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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  Great Mini, Will Buy Again - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By mark - January 3 - 3:46 am

  The Mini Cooper S is the best driving automobile for the money! It delivers a great wee factor.

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  Love it! Lots of fun and looks - 2009 Mini Cooper
  By Mini09 - TC MI - January 2 - 9:06 am

  I got my Mini with Cash for Clunkers deal. Great value for the money. I have the extended warrantee and the fuel pump had to be replaced at 5000 miles. :( I wasnt happy but the service was good and everything else has been great. Love the pepper white with black top and bonnet stripes--SHARP. Handles great, very fast, mileage good, excellent for running around town for errands, taxiing kids etc.

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  Cooper S the thrill is back - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By RM Joy - January 2 - 4:23 am

  I have been driving my MINI Cooper S for about 6 months, and it still a blast. The S comes stock with a 168 hp engine, which is plenty of fun, but I did an aftermarket upgrade ($280.00) to bring it up to about 190 hp. I am a lover of small cars, and these cars handle marvelously on the highway or on Oregons twisty country rodes. Above all, this little car has "character".

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  enjoy the ride - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By king of love - December 30 - 10:00 am

  the car is fun to drive. be in. solid feel even on the highway. dont feel blown around. pleanty of room on the inside. insturements bright and beautiful. cornering lovely. power improves at higher rpm. around town with ac on a bit sluggish. but why not open the windows and the huge sunroof and let the fresh air and light in. that is the best. the premium stereo is a must especially with windows open and access to my mp3 player.

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  Its a Lemon - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Not2Mini - December 30 - 10:00 am

  I waited three months for this car and its a complete lemon. Its spent more time in the shop than any other car I have owned, taking it in two and three times to solve the same problems.

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  GREAT CAR - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By JAZZYJOSH - December 30 - 10:00 am

  GREAT CAR, GREAT FUN.

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  Cons outweigh the Pros - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By MIssMyVW - December 28 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this car used in 2007 and I didnt even get 5000 miles on it before the clutch went out on it the first time. Six months after that replacement, I had to have it back in the shop because the clutch pedal had a master/slave issue and I had to have the cylinders replaced. Then, just this past week, after approximately 21 months and 9,000 more miles on the car, I had to have the clutch replaced again. Seriously, while the car looks really cool and is sometimes fun to drive, it is *not* worth all the extra money it will cost you for ownership. I cant wait to pay this thing off and go back to driving a VW again.

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  well done, BMW - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By dbaichy - December 23 - 10:00 am

  A wonderful car. A truly invigorating, if not revoluationary, driving experience. The CVT is faboulous, and it truly feels like you are driving a BMW. Not bad for a car that can easily be kept around the 20 grand mark. No problems so far. I highly reccemend it with no regrets.

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  My MINI has been my MAJOR headache - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By frankiej - December 23 - 10:00 am

  Bought my MINI a few weeks ago because of all the excitement. Thought it might even let me do well with the ladies. Well, after the exhaust literally fell off my car the first wek I knew I was in for a problem. The car drifts to the right constantly. The engine makes a funny sound. Blah.

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  Cutting your MCS teeth in Germany - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By proformasignal - December 19 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Cooper-S (loaded) as serviceman returning from Germany with a desire to come back with something different. I got it. For the money, this machine performance is worth every penny. Eking 163hp out of a 1.6l engine and weighing a stout 2700lbs this bad boy strutslittle competition. The Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), 17" tires, and "hand of demi-god" braking kept me from "balling-it-up" in a few corners at Nurburgring. If youre single (or a duo) and like to drive like theres no such thing as inertia, then this car is for you. Warning: DONT turn off the DSC.