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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  New and Improved - 2017 Mini Countryman
  By Cameron - February 14 - 1:39 pm

  I was seeking a downsize from a midsize SUV when I stumbled upon the new Countryman. Mini has done an incredible job at making the cabin feel spacious and functional despite it being much smaller than what I was accustomed. If you are at all familiar with BMW products (X1 in particular) you will notice some striking similarities from the cabin materials to infotainment. Performance is good and it is a blast to drive - however, you can expect ride quality to match the sporty driving characteristics. The cabin certainly gets a shock over potholes - the dynamic damper control is a must if you want an improved ride. I was skeptical of Minis reliability (which influenced my decision to lease); if you do your research you will see that the new engine and chassis are straight off the BMW X1 and have displayed exceptional reliability so far. Overall, I am highly impressed with new Countryman, a car that was certainly NOT on my radar when I started shopping. If you are looking for a car that is engaging to drive while offering compact SUV capacity and capabilities this is a safe bet.

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  Love my Mini - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By santivacatlady - February 13 - 4:13 pm

  This is a well built car. It holds the road beautifully and has great gear shifting performance.

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  Fun! - 2008 Mini Cooper
  By EC - February 8 - 4:13 am

  The Mini Cooper S was the last in a long line of cars we looked over. From Honda, Mercedes, Infiniti, GM, Toyota, Smart, we looked over and drove various models for 6 months before deciding. The Mini Cooper S was hands down the most fun to drive. The acceleration, handling, and manual / automatic transmission features were the most notable. The Mini makes the simplest driving trips more interesting and exhiliarating with the feel of the road evident in every drive. My wife and I both enjoy driving the car and look forward to taking a vacation during the summer to several destinations in the US.

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  Great - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By IAn - February 7 - 10:00 am

  Love this car. Very Safe.

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  Like a little go-kart - 2010 Mini Cooper
  By nmwolfe - February 6 - 10:53 am

  I bought my Mini new in August 2010 from a dealer in Albuquerque, NM. Ive owned a 1966 Porsche 911, a 1973 Porsche 911s and a 1985 Porsche 930, but I can honestly say my little Mini although it "aint a Porsche is a blast. Ive got 50k on it and my MPG which I never have reset is 37.5 and my average MPH is 58.9 over those 50,000 miles. Top speed, 149......I couldnt get it to 150. Oh well, 149 MPH is pretty fast and itll get there pretty quick. I truly love my Mini!

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  Fun to Motor in a Mini - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By Panzey - February 4 - 10:46 am

  Ive not had a bad day with my Mini! After a long day in the office I quickly lower the top and off I go with the breeze flowing through my hair! It has a lot of gusto! When we take it for short weekend trips we lower the backseats and have plenty of room for our bags/gear!

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  Fun Car! - 2008 Mini Cooper
  By Laurie - February 3 - 5:56 am

  I was looking for a smaller car with better gas mileage than my SUV. I considered the Prius but didnt like the design or the high price tag. The Mini has it all - economical, fun, great gas mileage, excellent and unique styling! The car is a blast to drive and much roomier than it looks from the outside. Add the roof rack for additional storage and youre good to go!

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  Nothing Better for $20,000 - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By xiaobai - February 3 - 2:00 am

  Considering what cars consumers get these days for $20,000 the Mini Cooper S is sent from heaven. I am willing to say that most people have never experienced the kind of attention one gets driving around in one of these things. Everybody I meet loves it. It makes people smile and thats very rare for an affordable car. This isnt a Porsche, the performace isnt stellar, but its very fast, very agile, very beautiful, very well made and thought out, and very impressive overall. Its not for everyone, but for a 23 year old, just graduated from college, architect with no family and not too much money; you cant possibly find anything better, period.

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  Great Compromise - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By iNomis - January 26 - 7:43 pm

  This car is a perfect compromise daily driver. Good performance, comfort and economy. Im getting over 35 MPG lately. Sure you can find a car that beats the MINI in a few areas but you cant find any car at any price that does all the things as well as the MINI does. Its worth the extra money you may need to pay for it. So far...

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  We love our Mini - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By R-Mini - January 26 - 5:43 pm

  When I began searching for a convertible, most models were out of my price range. After looking at the Mini web site, I was able to design my own vehicle, with the options that I wanted, and still remained well within my budget. The handling is precise (15 inch wheels with Pirelli P3000 tires), the automatic transmission flawless, and in all the years of driving, this is the first automatic that I have owned where you cannot feel any up or downshifting. On a recent trip of over 1500 miles, my Mini convertible averaged just over 33 mpg on the highway. I would recommend to anyone interested in a convertible to give the Minis a test drive. There have been no mechanical issues to date.