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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  My Fourth MINI - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By Alan Barreuther - January 9 - 10:00 am

  Needless to say I am impressed after waiting over a year for one of the first Cooper "S" in the state. The BEST small car EVER. SOLID fun that gets better the longer you own it! This is the reasion I have driving Minis for 30+ years and will continue to do so. "You never forget your first MINI, or the last." Nothing comes close to the real thing.

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  FUN MOBILE - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By BIGMINI - January 7 - 2:10 pm

  I have own many vehicles before, but none have been has fun to drive as the MINI Cooper S. Great Handling car, as while as good on gas. With four snow tires on, this car is unstopable in the snow. I have passed many 4WD vehicles going up hills, that they could not make.

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  2004 MINI Cooper Hatchback - Awesome - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Jenny - January 7 - 1:53 pm

  The 2004 MINI Cooper Hatchback has been great for mountain driving. It has loads of power and is zippy around corners. It has great pick up as well. I have driven it on long road trips too. There is plenty of room for two people plus luggage. My four year old sits in her car seat in the back with lots of room. The warranty service is great too. Its the best I have ever had with a car. I highly reccomment this vehicle!

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  Great Car - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By billdcat - January 6 - 10:06 pm

  2004 Cooper S with 124000+ Miles. Only problem encountered was the stock tires. The car is used for work commute of 100 miles round trip per day in Mighigan. In rain and snow, stock tires did not hack it. The dealer has been great. The only maintenance so far has been service periods which for me clock in at about 23000 miles.

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  The New Mini - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By Neo - December 25 - 2:00 am

  Having previously owned a few BMWs and a SAAB SPG I can honestly say that this has got to be one the best handling cars ever seen here in the US. BMW has outdone itself. My expectations were high and they were far exceeded. You wont be disappointed!

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  Yes, Its Cute - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By hippiechick - December 23 - 9:23 am

  Ive enjoyed owning my 07 MCS more than my two previous MINIs. The ride in the S is much more comfortable now that the Sport Suspension is an option and not a standard (back-breaking) feature. But I have had some weird things happen with the factory- installed iPod adapter, and sometimes the NAV screen just blanks. The dealer cant find anything wrong with it. The run flats roar on the highway, but replacing them made the ride quieter. Visibility is an issue: other moron drivers have plowed into my lane on 4 occasions. Luckily I was able to avoid them, but its still scary. Finally, this is definitely a single person car; any more than 2 people and its a tight fit for stuff.

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  dont waste your money - 2008 Mini Cooper
  By dan - December 21 - 7:06 pm

  we bought this to fast ,it is very small inside and hard to get to anything in the back after only 6 months the dealer will only give us 19,000 trade for a 33,800 loaded mini , they told us the mini was hard to get and has a good resale value ,these were just lies to get us to buy the car if you dont mind a bumpy ride,no room inside ,or want to loose 15,000 on your car in 6 months than this is the car for you ,i learned my lesson the hard way , hope this helps you .

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  Best handeling - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By tiaI - December 21 - 2:00 am

  With CVT it is slow getting off the line, but once uderway, it is one of the best handeling cars I have driven. If it werent such a dog, the CVT would be a great transmission. A lot of fun

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  No way, no how! - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By baker831 - December 20 - 12:10 pm

  My Mini has been nothing but trouble, I have had to replace the brakes twice and have stored it for 2 winters and owned it less than 2 yrs. The drivers door went from only opening from the outside to not opening at all. Now the power steering is messed up. The closest dealer is 3 hrs away and no one else will touch it, plus it is expensive to fix. The cup holder is extremely inconvenient, w/ being such a small car they really should move it. When it is working it is fun to drive but Im afraid to go too far. The heated seats are nice but the drivers gets hot, like burn you hot. Not worth the trouble, money or time. Sure it looks cute but icarumba

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  After a Year and a Half - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By Robert - December 19 - 11:30 am

  I really enjoy this car and Im glad that I bought it. I purchased the S model and added the moonroof, fog lamps and DSC. The moonroof is outstanding, I like the DSC but if I didnt have the fog lamps, I wouldnt notice. I havent had any problems, but after 20,000 miles there are a few rattles and squeaks (particularly in the brakes on a cold day - the dealer told me that that was because of the brake pad composition). Its gas mileage is good, even with having to buy premium gas (I just filled it today and spent $32 in NJ). All in all, this car is still a blast to drive and I always get a question or two at the car wash about it. Im happy with my 06 Mini Cooper S!