The handles on the Mini aren't what I'd call intuitive. You don't pull the handle to open. You squeeze hard toward the end nearest the lock. Squeeze at the middle of the handle and you get nothing.
I got the knack after a couple of turns in the car. But since I don't drive it daily, it still requires a split-second of thought, plus a little more pressure than your average door handle. A friend whose hands don't work at 100 percent efficiency fumbled with the door recently as he tried to open it. I explained the trick, and he shook his head. Just one more damn thing to deal with.
That got me thinking. For most people, the handle is nothing but a minor example of design trumping ergonomics. And it's something that most owners would get accustomed to.
But if you were considering buying a Mini and had family members with problems involving hand strength or flexibility, it would be a good idea to have them check out the door handles as part of your test-drive.
Carroll Lachnit, Features Editor, @14,216 miles
evodad says:
09:22 AM, 10/ 3/11
"the handle is nothing but a minor example of design trumping ergonomics"
it's not even a significant design element, nobody would miss it. Not going to be a deal breaker for those in the market for one, but really kind of a dumb little quirk that adds nothing to the car.
eidolways says:
09:23 AM, 10/ 3/11
Quirkiness can be endearing. Take it too far, though, and it becomes an annoyance. Mini seems to be stepping a bit too far past endearing.
bodyblue says:
09:25 AM, 10/ 3/11
Typical BMW trait of fixing something that is not broken. Door latches have pretty much evolved to just pulling the freaking handle and opening the door.....how hard is that.
broq3_5 says:
10:22 AM, 10/ 3/11
My partner has arthritis- this would be a deal breaker for sure.
ed124c says:
11:51 AM, 10/ 3/11
It would be easy to drop something (a small child?) while you are trying to open the door. With most cars you pull the lever and that motion also opens the door. With the Mini you have to push? And then what? Pull? That's just counterintuitive.
legacygt says:
11:53 AM, 10/ 3/11
Wasn't there a law that did away with the flip up style door handles in favor of the pull style because it was easier for emergency personnel in some situations? Looking at the mini's handles I would assume it worked the same as every other pull handle. Now I'm wondering how having a more complex setup is legal and/or safe.
bimmerjay says:
12:45 PM, 10/ 3/11
I agree these door handles are a little silly. I don't understand why they didn't use the pull-type like almost every other BMW handle. The styling wouldn't even need to change much.
"Typical BMW trait of fixing something that is not broken."
BMW doesn't use this kind of handle on any other car in their lineup. Almost all of them except the Z's have the pull-type.
bimmerjay says:
12:48 PM, 10/ 3/11
"With the Mini you have to push? And then what? Pull? That's just counterintuitive."
You don't push, it's just squeeze-and-pull. It's not difficult but it's not what you initially expect given that the handle looks like a standard pull-type.
"Wasn't there a law that did away with the flip up style door handles in favor of the pull style because it was easier for emergency personnel in some situations?"
Many manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volvo almost exclusively use pull-type handles for that very reason, but I'm certain there's no law supporting it since they're far from standard in the industry.
hb22 says:
04:54 PM, 10/ 3/11
You squeeze while you pull not hard at all..
I'll just say this I have yet to be locked out of my car unlike my 328i...
explorerx4 says:
05:06 PM, 10/ 3/11
Don't you just push that button just ahead of the door lock while grasping the handle?