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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  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.

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  Nashville S a delight - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By normalizer - April 8 - 2:00 am

  My S was one of the first to arrive in Nashville, having had placed a deposit in May of 2001. My first new car, my first stick shift, and my first sports car - 8 months and 11k mikes and Ive never regretted my decision to purchase, sight unseen, the MINI Cooper S. As fun as it is to drive, its also amazing to see the reaction it still gets from onlookers. If for some reason I had to give it up and pick another car today it might be another color or have a different list of options than what I have now, but itd still be a MINI Cooper S. The most fun I have ever had with a car in my life and I love it!

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  Buy A John Cooper Works - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By sportscarnut - April 4 - 4:00 pm

  I bought my 06 JCW over a year ago, and I have no regrets. This is my third BMW, and reliability has been on par with my prior cars (about average), but it is a blast to drive! The ride is certainly on the rough side, and there is a good amount of noise from the wind and a/c, so be prepared to crank up the radio. My JCW is rated at about 40 more hp than the S, but you really dont notice the difference in power unless you rev it hard. The noticeable difference w/ the JCW is in the limited slip differential, the aero body kit, and the brakes. Cornering versus the standard S is night-and-day difference. If you are a guy, stay with dark colors as light colors look cutesy on this car.

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  Better than expected - 2009 Mini Cooper
  By a happy owner - April 4 - 2:36 pm

  A fun car to drive; I was initially worried about its reliability, but after 12,000 miles, only problem Ive had was the electrical control of the Windows (not closing completely when the close button was pressed once), which was fixed by the dealer at no cost promptly. I built and ordered it online, tailor-made for me, after 6 wks, the car was at the dealer as I designed. Cool! Overall, very happy; a great build quality (much better than I expected from a British make, but I guess German engineering is at work nowadays). Will buy it again

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  Funin the Sun - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Vangogh - March 30 - 2:30 pm

  I am delghted with the car. It is a blast to drive, particularly on the winding country roads near-by. The convertible turns a ton of heads. I have never owned a car that gets so many smiles, waves and inquiries. Overall good build, although some of the plastic in interior seems a little cheap. That being said, when the top is down and the sun is out, Ive never had so much fun in a car. One down side...my wife gets a little upset when I get smiles and waves from other ladies.

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  Gotta Love It! - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By bigblockrumble - March 29 - 10:00 am

  I have had this car for 15 months and still love it! It is a real kick to drive and corners like a go-kart. Suspension is stiff, but expected in a car that corners like it is on rails. I traded in a Porsche Boxster for this and have never regretted it. Not as refined, but just as tight and really more fun to drive hard. If you try it, youll like it!

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  THE best small car for your $ - 2010 Mini Cooper
  By barmjuan - March 27 - 10:00 am

  I recently found myself in the market for a new car. Since I knew I wanted a car made by BMW but only wanted to spend about $30k the choice was pretty obvious. I didnt realize it would be so obvious that this car was made by BMW. The Mini Cooper S is so fun to drive you may, as I did, have to adjust to having a car that handles so well, an engine that is just so eager to jump at being driven hard, and still manage to get around 30 mpg in the process.

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  Great Christmas Gift for Anyone! - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Talldude - March 23 - 2:00 am

  Bought this for my wife for Christmas. We had an SUV but her sports car before the SUV I could not even fit in. Im 62 and I have no problem driving the new Mini as I even have to move up the seat to drive it. On the passenger side there is tons of room. Excellent sports car for a tall person and my wife just loves it.

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  Another Great Mini - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Rick Feeback - March 23 - 2:00 am

  Awesome, A Perfect Addition to my Mini Collection.

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  A thoroughly major disappointment - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By blairp - March 21 - 10:00 am

  I should have not been fooled by the marketing hype. I am 6 foot and about 190 lbs. There is no easy way to be in the MINI. I guess if you are a short European or scrawny American is the only way it will make sense. A real man could never fit into this thing. The dealer kept telling me I would grow to love it. I should have passed. Now I have a Mini that sits in my garage waiting for my 10 year old son to become old enough to drive. Sadly, he will probably be to tall to drive in it as well. Like I said, if you are over 5 foot seven, make sure you will feel like a tuna trapped in a cheap tin can.