Over the past five years, the reborn MINI Cooper made driving fun again for 177,000 buyers in the U.S. Now a much-needed front-to-back redesign gives the 2007 MINI a healthy dose of new technology and more comfort for long-distance driving, all without making the car look much different.

A MINI Cooper is still a hoot to drive, especially if you pop for the turbocharged Cooper S. The base Cooper is fun around town but can't get out of its own way on hilly roads. Either one can be a relaxed long-distance tourer with the optional $1,400 audio system, which includes HD Radio, 10 speakers, and a lifetime-of-the-car subscription to Sirius Satellite Radio. A line-in jack comes standard, and an iPod adapter is available.

Believe it or not, you'd feel comfortable (and safe) taking the new MINI cross-country. The cockpit is more refined, there's more room for driver and passenger (the center console was narrowed), and this iteration feels quieter and more relaxing. You could motor from Monterey Peninsula to Cape May with a passenger if you packed light and folded down the rear seatback for added storage.

While the 2007 models are 2.5 inches longer (at 146 inches), that's mostly forward of the windshield, so the back seat remains an occasional place for short people. At 12 feet, 2 inches, "There's an airbag for every 2 feet of car," jokes MINI product manager Jeff Stracco.

There's also an audio source for every 2 feet of the car: AM/FM radio, a CD player with MP3 and WMA capability, line-in jack, and (optionally) satellite radio, HD Radio, and iPod compatibility. MINI offers Sirius Satellite Radio with a lifetime-of-the-car subscription for $950, but more likely you'll want the audio package for $1,400: a 10-speaker audio upgrade, satellite radio, and HD radio ($500 separately). iPod is a dealer install; figure $300-$500 for that.

MINI also offers a Bluetooth phone kit that's $600 on its own or part of a $1,400 convenience package. For all the careful market research MINI does (and VP Jim McDowell was behind BMW's "The Hire" film series, so MINI knows marketing), MINI missed a golden opportunity to embed Bluetooth in every car, for no more than $50 in added cost, and thereby satisfy a clear customer need. While MINI and parent BMW support lots of worthwhile causes, a charity close to most hearts is the owner's wallet. Of the 40,000 MINIs sold in a year, I'd bet there's no more than one owner per foot of MINI who doesn't own a cell phone.

The quirky and lovable style gave the 2002-to-2006 MINI a honeymoon period. "What's a monstrous speedometer doing in the center of the dash?" I'd ask myself, and answer, "It's part of the charm." Come 2007, the honeymoon's over, and the charm is wearing thin. Speedometers don't need to be 8 inches across and shouldn't be outside the driver's direct line of sight. "It looks like the return of ToonTown," said kbb.com's Micah Muzio, one of my co-drivers at the press launch.

The speedo is so big that MINI stuck the audio/onboard computer display inside along with the audio controls, and still there's enough space for a community garden. If you opt for the navigation system, it's embedded inside as well.

At the new Mini's press launch in February, none of the cars had navigation systems. But I'll hazard a guess and say navigation ($2,100) won't be a MINI Cooper strength. MINIs use the same Siemens-VDO technology as BMW, where it has been criticized by users for its stiff learning curve and has helped drag down BMW's reputation in some J.D. Power surveys. To be fair, it's pretty good once you've got directions programmed in.

MINI will provide the same free-for-life, real-time traffic reports as BMW does, using Clear Channel/Inrix technology. We've driven it on BMWs and were underwhelmed both by the RTT interface (listing accidents you've already passed before some that are just ahead) and by the quality and timeliness of the information. The latter should improve in the spring with the addition of data from 625,000-plus transponder-equipped delivery vehicles and limos. If it's as good as Clear Channel claims it will be, this will be big step forward.

You'll probably love, then hate, then learn to enjoy the cockpit. The switchgear looks great and the top center console controls mimic the winged MINI logo. But then: The easily reached knob in the speedometer cluster you believe is volume actually changes channels, while the same-shape volume knob is several inches lower and outside the cluster. The tachometer is attached to the steering wheel so both tilt together, but the top inch of the tachometer is perpetually cut off.

The line-in jack is recessed into a black void at the base of the center console. Playing Sirius satellite radio, you have to cycle among artist, track, station, and genre information, deciding which half of the information you want to see. Remember, this is on a speedometer big enough to be seen with the naked eye from outer space. The digital clock is at the lower right of the speedometer and hard for the driver to read. The odometer, which the passenger might want to see (following directions or rallying) is only visible to the driver. A smallish digital display inside the tachometer does default to a speedometer reading and given the glare off the pie-plate speedometer faceplate at times, that's what you'll most likely use.

The part of the interior you'll love is the incredible array of seating and trim colors you can order, including some delicious chocolate-brown hues for the leather. One of my test cars carried the Mellow Yellow exterior paint onto the armrests and parts of the lower dash. How can you not love that touch of individuality? Just don't go overboard: A fully optioned MINI costs almost twice the base price.

The 118-hp, 1.6-liter Cooper engine and 172-hp turbocharged Cooper S engine are completely new, and for that you can thank or blame Mercedes-Benz. BMW/MINI and Chrysler created a joint venture in 1997 to build state-of-the-art engines in Brazil. Then Daimler-Benz bought Chrysler, so BMW let the joint venture expire rather than stay in bed with its biggest rival. Now BMW is part of a new engine R&D alliance with PSA Peugeot Citroen. For the MINI engines, BMW incorporated its own variable valve lift (ValveTronic, in BMW jargon) and variable valve timing (VANOS). The technology adds complexity in manufacturing, not to mention the difficulty of explaining in a few short words, but provides more power, better economy, and fewer emissions. The previous Cooper S used a belt-driven supercharger. The exhaust-driven turbocharger has an overboost feature that lets the car run for up to 15 seconds beyond its ratings without doing damage.

