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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  Lease it dont buy - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By vantage01 - September 22 - 8:25 am

  bought this car new i loved it but not the 18 trips (yes 18 i counted )i made to dealership in the first 36 months of ownership for various issues and the six full sets of tires i went through in the first 4.5 years the car hit 80k drank a quart of oil every week drained my pockets for small issues till i sold it to an acquaintance at 101,000 after i did timing chain. new buyer told me engine main seal and turbo went at 114,000 cost him 2500 he sold it after that. i loved the car was so fun to drive but after being so used to the reliability of an Lexus i was so unprepared to own such a problematic car.

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  Banana S - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By banana - September 6 - 5:33 pm

  Great little car. Harsh ride though. Lots of Rattles and squeaks. Never has let me down. Great mileage Im getting 42mpg with my modifications.

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  Chose this over a Miata - 2011 Mini Cooper
  By skysoxwiz - August 15 - 11:31 pm

  I spent a world of time comparing the Cooper to the Mazda Miata. Theyre both great cars, fun to drive and easy to buy and own. I think I would be happy with either car but the Mini has the "cute factor" over the Miata. 9,000,000 Miata owners cant be wrong but it also makes it somewhat ordinary. The Cooper "S" is incredibly fun to drive, especially in a mountain state like Colorado.

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  Timing Chain / Tensioner - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By living_dino - August 8 - 2:15 pm

  I had owned a 2006 MINI Cooper S, and I was one of the first people to buy the second generation of New MINI. I LOVE the performance and driving experience of both cars. There are few cars on the road that offer such a great driving experience, with the kind of gas economy that they get. The first generation MINI was flawless in all respects. The second generation, at least my year, has a re-occurring timing chain issue. The technicians keep chaining it up, one year it is the chair, the next it is the tensioner (actually twice), and they they tell me it was an oil leak from the timing chain cover. I think there is a design flaw, and they wont admit it. In 4 years, 5 repair incidents.

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  Fun car with a few minor flaws - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By blueguydotcom - May 28 - 1:23 pm

  Every morning I look forward to driving my Cooper S. The turbo engines relatively smooth and eager to rev. With a pretty tight suspension on the car, it seems to swallow most corners with ease. The small exterior dimensions hide a surprisingly roomy interior. Ive transported 4 adults in my car without complaint. Fold down rear seats also make the car pretty good at transporting groceries/gear from Costco. Finally, the car nets an astounding 35 mpg for me on the freeway and I get about 30 mpg combined. FWD robs the car of fun though. Until I start a family, the Cooper will meet my needs - small, fun, economical, zippy and easy to maneuver in any environment - its a perfect urban car.

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  this is a kids car - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By lisa davis - May 24 - 10:00 am

  this car is very diffcult to get in and out of ,and i only weigh 145 pounds .there isnt any room for any movement.also i almost got ran off the highway twice due to other cars not seeing ,and especially trucks .

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  Satisfied - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By livelifelove77 - March 31 - 12:52 am

  Ive had my mini for about 3 1/2 years; overall I still love it. I think it is unique and it does everything I need it to do; it just drives fantastic. Cons: the tires wear out extremely fast. I seriously have to rotate and get two new tires at least twice a year. I dont understand why they wear so fast, since Im not a crazy driver and have low milage. I feel like my car turns on maintenance lights fairly often, even though it is never turns out to be serious ( airbag, check engine ) Also, after about and hour and a half the seats get very uncomfortable. Pros: everything else

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  Fun and Affordable - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By T. Smith - March 30 - 2:50 am

  This has been a great driving year. I love my MINI. One of the great things about it is the smiles that are invariably produced when you drive by. Gas mileage is acceptable (though high test gas is a slight burden). The interior is very comfortable (definitely spring for the leather sport seats). My son (a tall 9 year old) has plenty of room in the back and the three of us have taken several long trips. Having a MINI means packing lightly, but its a good exercise in downsizing the extraneous stuff that crowds our lives. Pleny of room for groceries and such and tall people fit fine. But the real sell is the enjoyment of driving. Go-kart? Maybe. But its stable and, did I mention fun?

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  Suggestions - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By parytbird1 - March 5 - 2:00 am

  This is an awesome car. Fun to drive. This is my wifes care, and Im glad. I would probably lose my license. The size of the car concerns me for safety reasons.

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  This can be a 10 rating car, but its not - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By maybery - February 20 - 10:00 am

  Having the car only 2 weeks the car stalled. It did not turn back on. The car went to their service facility with only 800 miles on it already with problems. 3 days later the car is ready to be picked up. The throttle control was broken, faulty, or improperly installed but whatever the case this part was replaced. The car ran fine for another 200 miles and we now have the same problem again. We worry more now with a 1000 mile brand new vehicle then with our old car with 100,000 miles on it.The mechanical issues make me feel very unsecured and unsafe driving this car with a child on the back seat.