2020 Acura TLX vs 2020 MINI Cooper

The 2020 MINI Cooper stood out on the road with its unique design, featuring wide-eyed LED headlights, a grinning front grille, and vibrant color options. The Union Jack taillights were a crowd favorite, adding to the car's charm without appearing wasteful or gaudy. Initially available as a two-door hardtop, the MINI Cooper evolved to include a convertible variant, a four-door body style, and an all-electric SE trim. The SE trim maintained the design elements of the Cooper S but sat slightly higher to accommodate the battery cells. Inside, the MINI Cooper's design was dominated by circular elements, including the speakers, air vents, and a massive circular housing for the touchscreen infotainment system. The interior delivered a premium feel unmatched by other cars of its size.

The 2020 Acura TLX, after a design overhaul, presented a handsome yet somewhat anonymous appearance. The A-Spec option package enhanced its styling with 19-inch wheels, revised bumpers, side sill skirts, and oversized exhaust outlets. The limited-edition TLX PMC Edition, hand-built in Acura’s Performance Manufacturing Center, featured a dazzling Valencia Red Pearl paint and unique exterior accents. Priced at $50,945, the PMC Edition was the top of the TLX lineup, while non-PMC models started at $33,995. The Technology Package and A-Spec Package added comfort, convenience, safety, and a racy appearance, making the TLX a good-looking car for under $40,000.

The 2020 MINI Cooper SE excelled in performance with its 181-horsepower electric motor and 199 pound-feet of torque, powered by a 32.6-kilowatt-hour battery pack. These figures were just below the Cooper S’s 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, which generated 189 hp and 207 lb-ft. The SE felt quick due to the immediacy of the electric motor's torque delivery, and it outperformed the base Cooper's 1.5-liter turbo three-cylinder engine, which made 134 hp and 162 lb-ft. The SE used regenerative braking to help keep its battery charged, and despite weighing 300 pounds more than the Cooper S, it maintained a low center of gravity, providing a planted feel in corners. The SE used a single-speed gearbox, while gas-powered Coopers employed either a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission or an eight-speed automatic in the John Cooper Works trim.

The 2020 Acura TLX PMC Edition featured the top-performing powertrain with a 290-hp, 3.5-liter V6 engine, a 9-speed automatic transmission, and a torque-vectoring SH-AWD system. This setup provided a steady build-up of power, with peak torque of 267 pound-feet arriving at 4,500 rpm. The SH-AWD system could direct up to 70% of engine output to a single rear wheel, enhancing the car's handling dynamics. The TLX offered a comfortable and quiet ride for daily driving, with sophisticated amplitude reactive dampers and heavy steering contributing to its solid road feel. The car returned 23 mpg on a testing loop, matching the EPA's combined driving estimate.

The 2020 MINI Cooper hatchback was not ideal for carpooling, road trips, or home-improvement projects due to its limited space. The front seats offered good space, but the backseat was tiny and best suited for children. The two-door Cooper provided 8.7 cubic feet of cargo space, while the four-door model offered 13.1 cubic feet. The Convertible had only 5.7 cubic feet of cargo space. Dropping the rear seats in the SE trim provided a maximum of 25.8 cubic feet. Despite the limited space, the MINI Cooper was thoughtfully designed with two-zone automatic air conditioning, chrome toggle switches, and high-quality materials.

The 2020 Acura TLX offered a compelling interior with supple leather, heated and ventilated front seats, and plenty of room for the driver and front passenger. Rear occupants enjoyed favorable accommodations with air-conditioning vents and available heated rear cushions. The trunk measured 14.3 cubic feet, which was compact-car territory for a midsize sedan. The TLX exuded quality and comfort, making it a convincing companion for daily drives.

The 2020 MINI Cooper SE featured an “eDrive” driver-information display connected to the steering wheel, displaying vehicle speed, time, mileage, remaining charge, and drive mode. The SE had a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment display with Bluetooth connectivity, navigation, and Apple CarPlay. The SE Iconic trim included an 8.8-inch screen, a wireless charging pad, and a head-up display.

The 2020 Acura TLX had a dual-screen infotainment system, with the top display not being a touchscreen and the bottom display being a touchscreen. The layout was confusing, with climate control buttons and switches under the bottom screen and some climate functions included on the touchscreen. The system lacked a tuning knob, and the navigation map's graphics were outdated. The voice-recognition system was frustrating to use. However, the Acura/ELS premium audio system sounded good, and the car had Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 2020 MINI Cooper SE lacked advanced safety features, with only front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera system included in the Iconic package. Forward-collision warning was standard, but automatic emergency braking was unavailable. The NHTSA had not rated the MINI Cooper, but the IIHS gave it top marks with "Good" scores in all crash tests.

The 2020 Acura TLX had adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and road-departure mitigation systems. A blind-spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert was included on all but the base TLX. The TLX earned 5-star ratings in every NHTSA test, but it did not qualify for a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS due to an Acceptable rating in the small overlap frontal-impact test on the driver’s side.