Getrag is Europe's gold standard for gearboxes, ZF for automatics, and MINI stuck with Getrag for a six-speed manual transmission. But for the automatic it turned to Aisin, a Japanese supplier with a good reputation for making small, front-drive transmissions. Order the automatic, and steering wheel paddle shifters come standard. With the manual, finding the right gear during quick downshifts was occasionally problematic (it may get better as the engine and driver warm to each other), so I'd suggest you consider the automatic. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) won't be offered in 2007 except on MINI convertibles, which continue this year to be based on the older platform.

In terms of what the powerplant technology does: The base engine feels zippy around town but was seriously challenged in hilly (not mountainous) terrain on a test route outside Scottsdale, AZ. To maintain 65 mph, I had to downshift from sixth to fifth and, finally, fourth gear. In comparison, the Cooper S with a turbocharger was ready and willing with either the six-speed stick or six-speed automatic. MINI rates 0-to-60 mph acceleration from 6.7 seconds (Cooper S with a stick) to a leisurely 9.5 seconds (Cooper, automatic). While the specs say the automatic is 1.2 seconds slower to 60 on the base Cooper, the word from MINI gurus is that there's little real-world difference. Making timed dragstrip quarter-mile runs, I found little difference between the two gearboxes.

MINI uses electric power assist steering (EPAS) instead of hydraulic or (perish the thought these days) manual steering. It allows for variable steering effort at different speeds, damps (shock-absorbs) road vibration while allowing most of the road feel through to the driver's hands, and recalibrates the steering feel when you push the car's Sport button. This is not, however, the same as BMW's active steering, which actually halves the steering ratio at parking lot speeds, from about four turns lock-to-lock to two.

MINI has scored well on safety (four of five possible stars for the previous version) and says it further strengthened the cage around the passengers with this model. In addition to six airbags, MINI provides ABS (anti-lock brakes), EBFD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution) to assist in panic stops, and CBC (Cornering Brake Control). DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) is optional on both models. ASC+T (Automatic Stability Control + Traction) comes standard on the MINI Cooper S. The shape of the hood was revised slightly to make the car safer for errant pedestrians, in anticipation of tougher European safety specifications. Europe has done a good job of reducing drunk driving, but jaywalking under the influence remains a problem.

The MINI is a premium compact car. If you want room for four with sporty flair for less than $20,000, sport-package versions of the Honda Fit, Honda Civic, Nissan Versa, or VW Rabbit are better deals. But if you want a two-seat sports car in sport-sedan clothing that really is a blast to drive, parks anywhere, occasionally carries four, and (admit it) impresses your friends, the list is one car long.

One knock against the MINI Cooper has been its reliability. Consumer Reports said reliability was below average or poor for three of MINI'S first five years, but it improved to average by 2006. Anyway, that's relative to other cars sold today. The worst cars today aren't a lot different from the best cars of 15 years ago. And Jaguar has proved that the British are not incapable of building world-class quality. Also, MINI follows parent BMW's lead in covering all repairs and maintenance for four years, and the MINI's resale value is among the best in the industry.

If I were ordering one—and I'd be tempted, were it not for property taxes, mortgage, and children hoping to attend college—this is what I'd do: Bypass the base Cooper with its attractive starting price of $18,170 and go for the turbocharged MINI Cooper S ($21,850) with the automatic transmission ($1,350) and metallic paint ($450). Of the five options packages that run $1,400 each, audio is a must-have, and the premium package provides automatic air-conditioning. I might suggest ordering the sport package to get DSC (which is otherwise $500 standalone) as well as xenon headlights and (grudgingly) the convenience package to get Bluetooth (plus keyless entry, rain-sensing wipers, and a garage-door opener). The cold-weather package is a $300 bargain for heated seats and headlight washers. While leather is tempting, sticking with cloth upholstery saves $1,000 to $1,900. Total bill: $28,150 (and you'll likely pay list price) versus nearly $40,000 if you choose every option from the 163 trillion engine-transmission-paint-option possibilities. (MINI's Stracco: "We say 150 trillion to be conservative.")

Even though old and new MINIs look alike, the new MINI is so much improved, and the old MINI retains so much value (meaning: you won't pick one up cheap), the way to go is with a new MINI Cooper. I'd even put up with the lesser performance of the base MINI over a used model Cooper S. It won't kill you to downshift once in a while on hills. Either way, the MINI makes motoring fun again, and it packs a solid dose of technology that doesn't overpower the fun of driving.

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$18,700.00 - $39,100.00

EPA mileage: 32 city, 40 highway, 35 combined (Cooper; 30/37/33 (Cooper S)

While it looks the same whizzing by, the 2007 MINI Cooper is vastly different, with new engines and more cockpit room. This MINI adds a unique audio package and real-time traffic along with amazing paint schemes. The original was fun around town; this has the performance, technology, and comfort to go cross-country. Just pack light.

The $1,400 audio package provides lifetime satellite radio, HD radio, more speakers. Engines are quicker and more fuel-efficient. The cockpit is roomier; the car feels more solid. Navigation gets real-time traffic.

Tiny back seat. 8-inch speedometer mounted in center of dash. Chick-car acceleration with base engine. $600 Bluetooth. Guilt-by-association BMW-based navigation system. Misplaced volume control.