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-Review - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Patryn - October 7 - 10:00 am

  I have driven every worthwhile vehicle under $100,000 and can honestly say that I have never had as much fun maneuvering through traffic. The BMW suspension is noticeable, very similar to that of the 3-Series. Also, the steering feels great, and this vehicle offers a BMW experience for a Honda price. In my personal opinion, you wont find a better car for $20,000.

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  Spicy Cooper - 2012 Mini Cooper
  By da_wave - September 9 - 12:47 am

  I’ve had my MINI Cooper Hatchback for about 7500 miles and 8 months now. I got just what I wanted when I ordered it. This is just about the perfect City car – it’s small and easy to park, the gas mileage is excellent, it’s super fun to drive (6sp manual!) and handles like a go-kart on steroids. Moves out smartly for something with just 121hp; I think that the 6M is the way to go for the base Cooper without the turbo. For 1 or 2 people just running around town to work, the grocery store, the movies or the mall – it’s hard to beat. It’s just very efficient in every way compared to a minivan or a pickup, unless needed. You can actually fit lots in the back with the seats folded down!

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  Mini Car Maxi Fun - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By SPT - August 1 - 7:43 pm

  One of the best cars I have owned. Perfect for a city ... easy to park. Three issues: 1) Needs decent back bumper 2) poor visibility with top up and down 3) rough ride. This IS a sportscar not a sedan.

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  Red Mini - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Jack Nesbitt - July 14 - 8:36 pm

  Coming up on 10,000 miles. No major problems of any type. Rides hard as one would expect. Small noise in dashboard when on bad LA freeways. Gets great mileage. Averaging 31.7 mpg in LA combined highway and city.

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  Mini Madness! - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Hobbs - July 4 - 2:00 am

  Just got my Mini. First Thoughts: Fun, fun, fun to drive!! Lots of looks from passerbys, Handles very well. The Good:Sport Automatic impressive. Love the Sunroof and the seats Pleather look like real leather. I enjoy driving it every time I am in it. I suggest the Indi Blue color with black roof. The Bad: No interior storage space a big bummer. Radio controls on steering wheel should have an AM/FM toggle switch. CNN rates the MINI the worst (most costly $$$$) in bummer crashes.

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  Great to Drive; Not the Best Build quality - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By fredkhn - June 19 - 4:56 am

  I love the car for its looks, performance and drivability. It drives like a go-cart. It has enough space for my two children in the back as well. This is one of the reasons that I purchased the vehicle. Though built by BMW, there is much to be said about build quality. BMW should be careful not to bring down its reputation with Minis poor quality. The sunroof in my car has had to be repaired/replaced a couple of times but the rattles continue. I have been experiencing other rattles in other parts of the car.. I am not the only one with this problem. I even met another person at the same dealership with the same problems. BMW of Canada cannot fix these problems. They do try very hard to fix them, however. I give them kudos for effort.

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  Love hate relationship - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Loosenut - May 31 - 9:36 am

  The car is so much fun to drive its addictive. It corners smoothly and accelerates well. The front seats arent the most comfortable but are very adjustable. The biggest problem I have had is with the new gas containing ethanol. Seems the gas companies add more than the 10% they say they do and the Mini runs lousy because of it. At least that is what the dealer says. Oh yeah, and now the CD player died.

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  Short lived love affair - 2008 Mini Cooper
  By Family Guy - May 17 - 3:43 pm

  I custom ordered my Cooper S manual last spring, and sold it after only 9 months of ownership. It was certainly fast (one speeding ticket), nimble and fun to drive, but even my 8 year old daughter complained that the rear seating was too small and that "she didnt feel safe". I regularly drive 2- 3 hour trips and found this car to be harsh riding, noisy and rattley. The small tires and wheels were simply no match for the rough roads around Ohio and Michigan. My full-sized buddies complained bitterly about no leg room when they rode with me, whether in the front or back seats. Buy it for the city and only if you dont have kids.

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  More Beauty Less Filling - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By nyrogrl - May 6 - 10:00 am

  Dont get me wrong...I bought the car out of sheer beauty, and art. Plus was very interested in the sport of the car. My impressions are mixed. First, I also own a 2000 Miata, which was my second for them. So, when I got the MINI S I was prepared to absolutely fall in love. I did, but...little things bug me...1st gear is loud and I do not understand that, cheap sunroof covers, lousy air conditioning, really bad. the handling is great, but the Miata kills it in my opinion. It is a looker, and a great little car, but as much as I wanted to just completely lather over it, my Miata is fantastic too.

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  Flawed - 2008 Mini Cooper
  By Alex - April 26 - 2:26 am

  I took ownership of my brand new Mini on January 22, less than a month later the mini lost all its brakes (because the brake hydraulic line was not properly attached to the brake system) while I was driving 65 mph. Scary as all hell, could have been injured bad, but was lucky that the road I was on was relatively traffic free. Response from Northwest Mini was too bad for you and it was the same for MINI USA. Looks like the safety inspections do not include checking the brake lines. Youd think that would be fundamental. The Mini is extremely fun to drive but hard to trust to keep you safe. I really hope my experience is out of the ordinary, but folks should be aware before they buy.