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_A car everyone should own - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By rixr321 - June 22 - 10:00 am

  This car is amazing. Powerformance comfort, Interior design is perfect. I perfect design. Get one and you will not be disappointed.

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  Devil in the Details - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By jim - June 18 - 3:06 pm

  Loud...very loud road noise from lack of any soundproofing insulation whatsoever and those iron run-flat tires. At speeds over 30mph, be prepared to blast the radio/CD player. Windows...could the doors have been made just a little taller to fully retract the side windows? Underpowered in the automatic transmission. In urban traffic where one has to floor it to enter a lane, the darn thing goes to top rpm and dies. Overall the car needs about 50-75 additional horsepower.

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  Simple Sporty and Elegant - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By Yodas Ghost - June 14 - 10:00 am

  Nuff said...

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  2500 lbs of FUN!!!!! - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By midlcrx - June 14 - 10:00 am

  Just flat out fun to drive. Love the way it sticks to the road and handles. I am 64" and have no problem getting into or out of this fine little car. My MINI will be my daily commuter car. The MINI fit all of my requirements of performance, handling, mpg, price, and uniqueness. It is just a lot of fun, only problem is that I am putting too many miles on the car, close to 100 miles a day, but what fun. MOTOR ON....

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  Theres Nothing Wrong with My MINI - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By ElmerFudd - June 11 - 6:43 am

  My all black 2005 Cooper S draws in the guys and the girls. Its hot fun to drive, everything always works, it has no sqeaks or noises, and has lot of pure driver pleasure for the gearhead. The mid-60s interior and deep throttle rumble evoke the golden age of sports motoring, but without the pools of oil under the engine and jiggling the under dash wires to get the starter or radio to work. I live in the land of exotic machines (San Francisco), but my all-black Cooper has the highest fun/dollar and status/dollar ratio of any of them. Oh yes it is really easy to park, and surprisingly practical for around town with 3-4 people in it and for longer trips with two. Buy it or youll never forgive yourself.

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  Mixed experience - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By ndmyr - June 10 - 6:56 pm

  This is a great performing car, but mine has been in the shop more than I have driven it. DSC and brake warning light is on constantly and DSC doesnt work. My windshield wipers also come on by themselves after I turn the car off which is very irritating. The dealer says the electronic control part is on "national order" status from Mini in Germany which leads me to believe that there must be a lot of other owners with the same problem. Ill have to wait and see if this car can outperform the Toyotas I have owned in the past. I also wish I had the leather seats - the "leatherette" plastic seats make you sweat like crazy and feel cheap relative to the cost of the car. Avoid them.

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  Fun on Mountain Roads - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Aimless - June 10 - 2:00 am

  This car is a blast to drive. We live in the Colorao Mountains and it handles the hills and curves quickly and with stable steering. Nothing like blowing by everyone as you head up the pass on I-70. I will admit it is a bit like riding a rollercoaster when we get more than 6 inches of snow. But hey, on those days we just use the SUV. We have had this car since 2002 and people still point and stare as I zip by. It really is the most fun I have had driving, including several more expensive luxury sporsters. When we first got it we were afraid that it would not be comfortable for long trips. I have driven it on several 6 hour trips and it has been great.

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  Dont buy this car - 2013 Mini Cooper
  By jbash1 - June 8 - 12:30 pm

  There is something very wrong with the throttle and/or transmission in the 2013 model that mini is not interesting in fixing. Mine started missing and experiencing erratic acceleration after just about a month. I hate driving this car. I never know if it will go when I press the gas pedal and have almost been rear-ended and hit from the side when the car delays before accelerating or stops accelerating abruptly. Had one before that I loved, but I really hate this car.

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  Get one - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By Dax One - June 8 - 10:00 am

  I got a mini cooper S over two weeks ago, and im already close to 1000 miles. Fun to drive, and I havent even been able to take advantage of the supercharger yet due to the break in period. So far so good, and a total gas.

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  The Most Fun You Can Have in a Car - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By J. Cooper - June 4 - 8:00 am

  The MINI Cooper S is as fun as driving gets. According to every woman the see it its "adorable" Ive not yet been impressed with the fuel economy but its still new and still cant get used to the center console gauges, but its a small price to pay for this much fun.