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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  06 Hyper Blue Cooper! - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By BK - September 14 - 7:00 pm

  This car screams! I always look forward to driving it, whether on an 800 mile round trip to the mountains, or a 2 mile trip to the store. Acceleration is super, as is braking. Cornering is something to look forward to, as there is no detectable lean, even when pushing what I would call normal "around town" driving. I have never had trouble merging onto the freeway, making that last-minute 3-lane lane change if I have to, or parking. My biggest worry is if someone dings one of the doors. I have the GPS system, which is not only hugely useful, but great fun. It gets twice the mileage of my V-8 SUV, which I keep because its paid off, and sometimes I need to haul wood or dirt - not for a Mini!

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  Rattles? Who cares? - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By SportlineJD - September 13 - 2:00 am

  Well, first let me say that if there is a car out there that is more fun to drive everyday, I dont know what it is. Secondly, Mini is lucky that the car is so loveable... the rattles that this car seems to have already (at 200 miles) would seem unacceptable in a Japanese car. I find myself at the dealer twice already for warranty claims... and yet, I really could care less. THAT is how much fun I am having. The handling is impeccable. The steering feel is excellent. Every nuance of the road is thoughtfully transmitted to the driver. The closest that I have gotten to this level of information is in my Mazda MX- 5 Miata.

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  Fun Fun Fun ! - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Steve Mowle - September 9 - 9:10 pm

  I have owned 22 cars over the years, many with performance in mind, including Mustang, Camaro, HSV V88, BMW coupe etc, but nothing beats the Mini Cooper S for the sheer fun factor of driving! Have a go!

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  I love this car - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By APPYONE - July 31 - 2:00 am

  The old Minis ran out of horsepower before they ran out of handling. The new Minis run out of handling before they run out of horsepower.When driven hard there is a lot of chissis flex, the addition of a positraction unit helped a great deal with wheel spin.This car is fun to drive!Very quite at 100 MPH and stable, even in cross winds.The only problem we have had was with the drivers side window and it was repaired.The rally seats are very comfortable and easley accomodate a 6 foot plus person.I would buy another one!

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  Break lines split? - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By christian - July 31 - 2:00 am

  I just bought a "s" last week. I also have a 67 kensington cooper with 15k miles. The "s" is a awesome little car, however, the day after I drove it off the lot the brake, dsc, airbag and seatbelt warning lights came on. Took it service, "Hey buddy, your not going to believe this, your brake lines are split and spraying fluid all over the place". Nice, considering I drive my 2 and four year old to school in this ride. My 67 is 30 years older and has been more reliable than my 04 with only 150 miles on it! Great job BMW! Brakes that work to much to ask for? Pathetic.

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  Love my Mini - 2012 Mini Cooper
  By lgreen17 - July 24 - 8:22 pm

  I bought my car about a year ago, the Bayswater package. It is everything I ever wanted in a car! Its fun to drive, easy to park (I work on a college campus and I can always squeeze it in somewhere), has style and good gas mileage too. Ive only had a couple of issues, 1) the service engine light came on after a few months and the dealer said I must have put regular gas in it, not the premium, and 2) the door is hard to open sometimes. Im taking it in for a year service next week so I hope to get that fixed. Press the button door locking is my favorite feature. I also drive on gravel everyday and it handles great.

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  My Mini - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Rod_Man - July 6 - 2:00 am

  I think this car is perfect to have in the city. Looking for parking is very easy due to the size of the car, making quick turns at fast speed and showing off. Gas consumption is very low and I ussually spend around $20 to fill out the tank in NY. It is a fun car to have.

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  Fun Commuter - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By Fun Commute - June 24 - 6:40 pm

  After much research I purchased a used one with 35k miles for local commutes.Its a go cart on steriods. Whole family loves it. It handles as well as anything Ive ever driven in the twisty hills we have here and Ive driven about every sports car out there. However, at speed on interstate( say 80-90 mph) it gets squirrely. Primarily as a result of torque steer, tight steering and fact its a square box.Ive put 7k on it and have had no maintenance issues except radio. Top is wonderful and surprisingly quiet but youre blind in rear quarterpanels when its up. Mileage has been so so (24 cty-26 hwy) but pedal has been to floor since Ive had it.Id buy another in a heartbeat.

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  Turbo replacement after 45,000 miles....really - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By scottyp4 - May 28 - 7:41 am

  This is a cool looking car and a blast to drive but the service at the dealer is awful. We have only 45,000 miles on the car and we have already replaced the tires twice, replaced door locks that broke, and now we need a new turbo and a valve job. They claim its because we dont change the oil often enough but its funny that they dont tell you this when you buy the car, they dont tell you this when you bring it in, and they dont contact you (like almost every other high quality car manufacturer) when you are due for maintenance.

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  My Little Nightmare - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By Barney - May 25 - 9:26 am

  We fell in love with our Mini instantly and then almost immediately, the honeymoon was over. While being incredibly cute and fun to drive, we think spending over 45 days in the shop in 10 months is a bit much. We had work done on the AC, sunroof, flat tire indicator, replaced the catalytic converter, trouble with O2 sensors, and replaced the transmission not once, but twice! Im thinking we got all of the problems that every other Mini owner didnt! Thankfully the dealer bought it back from us.