MINI Cooper vs. Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder Review

Performance
When it comes to horsepower, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder packs quite a punch and will knock the MINI Cooper down a few rungs. On the other hand, bear in mind that high horsepower engines often command higher insurance premiums.

Handling
With its tighter turning radius, the MINI is quite certainly more agile than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, something to consider if you do a lot of city driving; however, note that a vehicle with a tight turning circle may feel a bit twitchy on the highway.

Drivetrain
The Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder's engine is considerably larger than the MINI's. Note that more sizeable engines may use more gas than smaller ones. Torque equals pickup, and the Eclipse Spyder will have picked up and gone by the time the MINI Cooper finally gets moving. The Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder packs quite a punch compared to the MINI Cooper in terms of torque, which is roughly equivalent to acceleration.

Utility
The Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder and the MINI Cooper can accommodate the same number of passengers.

Convenience
The Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder's fuel tank will need to be replenished more often than the unit in the MINI Cooper.

Comfort
While the front cabin in the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder offers a bit more head room than the MINI Cooper, there frankly isn't much of a difference. The MINI Cooper provides more head- and leg-room to your passengers than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder does.

Dimensions
The Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder is tremendously more bulky than the Cooper. Your wallet will hurt more every time you fill up the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder than the MINI Cooper because of its larger tank. The MINI Cooper fits in smaller parking spaces than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder.

Cost
The destination charge is a standard charge for transporting the vehicle from its point of origin to the dealer. It costs approximately the same to get the Cooper to the dealership as the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder. Producing an exact fuel economy evaluation is so hard that some think not even the federal government can do it, but it looks as though the MINI Cooper is the winner as far as fuel economy. When it comes to fuel economy, the MINI beats the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder. The MINI Cooper is substantially less expensive than the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder with respect to MSRP. The Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder will cost you a bundle in gas every year compared to the MINI. The MINI Cooper will save you a bundle at the pump every year compared to the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder.

Warranty
The basic after-sale protection that comes with the MINI Cooper isn't quite as generous as the Eclipse Spyder's.