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:

• 

  What was I thinking? - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By Madeline - June 25 - 10:00 am

  I should have just bought a BMW instead of compromising with a Mini. I think I was deceived into thinking the Mini was simple a small version of a BMW 3 series. It is not. Do not get fooled as the novelty wears off quicker than any other car I have owned.

• 

  Beware of the Mini - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By BAD REVIEW - December 1 - 10:00 am

  Beware of the Mini, is an all too true phrase. Looks cute. Performance in a nut shell makes the "Yugo" shine. Would like to see their saftey tests.

• 

  Mini a piece of junk - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By nkdhome - October 7 - 2:00 am

  Mini doesnt stand behind the car and the dealer doesnt stand behind the car. The runflat tires are over priced and hard to find, and the electrical system is terrible. Overall the car is cute and that is the only good thing about the car. When you take the car in for service they dont fix anything and most times they will keep the car for a week or more. This car is an over prices piece of junk!

• 

  Terrible Car - 2009 Mini Cooper
  By mcmenefee - July 10 - 10:49 am

  After owning a 2006 cooper I took the plunge and "upgraded" to a 2009 Cooper S. This is one of the biggest car-buying mistakes I have ever made! It has only 40,000 miles on it and has already been towed 3 times, had carbon buildup in the engine, a new clutch and flywheel (beware this costs over $2000), a new timing chain, tensioner, rails, and gears, and the list goes on! I will never buy another mini and plan to get rid of this one as quickly as possible

• 

  Updated Review - My Mini Lemon - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By spkr4tdead - July 6 - 10:00 am

  OK. I have had this car for over 3 months now, and it has spent almost 1 of them (25 days) in the shop. Both the dealer, and Mini Corporate offices are trying to make me feel great about that. Problems are popping up all over the place. I have lost all faith that this car can even get me back and forth to work.. Currently in the process of getting it bought back via the California Lemon Law. I now needs to go in and get a safety related issue fixed for the 4th time. Fun Fun Fun. I should have bought something that I know would last. Honda here I come.

• 

  BUY OR CONSIDER BUT BEWARE - 2009 Mini Cooper
  By chungking - April 1 - 1:38 am

  I bought my Mini Cooper S 2009 brand new. It was performing great for the first year but then as it got older although it was under mileage (12,700 miles) in 14 months of ownership, the engine experienced annoying pinging sound specially while on idling. Note* the engine is warm. I took it to the dealership and was told its normal. The pinging sound became louder and it sounded like a diesel engine. I traded it in for a Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback AWD Turbo Lancer Ralliart.

• 

  Its a Lemon - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Not2Mini - December 30 - 10:00 am

  I waited three months for this car and its a complete lemon. Its spent more time in the shop than any other car I have owned, taking it in two and three times to solve the same problems.

• 

  bad buy, got hook on the hype - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Nickyg - June 17 - 2:00 am

  VERY CHEASY, too much for the price, so you sacrifice quality, its only time before things start breaking, and falling apart

• 

  Paper Weight - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By opusiam - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Perhaps, the 2nd worst vehicle I have ever owned. Too many warranty fixes from one previous owner and myself to list but include everything from water leaks to fluid leaks to repeat seat cover replacements, front seat replacement, loss of compression, etc. Compared to my previous vehicle, a Miata, it shifts like a truck. Handling is no where close to the Miatas. It would make a cute 3000 lb. paperweight.

• 

  Bad. Very. Very bad. - 2013 Mini Cooper
  By ihitcows - December 2 - 3:05 pm

  Im a writer. Its what I do. Ive gone looking for the words to say about this car, and I cant find them. Im instead overtaken by gusts of anger, confusion, and a general bitterness that this prop, this four-wheeled thing parading as a car, has consumed me this wholly. Look elsewhere. Do not get this car. Do not. Get. This car. Just last week I racked up my twelfth (12th) service appointment in 15 months. MINI has dealt with almost every problem Ive submitted, aside from the car running out of oil at 5k and a wheel bearing coming off, by repeatedly denying their existence. When they find a given problem, seven service receipts deep, they say its "spec."