Overview & Reviews

Few cars are as instantly recognizable as the Mini. Loved for its diminutive dimensions and cheerful good looks, the British-born car has inspired passionate devotion both in the U.S. and abroad. The brand was briefly discontinued, but was revived in 2002 with help from BMW. Successfully paying homage to the original Mini Cooper of the 1960s, the reincarnated Cooper combines an athletic, BMW-engineered chassis with a space-efficient interior and a generous standard features list.

The history of the Mini make began in 1959. The original Mini car was produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) in England and its mission was to be a lightweight, agile four-passenger car that took up minimal space. In a sense, the brand was born out of necessity. The United Kingdom was subject to fuel rationing in the wake of the Suez crisis, and British consumers clamored for vehicles that offered optimum fuel efficiency.

The car was originally sold under BMC's Austin and Morris brands; the Mini name didn't make an appearance until 1961. Although it had just 34 horsepower, the Mini was the ideal urban car and proved popular in crowded European cities. In 1961, John Cooper, a man who built Formula One racecars, put his magic hands on the Mini and the result was the ferocious Mini Cooper. His Cooper S model had (at 76 hp) more than double the output of the standard Mini. That infusion of power, along with suspension tweaks and some really good driving, had Mini winning the Monte Carlo Rally four years in a row (1964-'67). The marque landed on American shores in 1962.

The '60s truly was the decade of the Mini. New variations on the car's theme came with the introduction of vehicles like the Mini Pickup and the Mini Moke, a vehicle that resembled a quirky cross between a Mini and a Jeep. The car's abbreviated proportions are even rumored to have played a part in sparking a fashion trend; the miniskirt raised hemlines and became emblematic of an era. Mini motorcars tore up the asphalt on the silver screen, with the brand's appearance in the 1969 film The Italian Job. By the end of the decade, more than 2 million Mini motorcars had been produced. Sadly, the vehicle was pulled from the United States in 1968, in the wake of strict new emissions regulations.

Though no longer available in the U.S., Mini remained in production in Europe through the '70s and '80s. By the mid-'80s, more than 5 million Minis had been produced worldwide. In 1994, the brand was acquired by the BMW Group. The marque went on hiatus in 2000, but was resurrected (and brought back to American shores) in 2002 with the launch of the entry-level, front-drive Mini Cooper hatchback. Thoroughly modern in every way, right down to its BMW-engineered suspension, steering and brakes, the Mini Cooper is sold alongside its cousins at BMW dealerships.

Today, Mini's offerings include various derivatives of the Cooper, including a coupe, a roadster and a convertible; the slightly longer Clubman; high-performance John Cooper Works variants; and even the crossover SUV-inspired four-door Countryman. With such a diverse, fun-loving lineup, it's no wonder that Mini has become one of America's most desirable small car automakers.

User Reviews:

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  Mini nightmare - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By Dissappointed - December 14 - 10:00 am

  This is not going to be your normal review since, though Ive owned this car for just 2 months now, Ive actually only had it in my possession for half a day and have only driven it 15 miles. Why? Because it keeps having problems which the dealer either cant identify or fix, and which Mini seems to care nothing about since they seem to have a problem sending parts to repair what they find wrong. My ratings are based on the 15 miles I drove the car. The problems seem to have started when they forgot to remove the gas tank vent plugs on arrival. But after replacement of the entire fuel system its still having problems. Yes, its a lemon and in frustration Ive asked for my money back.

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  DISAPPOINTMENT - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By ril - August 3 - 2:00 am

  AT THIS POINT I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN MY MINI, CUSTOMER SERVICE AT MINI, & CUSTOMER SERVICE AT AUTOHAUS OF CLAYTON, MO. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THAT ANYONE PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE.MY MINI HAS HAD TO BE TOWED 3 TIMES.I HAVE HAD TO CALL TO FIND OUT THE STATUS OF THE MINI EACH TIME IT WAS TOWED, NO ONE CALLS I EMAILED MINI THE 2ND TIME MY CAR WAS TOWED & RECEIVED A CANNED LETTER.IT WAS ONLY AFTER THE 3RD TOW & EMAIL TI MINI THAT SOMEONE ATTEMPTED TO HELP ME BY CALLING THE DEALERSHIP. I THINK THEY SHOULD SPEND LESS TIME SENDING SILLY PACKAGES & MORE TIME ON THE QUALITY OF THEIR CARS (SUCH AS THE TOUCHY FIRST GEAR).

