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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  mini cooper aka bmw garbage - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By jon walke - January 16 - 11:53 am

  owned the car for 6 months,it was in the shop 8 times for problem with car almost stalling when air was on,bmw acknowledged there was a problem & didnt have any time when expected to have remedy,also had power steering replaced & the car had more rattles than a 1980s huyndai - bmw doesnt participate in the california arbitration for lemon law so traded it in on a new vw bettle before everyone figured out what a piece of crap the cars are.thank goodness they have a 3yr 36k mile warranty, youll need it

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  Maintenance monster - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By distressed mini ownr - January 16 - 10:00 am

  I love the way it drives, looks, handles but I hate that within 4 years of ownership and 60k miles Ive had to replace all 4 brakes at $600 - rotors and pads (considered normal). If you drive 50k miles on a set of brakes you are doing really well according to Mini. Drivers seat is broken, estimated repair $500 - I weigh 135lbs. Shocks on the back door replaced $135. Passenger window motor replaced (warranty), back shelf replaced (warranty). 60K tune up $400 for oil, filters and timing belt whether needed or not. Leather coverings cracked/torn. Windshield is cracked from 1st 6 months of ownership. Perhaps Ill replace it this year.

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  the Great Cooper experience - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Kathelina - January 11 - 2:00 am

  This is the funnest car to drive! It is like being in a remote control car with its tight turns and maneuverabilty. I love filling the gas tank up with these high prices. Its cheap to run and goes forever on a tank of gas! We love taking it into tight spaces and parking it with no problem. We love its expensive look and everyones assumption that we must be rich to own one! The Cooper is a great toy with major practicality. We always take our family of four plus the kids sports equipment around for the ride. It has great roomy storage and we havent found anything that wont fit in it... except maybe a couch! An absolutely amazing car!

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  My mini - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By danna72 - January 11 - 2:00 am

  I love this car. Quite honestly, It is the best car I have ever driven. It is comfortable, handles extremely well, and is great on gas. A++++

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  funfunfun - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By profken - January 11 - 2:00 am

  A delight to drive. I have owned several BMWs and Saabs, including turbos and convertibles (as well as an original Cooper S) and this car is more fun to drive than any of them. Can hold four adults, including ny 6 foot son in the back seat, but I think of it as a two seater with good cargo space -- which is pretty good with seats up or down.

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  pats review - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By patpage - January 11 - 2:00 am

  Very easy to handle, automatic transmission is good, a little slow from a dead stop, but makes up for it after 3000rpm. We frequently have 3 large to med adults in the car and comfort is good for rear passenger 2/3 hours driving time. Front seats are excellent and fabulously adjustable! Im always surprized at how small the car is from the outside, it seems much larger from the inside when driving, although it handles like a sports car.

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  Super Fun But Also Expensive to Own - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Vespa2t - January 5 - 9:36 am

  After owning a MINI S for 2.5 years and 15,000 miles I can say this is the most fun car I have ever had. However, it has been the most troublesome car for me to date as well with $2000 in repairs, and that is parts only because I can repair it myself. Now, this is a car that was owned by the lead MINI tech at the dealership for its first 70,000 miles and maintained religiously since new. And now it has rust, yes rust on a 7 year old car. There are two big holes in the sheet metal just below the taillights. Keep in mind when buying one that you are buying a BMW product and thus comes with BMW prices for parts and service.

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  A modern Mini - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Lee - January 5 - 7:50 am

  I have owned a 2003 and then a 2004 MINI Cooper S - I was given the 2004 by the factory because the self adjusting headlights on the 03 didnt self adjust! This is the total of the faults I have had in the two cars. Against this I have had more fun in this car than any car I have owned including Triumphs, MGs, Porches, Toyotas, various GM products, and an Alfa Spyder - well more fun except possibly the 1967 Mini Cooper 1275S - but then that car doesnt have ANY of the amenities that the New MINI has. It has super gas mileage along with wonderful performance and street handling that is out of this world. I have no hesitation at all in recommending this car to anyone that likes driving!

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  Mini Cooper S Rules! - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Mini Fan - January 2 - 5:10 pm

  The Mini Cooper S is awesome. It offers great performance and a great choice of options. A lot of people say that the car could use more room in the back seat. That is true, but I have fit four 6 or so men in mine - not that you would want to go on a road trip that way - but it is fine if you are just going out to lunch. There is a good amount of leg/head room for front seat. In general the car is bigger inside than it looks on the outside. I didnt get the heated seats, if you are in a cold climate though I highly recommend it.

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  More fun than...... - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By phantom6 - December 31 - 10:00 am

  Excellent in every way thus far. Mileage not as great as expected, but get 30+MPG on long trips with high speeds averaging 65mph over 1000 mile runs. At this point, the best made car I have ever owned..and that includes Porsche, Ferrari, Ford, Chevy, range Rover, Cadillac and others.