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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  Only in the Summer - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By KOW - May 13 - 5:00 pm

  The MINI Cooper S is a great little car. Its lots of fun to drive and corners as if on rails...but only on dry roads. If the road is wet or worse (snowy) this thing is scary dangerous. The run flat tires are hard and stiff and provide scant traction. We live in the foothills outside of Denver and value our lives more than the car. Also, resale value is NOT as good as we had expected.

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  2012 Mini S convertible - 2012 Mini Cooper
  By ron244 - May 5 - 2:46 am

  I wanted a mustang GT wife wanted this car and of course, we have the Mini in the garage. Once I got used to how small the car is, now I can appreciate the whole set up. I think of it as a can-am spider, but more confortable. Mileage is great even if you dog it, can see anything, but its so small thats not a problem. And you know, when Im stuck in traffic, I have the top down, life is good, its really fun to drive, get lots of looks, and maybe not off the line, but going down the highway, most cars are gonna have a hard time keeping up. I drive it like a drove my motorcycles.

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  If it runs, it is great - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By H. G. - May 1 - 12:56 pm

  The Mini holds up to the Motoring promise. Loved the extra gadgets and the culture. Problem was that I aside from the several recalls, I had to have numerous warranty repairs completed. Recently traded the car in as it was in service for 30 out of 60 days.

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  A decent car, but not that great overall - 2009 Mini Cooper
  By natenate - April 30 - 5:33 pm

  Hi, I bought 2009 mini cooper S in late November. When I first bought it I loved the way it looks and the tightness of feel it gives when you drive. I now have about 16,000 miles on it, and had no single problem with a car so far. One thing I am very dissatisfied is this car tends to jerk occasionally when you press the gas gently. Seriously. Also even though Ive heard model S has so much power and accelerates fast, I absolutely disagree. It really does not accelerate that fast from stop to 60 or accelerating while going. On the freeway, I always have hard time trying to cut other cars off without using sports mode. Even with sports mode, this car just does not accelerate that fast.

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  Great Car - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By james f gill - April 26 - 4:46 pm

  The Mini Cooper S is really fun to drive and roomy for two people.

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  Love it! - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By AndrewMINI - April 24 - 10:00 am

  Sold my WRX for this car and loving it! Do not regret my decision!

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  Who need to be practical!!! - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By hankman01 - April 17 - 2:00 am

  The Mini Cooper S is a race car out of a box. The chasis is stiffer than a BMW M3; the suspension are responsive; braking system are good; the looks turn heads; the exhaust makes a low sound like a true race car;

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  Excellent Car, Too Bad... - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By Tomas N - March 24 - 10:50 pm

  Driving the MINI Cooper is the most fun that anybody can have with their pants on; it really is that good. Its fast (although could be faster), and the phrase "corners like its on rails" is a tremendous understatement. Unfortunately, the fun can only be had for 4, maybe 5 days a week, as the Cooper will inevitably spend the rest of the week getting fixed. In the 2+ years that Ive had my car, it has been in the shop for a total of about 14-16 times. Everything has been replaced (from the power steering fan, to the entire transmission, and everything in between). I would estimate that the total cost of repairs (under warranty) has been approximately $10-$12K CDN.

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  read this before you by. - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By craig d - March 9 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car more than a year. I think it looks great and is a lot of fun to drive (when it works). When you have a problem the dealers and Mini cust. service are not there to help. The build quality is not good.I have had Transmission problems, dynamic stability control problems, rear hatch problems, Etc. Some of wich have still not been fixed after numerous attempts. you must have an extra car when buying a Mini. I have had it with this car. I am selling it.

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  Happiness Went Downhill - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Jasen of MKE - March 8 - 1:56 pm

  The car was great when i first got it. but after 4 brake repairs (which the dealer insists is my fault, even though the caliper locks up on the rotor), this car is driving me to the poorhouse. everytime i rebound from paying off repairs, the car brakes down and i need to have it repaired again. i would NEVER buy another one. and i recommend anyone who is looking into this vehicle to look for something else. the dealership has done their best to make me happy, but it doesnt change the fact that i havent been able to keep this car out of the shop for more than six months at a time. bad brakes. cracked windscreen and the car weighs too little to drive in the snow - no traction kills the tires