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  Its an okay car - 2012 Mini Cooper
  By Daniel - June 2 - 8:53 am

  I purchased the car brand new and owned it for almost two years. I never had any problems with it. It definitely had some cons which lead to me selling it. When it rains it is impossible to enter the car without a gallon entering with you, poor design. The AC is below average and makes a lot of noise. The Bluetooth was terrible, the other party could hear everything. It also had its pros. I was getting 38 mpg mixed driving , it was a manual. It was fun to drive and very easy to park. I never had one issue with it on the 2 years of ownership. It was a fun car, but I couldnt stand the cons.

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  Fun To drive But Build quality stinks - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By oboy - October 21 - 2:00 am

  I was really enjoying my Mini for the first 10,000 miles; a real fun car to drive. After 12,000 miles I started getting rattles and my clutch started to squeal occasionally when it was released. I have complained several time to customer service and the dealership, but they are refusing to take care of the problem under warranty. I think Mini has had some build quality issues, hopefully they get them taken care of. Proceed with caution. Hopefully customer service will improve.

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  Auto transmission - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Ron - September 12 - 2:00 am

  This car was a gem when we first got it however in year 4 at 30,000 km the ac went and recently the CVT has developed a clunk when cold and put into drive. Have just sold it as the transmission is poor and have no intention of putting another 7k into the dealers pocket.

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  Great style, poor reliability - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By michaelben - August 11 - 9:56 pm

  I own two MINIs: both S, one hardtop and one convertible. Both are stylish and a hoot to drive. I am a gentle driver - the convertible averages only 4,000 mi/yr and the hardtop about 9,000 mi/yr. And yet... I have had to replace the transmission three times on the hardtop, the AC failed twice on the hardtop, the AC / heat system failed once on convertible, the ASC light comes on/stays on in both, they have various serious rattles - that MINI knows of - they have had to be serviced. MINI service has taken care of everything, but I am spending most of my highway driving just taking both cars in for service. I am regretting having two MINIs that have so many service issues. Hate to give up the style, but...

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  Automatic Transmission Trouble! - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By CeeeeCeeee - August 8 - 7:50 am

  Wish I had known this vehicle has a history of severe transmission problems! In all the years Ive been a car owner, Ive never had a transmission just die on me! I have now! Come to find out, this is not unusual with the entire fleet of automatic transmission MINIs!!!! What a bummer!

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  Dont be fooled - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By MC - May 13 - 9:23 pm

  I fell in love with my MINI at the dealership... Thought it was a great deal. A 2007 with only 20k on it! At a good price too. I had the car for no more than a month, only having added 800 miles to the ODO when... BAM! There goes my transmission! Luckily it was still under warranty. But then come to find out the engine has a whole load of problems too... And so ends my MINI Cooper experience. Traded it in for a prius. Idk if it was my individual car of the quality of 2007 minis but beware.

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  Real Lemon - 2011 Mini Cooper
  By 1sadmini - May 11 - 5:40 am

  We purchased this car for our daughter, wanted a car that war dependable and safe. Turned out to be a real Lemon. Spends more time in the shop. Cant fix anything unless you have a pix or video to show the problem. Was missing parts from the factory also. Problems still exist. BMW USA offered to replace the car because of all the problems, then changes their mind the next day when we were going to take their offer. Be very careful if you decide to purchase this car from Mini(BMW USA), they do not stand behind their product. Guess that is why there is the LEMON LAW. May have to go to court to get relief. Very disappointed with what was suppose to be a superior company and product.

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  Failed at only 23,000 miles - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By Trevor - April 30 - 4:16 am

  Driving the Mini Cooper was fun. I think everyone already knows this. Ownership wasnt so fun. The trim around the windows is poorly done, I was going on my 3rd windshield due to previous windshields cracking and the main computer command board failed. It could no longer tell the automatic transmission what to do. At only 23,000 miles! Not good. I got rid of it. Oh, the dealership claimed the car wasnt wired properly either. On the 4th visit? Yikes!