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 is the most fun car outhere! - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Donchik - May 4 - 2:00 am

  I fell in love with this car from the first sight and my love keeps growing since I bought it. It is fun to drive, everybodys looking at you and smiling, but at the same time it is not VW Beetle, cute and all. Mini has an agresive character and is build based on the bulldog which is very much visible.

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  Cooper S - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By IC - May 1 - 12:23 am

  My MINI Cooper S is like a go kart with a great engine. I think this car is the best ever and I traded in a 2005 Ford F-150 Supercrew for it! I would get another MINI again without any hesitation. It handles great and has a great power band. Get the 6-speed transmission, which gives you full control.

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  Good things come in small packages - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By 2MANYCARS - April 29 - 5:33 am

  A pocket hot rod, Goliath killer. I have all the high perf. options and love the overall package performance. A couple of laps at Sebring surprised my brother who races a Porsche there. Stable, fast, excellent brakes, peppy engine. If you want thrifty car, buy a VW diesel. This is about fun and "low self esteem ", they will look at you for sure. Bought HK Sound and Chrono Package. Love them. Chili Red with Silver top different look altogether from Red/White. Would buy again.

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  Love My Mini - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By JOHN GUIDA - April 28 - 5:56 pm

  I have read some of your reviews. Some were negative about this cars pep. I have been suprised to the opposite. The Mini Cooper has more pep than I expected it to. Therefore I am thrilled with my Mini Convertable (not the "s" model). Your profesonal reviews had me a little nervous after ordering the car. Im assuming youre using teenagers to do your reviews. Im forty eight years old and this is the most fun car I had ever had to drive. If you want to see a cheap interior look at the Pontiac Solstice. Mini has thought of features on this car that I would have never expected.

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  Excellent - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Ed Diplont - April 28 - 2:00 am

  I think that the mini cooper is one of the greatest cars. It is fun to drive. I love how low it is to the ground.

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  MyMini - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Fire - April 24 - 10:00 pm

  Outstanding on all levels from quality to service professionality. BMW put its high standards on this and it definitely shows.

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  Hyper Blue Convertible - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Hyper Blue - April 22 - 6:46 am

  I traded my fast and spacious Subaru Forester XT in for a fun and fuel efficient Mini Convertible. Although, friends and family thought I was nuts, I have been enjoying the Mini so much that Ive already put 1,000 miles on it! Ive had it just over a week and the twisty roads have been such a blast! I do miss the quick acceleration of the Forester, but the Minis horsepower is adequate. The convertible top is amazing and so easy to use. I test drove a Saab convertible before the Mini and was completely suprised by how much quieter the Mini is. You simply push the button and the Minis top folds into "sunroof" mode (cool feature) and then push the button again to fold completely.

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  Crash review - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By MINI-T - April 21 - 7:33 am

  My MINI was involved in a rear-end collision yesterday and help up fabulously. She took the rear impact like a champ, she only needs the bumper and muffler replaced. One thing that did concern me is my driver seat performance. Upon initial impact, it moved down towards the floorboard (seats go back, forward, up, and down) and as the seat back went forward from this it jammed into my lower back when I was pulled into the seat upon impact. I substantially injured my lower back right below my lumbar and have filed a claim with MINI, they agreed that this may be a problem in the future since crash tests were not done on the seats for rear-impact collisions. Other than that I love her to pieces!

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  BEST CAR OUT THERE - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By minidj - April 17 - 10:00 am

  The best car I ever bought. OUTSTANDING VEHICLE...I LOVE MINIS

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  Indi Blue white roof and wheels - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By tcihil - April 14 - 2:00 am

  The MINI is a breakthrough car for the U.S. and finally may make smaller cars fashionable. Its refreshing to get real sports car handling in an average priced car. After about 2500 miles, Im still looking for a chance to try the great high-rpm acceleration that was a blast in the demo, but this is my car now and I baby it a bit.