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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  German engineering trumps British build - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By dreadopus - March 19 - 2:00 am

  My only fault with this car is my personal dislike for the transmisson layout with reverse slotted to the far left next to first. Although this is the conundrum with 6 speed layouts.

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  Mini Convertible - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Magoo - March 17 - 12:43 am

  Great Car. Real fun to drive. Wife wanted an automatic. You can still shift it manually if you want.

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  Worth the Wait - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Miss Mapp - March 12 - 12:13 pm

  I have the Cooper with CVT and so far am totally thrilled. Yes, its small (hence the name), and yes the ride is ... firm. But. If you want to look for excuses to run errands, make heads turn at every stoplight, smile whenever you put the key in the ignition, and just plain feel more excited about driving than since you were 16, then the MINI is for you.

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  read this before you by. - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By craig d - March 9 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car more than a year. I think it looks great and is a lot of fun to drive (when it works). When you have a problem the dealers and Mini cust. service are not there to help. The build quality is not good.I have had Transmission problems, dynamic stability control problems, rear hatch problems, Etc. Some of wich have still not been fixed after numerous attempts. you must have an extra car when buying a Mini. I have had it with this car. I am selling it.

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  Loved it since I bought it. - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By Dave Finski - March 8 - 10:46 pm

  Ive loved my 2006 Mini convertible since I bought it brand new. My wife asked me what Id get on my next one that I didnt get on the one I bought. My answer, "nothing". There isnt anything I feel I should have opted for. Nothing I opted for that I should have done without. Opted for the basic engine. Saved money and dont need the extra horsepower, extra complexity of the turbo now mileage loss from being assertive with the gas pedal. Got the chrome exterior do-dads to cheer it up, leather bolstered seats, AC, manual transmission, more chrome do-dads inside and heated seats. Must get the heated seats. Awesome when the air gets a bit chilly. Now my wife wants her own!

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  Happiness Went Downhill - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Jasen of MKE - March 8 - 1:56 pm

  The car was great when i first got it. but after 4 brake repairs (which the dealer insists is my fault, even though the caliper locks up on the rotor), this car is driving me to the poorhouse. everytime i rebound from paying off repairs, the car brakes down and i need to have it repaired again. i would NEVER buy another one. and i recommend anyone who is looking into this vehicle to look for something else. the dealership has done their best to make me happy, but it doesnt change the fact that i havent been able to keep this car out of the shop for more than six months at a time. bad brakes. cracked windscreen and the car weighs too little to drive in the snow - no traction kills the tires

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  two thumbs up - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By got mini? - March 5 - 2:00 am

  After putting about 3000 miles on my Cooper S I still love it! However I have had the car in for service about three times, once for steering wheel alighnment, the other times for a weeping coolant resvoir and a leaking water pump. Service at Knauz MINI was great, the only problem was that I was with out my car for two days. Service was nice enough to give me a 3 series BMW for a loaner car.I was surprised to find out that the MINI S was better overall in every catagory over the 3 series BMW. Overall this car is awesome, I highly recommend the space cloth seats.

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  Greatcar - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By Lovingit - March 2 - 9:40 am

  The new 07 Mini is much improved over the last one. Just got one of the first six speed manuals. The car drives great and has significantly more performace than the previous base model. Performance could be better, but then they wouldnt have a reason to charge more for the S. Overall, the car is a joy. The sport seats are comfortable, easy and specific configuration options enables you to get exactly what you want. The car gets a great deal of attention and is just plain fun. I would highly reccomend this car to those who want something different and individual.

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  More fun than my 911 - 2008 Mini Cooper
  By TPAMiniGuy - February 21 - 10:13 am

  Loved the original MINI but was too young to drive one. What a great car. So glad they brought the marque back. It is a superb car, performance, handling, comfort. Ordered my "S" kinda bare bones, sport suspension, limited slip, and better sound system. It has alot of high tech items in what seems like a low tech car. Great A/C even in the Florida heat. Surprising good.

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  love it / hate it - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By urbanllc - February 18 - 4:16 pm

  I cant think of another car I could want after having a MINI; however, especially for the first two years, I cant think of another car that could have given me so much trouble. Ill chalk it up to having bought the first model year. The mpg is poor and not nearly as high as represented. Still, its a good city car, fun to drive and easy to park. Service at my dealer is superb. Surprisingly, with the backseats down, it can transport quite a lot of cargo.