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 owner - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By dutch27 - October 7 - 1:16 am

  Just bought this MCS yesterday for my wife and its a blast! Like eveeryone says...it has a very high Fun Factor; lots of extras i.e. puddle lights in the doors; headlights wash themselves, etc,etc. Im 64" and I have plenty of leg room & head room. May trade in my MB E320 for one of these 05 MCS. Heres a test - try pushing the MCS from the side. It doesnt move,hence... max. stability !!! Incredible machine

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  Nice drivability but Horrible Reliability - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By caroleza27 - October 6 - 4:35 pm

  Like many others, I have had nothing but problems since I purchased this car used less than a year ago. When I got it I seemed to be in ok condition even after 2 previous owners and 140k. Starting in the 2nd month o ownership I began having to replace things--each time a cost of $500-$600 mainly due to the high price of the parts. Every time I fix something, I have another problem. I am looking to get rid of the car as soon as I can because I cannot afford to keep fixing it nor can I spend all of my time at the shop. Great car in its younger years--definitely not a primary vehicle or one that will hold up over the years.

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  SEE YOU IN THE CORNER - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By GORDO - October 5 - 10:00 am

  DONT WASTE YOU TIME THINKING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TO BUY THIS CAR YOU BETTER RUN TO THE CLOSEST MINI DEALER AND PUT YOUR CASH DOWN . IT WILL BE WELL WORTH THE WAIT !!!

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  "uncle" - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By cheryl, - October 2 - 6:53 pm

  This car is so much fun to drive, rivaling other imports Ive had. It has plenty of power to render confidence in passing and on ramp approach, corners on a dime, and has awesome gas milage without performance trade-off. However, Ive experienced way too many costly repairs ie. engine wire harness, intake valve module, cooling fan module, power steering pump etc. Its time to cut my losses. Regretable, I scream uncle.

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  I love this car - 2009 Mini Cooper
  By streetracer2 - September 20 - 10:50 pm

  This car has a Nice go cart feel but I think there should be a little more power. The exterior design is probably the worst thing about it, I dont think its bad but most of the people I ask say it looks like a clown car or some weird like that but I like it.

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  I love this car - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By BigQ17 - September 18 - 9:33 pm

  I just bought the car, but I love how it handles and how good it is on gas for me.

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  2005 Mini Cooper S - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By catseye - September 18 - 6:30 pm

  I sold my beloved BMW M3 to get this car, so I had high expectations for this car as a daily driver and weekend track car. I have not been disappointed. The car is solid in every way, quick, and sticks like glue. I continue to be impressed as time goes on, and understand why so many people own more than one and sell theirs to buy another one. wow! What a car.

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  Buy one, your going to love it - 2009 Mini Cooper
  By Phil Balchan - September 16 - 11:26 am

  Traded in my 06 Miata due to warrenty issues with Mazada.Test drove the Mini S and was hooked and I mean hooked bad. I have owned several 3 series BMWS so my expectations were High. The Mini didnt disapoint. Every aspect of this cars performance is excellent and is superior in every way as compaired to the Miata.

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  Two Coopers in one family - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Willie Hank - September 16 - 2:00 am

  My wife purchased her 03 Mini Cooper in September, 2003. We both fell in love with the retro 60s car. I took delivery of my 04 Cooper S in December 2003. We both have had flags installed on the roof, also known as the " palet." We have done a few performance upgrades as well.

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  05 Red Mini in Dayton - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Quepr - September 15 - 1:23 am

  I have now had my Mini for 6 months. I live in Ohio and was impressed with how well it handled in snow and ice. I also like that everything I need is at my fingertips ie heat, air, audio, mirrors,convertible,etc. The shifting is as smooth as butter. I had not driven a shift in nearly 15 years, it came right back and was soooooo easy. As far as fun, I cant think of a word that can describe fully how much fun it is to drive. The top goes up and down w/in 10 second with the touch of one button. When you roll all the windows up and the top is down you d ont get too much wind. If you have a long commute, it is not very comfortable, other than that I think it is one great little car!!