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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  Joys of Motoring - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Babe Ruth - July 21 - 3:43 pm

  At first, I was somewhat shocked that I switched from a minivan to this tiny car. But within a day of driving, I realized why I fell in love with this high performance car. It is not a smooth ride but a thrilling ride. Extremely safe, quick, manuverable and surprisingly comfortable.

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  Great Mini - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By etemchin - July 21 - 12:26 pm

  The mini Cooper is a great car to own. it is really fun to drive and gets pretty good gas mileage. I really recomend checking it out.

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  Not Pleased!!!! - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By RJD1 - July 19 - 10:00 am

  Vehicle designed with a 10% variance in speedometer. Neither Mini, BMW or the Dealer will correct. Automtic Wipers must be turned on each time it rains, but will then turn off automatically. Not very automatic! Again, designed this way by BMW. Reported transmission problems 6 weeks ago, still no solution.

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  My last convertible for awhile - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Sheila - July 19 - 7:33 am

  I have owned four different convertibles starting with a Volkswagen Beetle, followed by a Mazda Miata, a Toyota MR2 Spyder, and now my Mini Cooper. I love, love, love this car and so does everyone that sees it.

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  Great Car - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By mininovice - July 16 - 7:16 am

  Ive only owned my 2007 Cooper for a month but, wow what a fun and surprisingly functional car. The interior choices guarantee individuality unheard of at this price. Its fuel economy has been 30 mpg in city driving, and near 40 mpg highway. The build quality is excellent with no unsightly gaps ect. The sport seats are comfortable even for a couple of hours without fatigue!

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  Great Fun When Not In Shop - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By Ron M - July 10 - 10:00 am

  Bought our S new years eve in 2007 Had great experience with the handling and power. Its probably one of the coolest looking cars on the road today. However, my wife and I were discussing our dilemma last night deciding whether to pay the $1800 to repair rear gasket oil leak or trade it in. Now that we are out of warranty it looks like shell be going. During first 50000 miles had fuel pump issue oxygen sensor,and numerous other problems. Has been in the shop a total of five weeks in the three years we had it.Too bad! Well miss her but cant afford to keep her!Will trade her in on a Honda.

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  Jasmines mini - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Jaye - July 7 - 10:43 pm

  Although it isnt a car I would drive from Washington State to California again, it is an excellent car for commuting and driving around town. So much fun to drive.

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  brg mini - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By rmarks1602 - July 5 - 10:00 am

  test drove the "s" first handled great.i did not see the need for the $3000 upgrade to the supercharged "s". the mini cooper had plenty of power even up hills. i will take delivery of my new loaded up mini cooper with cordoba leather interior.

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  Great performance car - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By H C - July 4 - 4:21 am

  This is a great performance car, especially when it comes to handling and driver engagement. While small, there is plenty of room in the front seats, but at the expense of the rear. First generation R53 MINI Cooper S is definitely more reliable than the second genarion that came out in 2007. Easy to modify with a 15% reduction superchager pulley and cold air intake to get this car around 200 hp.

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  2012 R58 - 2012 Mini Cooper
  By bcz - July 1 - 9:25 am

  A more accurate description is a 12 S Coupe w/ automatic and LOADED. Bought this car in December 2011 and have driven 42k miles so far. I am a commuter from a rural area into a college town and was looking for an economy car, but not one that was underpowered or cheap. This is likely to be the brand I stick with for awhile, they are SO fun to drive and cannot be beat in city traffic (only two wheels have it better). It feels safe because you know that the car has very respectable handling and power to get you around, and deal with occasional poor drivers on the open roads. Rather expensive based on size alone, it has taken the miles and years of ownership to gain a greater appreciation.