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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  S Power - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Bluesmaster - October 13 - 2:00 am

  Car is unbelieveably fun to drive. I have added an intake and exhaust to boost power. Ride is choopy on bad roads. 17" wheels and runflats make the ride firm. Great shifter and brakes.

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  Brand new, so subjective to some degree - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By EricH - October 2 - 10:00 am

  Raw numbers cant explain the experience driving this car! you cannot go (or stop) anywhere without people coming over and asking about it everybody smiles and points and wants to know about the car. I would upgrade to a dustless aftermarket brake pad. The setup of the gas pedal in relation to the brake pedal makes the car difficult to downshift using the "heel & toe" technique. Did I mention the car was way too much fun to drive?

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  20,000 Miles, best Ive had yet. - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Uhooru - October 2 - 10:00 am

  Owned 1 yr, 20 k mi. Initally am ws wonky and the hatch. Fixed immediatly, no charge no problems. Smooth runner. Not a tiger off the line, but a driving system and approach. 30 mpg, mixed driving. Best handler, beats my Honda CRX SI easily in handling. Comfortable even for those in back if shortys in front. LUV IT!!

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  Could it be cuter? - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Jessalex - September 26 - 10:00 am

  I just got it and liking it so far. Steering is very responsive, the shifting is smooth and logical, the heat seems to work well and overall it handles nicely. The design is clever and funky, with some very intelligent and well-thought out touches. It lags somewhat going up hills. The rear window is extremely small. Rear passengers have no control over windows...theirs is fixed, and yours determines how much air they get. With limited space I think they did a good job with the small things, but overall I would like to see future model years (I have a 2004) add a little heft so I dont feel like Ill crush it if I look at it wrong.

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  Not What You Think - 2009 Mini Cooper
  By kLINGON1 - September 14 - 4:43 am

  I have about 3000 miles on this car with, thus far, no defects. I bought the car because fo the retro looks, handling, fuel economy, and relatively low price given the abundance of features. I was correct in all these suppositions but greatly underestimated how disagreeable the ride is. Even after abandoning the pathetic runflats for top rated normal performance tires, the ride is jiggly under all conditions but the smoothest roads. Now those of you not bothered by this and there must be many, fine. However, this is by NO MEANS a discounted BMW. BMWs work magic somehow in the first 10 cm of suspension travel, soaking up road inperfectis while keeping phenomenal traction. This is no BMW

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  Awsome Mini - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By yeki - September 8 - 10:00 am

  I couldnt quite afford the Cooper S, so I got the Cooper. I find it to be much more than I ever expected. The handling alone makes this car the most fun you can have with your cloths on (or off, if thats your thing). Its got plenty of s;.t to get you moving. Much more than most mag reviews give it credit for. If the reliability is there, I dont think Ill buy anything else, except maybe an S.

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  Miss it, but GLAD its gone! - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By zmr359 - August 30 - 9:21 am

  I bought my Cooper used w/ 68,000 miles. W/in 4 months this happened: First the key fob quit locking/unlocking door & would instead spontaneously open all the windows. Then the drivers side door handle quit working so I had to roll window down to get out, until window quit too, then I had to crawl out passenger side. Electrical issues caused all windows + sunroof to open when it rained which ruined the cloth seats. Then it started running out of gas before it was on E. Doors locked shut once so my bf had to crawl out window & I had go out trunk so I could roll window up. Then the tranny quit! $5k for a rebuilt! So then I had to give car back to bank 6 months after I got it.

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  I thought I liked my vette............ - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By The Man NY - August 8 - 2:00 am

  I live in NY the cooper s got me through the snow with no problem. I surprise so many people when they find they either cant keep up or catch up and get lost in the corners. GREAT CAR I am 62" 255 and I FIT!!!!!!! NO PROBLEM

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  So Far So Good - 2009 Mini Cooper
  By coop35 - July 6 - 7:40 pm

  Drove the Civic SI, MazdaSpeed3, GTI, A3 and R32 before finally ordering the Cooper S. If you dont go crazy with options MINI is reasonably priced. Engine is hugely satisfying at any range while still averaging 28 mpg combined cycle and has great resale value. The options list is as huge as a 911s which costs 4 times as much. There are tons of options for after-market parts. I love the free maintanance program.

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  Great car up to a point - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Robert - June 17 - 4:30 pm

  Everything was fine until the warrenty ran out. I bought my Mini in April, 2004. The car ran great until my extended warrenty expired at 75,000 miles. The first thing to go out was one of the engine sensors - that was about $700. A little later I took it in for a tune-up. The dealer noticed that a seal was leaking and with the tune-up I was out another $1,300. As I was leaving they mentioned that some item in the suspension would need to be replaced soon to the tune of another $1,000. About two months after that I lost the power steering. Enough was enough, I traded it in on a Honda. Its a great car if you can afford the maintenance