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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  Bye-Bye - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Bolder - May 30 - 2:00 am

  This car has to be my favorite car I have ever bought. It is very fast and cummphy.

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  Turbo replacement after 45,000 miles....really - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By scottyp4 - May 28 - 7:41 am

  This is a cool looking car and a blast to drive but the service at the dealer is awful. We have only 45,000 miles on the car and we have already replaced the tires twice, replaced door locks that broke, and now we need a new turbo and a valve job. They claim its because we dont change the oil often enough but its funny that they dont tell you this when you buy the car, they dont tell you this when you bring it in, and they dont contact you (like almost every other high quality car manufacturer) when you are due for maintenance.

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  Loving My Baby Mini - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Jelliebea - May 28 - 6:33 am

  I couldnt have gotten a better car. We have two babies and are both tall people. My husband is over 65 and doesnt have to roll the seat all the way back. We take this car everywhere. We can use it for short overnight trips but not for long ones where we will need to bring a lot of baby gear. We are just amazed at the amount of space we have. The gas mileage of this car is also out of this world. I am just in love with our Mini and cant wait till we can get another. We are part of a Mini club and go around with others who enjoy theirs just as much.

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  Interesting... - 2010 Mini Cooper
  By Euro - May 26 - 1:00 pm

  Well so far I am having fun driving. I am not sure how it handles in the snow or in cold weather yet so I am trying to wait to pass "full" judgment. As far as the way it handles day to day I find it easy to maneuver and great reaction timing.

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  The Mini is a Hoot - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Linda - May 26 - 7:53 am

  The Mini is a "big car in a little body." It has plenty of power on the highway, gets great gas mileage, and is just plain fun to drive. The only negative thing about it is that it uses a higher grade of gasoline than most.

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  My Little Nightmare - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By Barney - May 25 - 9:26 am

  We fell in love with our Mini instantly and then almost immediately, the honeymoon was over. While being incredibly cute and fun to drive, we think spending over 45 days in the shop in 10 months is a bit much. We had work done on the AC, sunroof, flat tire indicator, replaced the catalytic converter, trouble with O2 sensors, and replaced the transmission not once, but twice! Im thinking we got all of the problems that every other Mini owner didnt! Thankfully the dealer bought it back from us.

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  Wait, and youll regret it...... - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By DRIVE ONE NOW - May 25 - 2:00 am

  I sold a 1996 M3 to buy my Dark Silver Mini Cooper S. OH MY GOD,,,,this car, driven the right way, will hang with an M3. The comment I make over and over again is, "this car is about impossible to unsettle!" I live close to the mountains of NC and love finding an excuse to rip through the twisties. Get ready for the comstant questions from onlookers and the provocations from Mustangs, Vettes, etc. No worries though, the Cooper S holds its own. If you live in the south, be prepared to tick off some rednecks in there Mustangs with horrific handling,,I speak from experience. Dont wait buy one now, youll be glad you did.

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  Fun Factor+++ - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By da libby - May 22 - 1:40 pm

  Once you get past the ordering and waiting process, which MINI had made kind of fun in its own way, the real fun comes in driving it. Easy to drive and park in the city and great to drive on the highway. Best though is driving on twisty "country" roads. Great handling and a very solid ride -- no twist and shake like in other convertibles Ive driven. The sport seats are very comfortable, even after a 5-hour cross-state drive. Contrary to the "official" review, the HP in the base Cooper is plenty for getting to highway speeds smoothly and effortlessly -- watch the speedo because you wont realize how quickly you can pass the speed limit!

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  Only in the Summer - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By KOW - May 13 - 5:00 pm

  The MINI Cooper S is a great little car. Its lots of fun to drive and corners as if on rails...but only on dry roads. If the road is wet or worse (snowy) this thing is scary dangerous. The run flat tires are hard and stiff and provide scant traction. We live in the foothills outside of Denver and value our lives more than the car. Also, resale value is NOT as good as we had expected.

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  Piece of junk! - 2009 Mini Cooper
  By Carol Forte - May 11 - 10:00 am

  The first year could be called the "honeymoon period". After that lookout! First of all the service dept is comprised of idiots. They will NOT listen to the customer and will look for any reason than the one the customer is complaining about to blame the issue on. My issue? Carbon deposits in the motor. Yes folks, this can happen to your "fun loving" MINI too - and probably will. 4 trips to MINI - 2 times with the engine light on and guess what? Carbon deposits aka "engine buildup". This issues starts to occur between 30- 40K. You will notice skipping in 1st gear, decreased performance, oddities, etc... and the run around from MINI. Good luck! I traded my little buggy of issues!