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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  Pip Pip Rules the Road - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Gary Besaw - February 8 - 2:00 am

  Our Mini is called Pip Pip! This is absolutely the most fun-to-drive car on the road! With the DSC stability control this car cherishes the curves in a twisty road. With the Six speed gearbox it insures that the pizza delivery boy is left behind at the stoplights(My wifes true experiences!) If you keep your foot out of the engine your gas mileage is about 34 mpg on the road and about 22 in town. We have had some nigglies - fogged up rear passenger taillight, defective power steering pump and a leak on the rear moonroof quarter panel that stained the headliner. All items repaired at no cost - and with a smile by Brecht MINI in Escondido!

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  I love my Mini! - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Jars7mB429fan - February 8 - 2:00 am

  I LOVE MY MINI. Its great for road trips and just driving to school everyday. It gets great milage and is just a joy to drive1

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  Best car ever - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By otter215 - February 8 - 2:00 am

  This is the most fun of any car that I have ever driven.

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  Reliability? - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By used07? - February 7 - 8:16 pm

  The first mini i drove was a 03 cooper S and i fell in love with it. I just purchased a 07 cooper S used with only 42,000 miles and figured it was a good deal. WRONG! Within the first 3 weeks it wouldnt start and the problem was a coolant temp sensor (warranty covered). The car ran great for about another 3 weeks and now the motor knocks badly and it needs a timing chain according to the service department. Also the transmission has a slow leak. I am terrified about when the factory warranty is up. Mini made a huge mistake in my opinion by letting BMW take control of the motors. I definitely wish i bought a supercharged model rather than the turbo, just way too many issues for my liking.

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  Why did I even bother with this car? - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Jasen G - February 2 - 2:00 am

  It was a nice car at first, but then everything started to go wrong. In ten months Ive spent $2000 in repairs (half of which should have been covered under warranty), and Im about to spend more to fix the faulty brakes. The car eats through tires, the oem windshield is too thin and fragile, and the brakes have never been properly functional, and all the problems the car has, isnt covered by any warranty...

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  A Great Ride - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Garnufa - February 2 - 2:00 am

  First car Ive ever owned that Im absolutely sure that most people on first view, want to pat it on the hood! Turns heads wherever I drive it. I loved the speed on European autobahns (138mph by my speedo), and the handling on twisty mountain roads. It is NOT fun on washboard or potholed roads (too many of those in Michigan). Its not really a car to me, more of a mid-life crisis antidote.

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  awesome! - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Brian Jenks - February 2 - 2:00 am

  this is a n extreamly fun car to drive with its turn capibility and peppy engin!

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  Only a bucket of headaches - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By wannam3 - February 1 - 10:00 am

  Having owned three other BMWs in the past, I eagerly bought one of the first MINIs in the Bay area. Although Beemers tend to be a little fussy, my MINI was a disaster. Rattles everywhere, poor low end torque, windshield wiper did not work well, leaky fuel line, and two engine cutoffs on the highway. The second was the last straw. Luckily, I had bought a couple other BMWs in the past, and they wanted to make me happy, so they refunded all of my money except $500. Bye bye MINI, maybe in a couple years the defects will be worked out.

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  Its not a car, Its a MINI - 2009 Mini Cooper
  By ITS A MINI - January 28 - 7:10 am

  I started doing research and I drove the new VW CC, the Nissan Maxima and the Mercedes C300. But I wanted something different, something fun to drive, small, sportier, and unique. My solution: MINI COOPER S Dark Silver, Premium and Sport Package. I drove both the base MINI and the S and they are both fine but you can really tell the difference the turbo and the extra HP makes on the S, besides the few differences on the exterior which I find really cool. The MSRP is ar

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  You will not regret this purchase! - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By jujuzulu - January 20 - 8:20 am

  This car has been incredible! It is enjoyable, gets great gas mileage and I bought mine back when everyone stopped me to see "What in the heck is that?" youre driving. (Fun, at first but ultimately a bit cumbersome! Although once I started talking about it, couldnt stop smiling!). The run flats have been a nice asset, as that has been my only problem in 5 years of ownership---2 flat tires! Motor on, MINI!