Is the not-so-mini second generation Mini Cooper still cool?

It sure is.

As the owner of a 2005 Mini Cooper convertible, I think the first generation is closer to the feel, driving dynamics and size of the original Mini Cooper of the '60s; but the new, larger 2008 Mini Cooper S has a virtues of its own.

It handles like a champ, goes like crazy and despite its still small size, feels reasonably balanced and stable.

The second generation Mini Cooper has a higher hood line and new grille and taillights, and though the exterior dimensions are larger, you won't even notice until you park it beside the first generation model.

Our test model was a Mini Cooper S, the performance version, with a base price of $21,850. But remember, the Mini Cooper comes with a wealth of options, packages and color combinations, and going overboard with the option list can get you a price tag of more than $30,000. The test model cost $32,000.

The Mini Cooper S is equipped with a 1.6-liter, turbocharged, 172-horsepower four, and the acceleration is phenomenal -- around 6.6 or 6.7 seconds to 60 mph.

Fuel economy on the entire Mini Cooper range varies from 29 mpg to 33 miles per gallon. The Cooper S is rated at 26/34, but I averaged about 28 miles per gallon.

The back seat has more room, but it's still good for children only.

The awful cup holder has been replaced by a more sensible design. And the awkward-to-use handles and levers that adjust the front seats have been changed for the better. There are other upgrades, too. The brakes on the first generation convertible are good, but the new model gives a whole new meaning to the term "stop on a dime."

Handling on the Cooper S test model was outstanding -- no lean, no sway. Steering responses are lightning quick; in fact, you should watch that you don't oversteer. That's not to say that the steering is overassisted; it's just that it's got spot-on balance and feel.

Of course, the new 2008 Mini Cooper S is not perfect. There are signs of design overkill in the interior, for instance. A stylized gas gauge with a daisy-like design has absolutely no numbers around it to indicate how your gas tank is doing.

Then there's the audio system. Its sound is terrific, once you can figure out how to operate it. It's one of the most complex, counterintuitive systems I've seen. And the owner's manual isn't much help. A large knob under the audio display screen is used to turn the radio on and off and select stations, right? Wrong. You use it to move between modes, music settings, etc. The volume button meanwhile is located way down below -- and it's also the button to turn the system on and off. Because of how all of this is arranged, the audio system takes up entirely too much room on the dash.

The climate control system is little better.

It uses thumb wheels as part of the system, which also are counterintuitive.

Another minor but annoying issue: The trunk light kept coming on for no apparent reason, forcing me out of the car to check to make sure the trunk was closed. It always was.

On the other hand, there are some cool elements to the interior, too, such as the blue-purple ambience lights located on the window pillar, around the door handles and elsewhere. And behind the trim piece on the dashboard is a second glove box, hidden but there when you need it. Very cool.

And in these days of high gas prices, it doesn't hurt that the Mini Cooper is thrifty on gas, too.