on a nearby closed-course rental and let 'em rip.

And that would be a heart-pumping experience with the Mini's 2-liter turbo-4 rated at 189 horsepower, an enthusiastic road ripper that presses you deep into the driver's seat when your right foot is planted firmly on the accelerator.

For me, the raw power was secondary to the test Mini's steering, which was extraordinary.  No, check that, it was magnificent -- one of the most precise-steering cars in my recent memory.

Even in high speed corners, I would put the Cooper S Hardtop wherever I wanted it.  In fact, it's fair to say that I was alarmed at how instantly the vehicle responded to steering changes, with the body holding the line with monorail-like grip through the whole maneuver.  Kudos to Mini engineers who engineered that happy handling experience.

So, a gas guzzler, right?  Not even close.  Fuel mileage on the tester was an impressive 28 miles per gallon in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.

Beyond that, there were things that were just, well, clever and special.  There was the toggle switch -- like you'd see in a jet cockpit -- to start the car, for example. The moody ambient lighting was cool.  And the sport seats were racy to the max.

So, how many red-blooded American motorists would shun domestic models in favor of a European-DNA runabout?

I have no idea.

But this Mini is an alluring guilty pleasure, pleasingly compact and definitely affordable.