Mini Cooper hatches get more features for the same price

It’s a further tinkering of value for the BMW-owned, British-built small car, which had price cuts of between $3000 and $5000 for the third-generation model that was released in 2014.

The $26,650 Mini Cooper 3-door and $27,750 Cooper 5-door, which remain unchanged in price, now feature halogen foglights as standard.

A new Multimedia Essentials package costs $1500 and bundles navigation and Radio Mini Visual Boost that bring a 6.5-inch display, plus rear-view camera with guidelines, front armrest, and the Bluetooth streaming that was a surprise omission from the Cooper.

It can also be paired with an $1800 Convenience package that includes semi-automatic parking, anti-dazzle side and rear-view mirrors, and keyless vehicle access.

The more powerful Mini Cooper S increases by $800 in both 3- and 5-door form – to $37,750 and $38,850 – in return for extra gear.

Cooper S gains headlights, daytime running lights and foglights with LEDs, as well as a reverse-view camera with guidelines.

Driver aids including active cruise control, auto high beam control, forward collision warning, and low-speed autonomous braking feature under a $1500 Control package. It also includes tyre-pressure monitoring and adaptive LED headlights.

Mini hatch sales are down three-percent year to date, after an impressive 2015 with a 61-percent increase. It still leads its most direct rival, the Audi A1, so far in 2016, with 1028 sales versus 878.

Overall Mini year-to-date sales are up 14 per cent.