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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  MINIs: THe New Milenium - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By MINIZ - December 18 - 7:30 am

  This car is not only fuel efficent, its fun to drive. I drive my kids around and they are extremely comfortable. Its got power and speed; it makes you want to keep driving! I recommned this car for anyone who is looking for a safe, reliable, fun and cute car to drive! Lets motor!

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  Mini Cooper S (chip-tuned) 200 Hp - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Ferdinand Hinloopen - December 17 - 10:00 am

  Dear readers, Recently I bought myzelf a Mini Cooper S. The power was ok but I chip-tuned the Mini in the Netherlands by Braspenning. Now I have got 207 HP and 255 Torque (at 3500). The car is absolutely fabilous. The sound, the fun to drive and acceleration is really big fun. Driving at 100 Kph (60 mph) in third gear and than: step on the gas! Wooo, you will be launched! than go to 4 and 5th gear, look at the speed (above 200 kmh!) This is now a BMW/Mercedes/Audi beater. fun, fun and fun. Wonderful car! A wanahave.

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  A Blast from the Past - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By hsnsocal - December 16 - 9:23 pm

  What a blast this car is! I live in Sunny San Diego and could not be happier with my new Mini Cooper S Convertible. I test drove the convertible Volkswagen Beetle and the Mazda MX-5 before making my decision and still think the Mini is a great buy. The suspension is stiff and responsive. It is a small car that makes it fun and easy to find parking spaces. It does have some blind spots, but with time you learn how to adjust to this and the sensors help when backing up. I took mine on an eight hour road trip and the car was very comfortable. I was able to fit a large suite case in the back with the seats down. Go test drive one if you are thinking about buying one, you will have blast.

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  THE MINI S - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By LM - December 15 - 10:00 am

  JUST FUN TO DRIVE

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  2004 MINI Cooper S Hatchback - My Dream Car - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By tim - December 13 - 9:06 pm

  I have wanted a MINI since 1967. So I had high expectations when I bought mine and BMW has met them all! I would buy this car again in a second. Its the first car that did not have to go back to the dealer in the first year of ownership. I would recommend getting rid of the run-flat tires though if you want a better ride.

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  Small Wonder - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By MiniGirl - December 12 - 2:46 pm

  I love my 2006 Mini Cooper S. It is a blast to drive and handles great. I feel like Im a kid driving a go-cart. Im 6 tall, yet I have more head room than I did in the SUV I used to own. I would highly recommend this car to anyone looking for something sporty, fun, and reasonably priced. The Cooper S has MUCH more power than the Cooper. It is worth the extra money. The Harmon-Kardon stereo is also worth the extra money. It sounds fantastic!

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  this is a great car! - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By paly65 - December 10 - 10:00 am

  Ive had many types and makes of cars and this is by far the best value Ive ever owned. The dealership is a cut above all others and has gone out of their way to make buying a car and servicing that car pleasant. The car is outstanding. My only regret is that I did not get a few more of the options but nothing I cant live without.

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  Love it... going to build a MINI family! - 2008 Mini Cooper
  By MDK - December 5 - 10:50 pm

  I love my MINI, have wanted one for years, designed my own, got it delivered in 3 weeks and have not had to go back to the dealership for anything! I have the 6 speed manual and love it! I would pay all over again! One day Ill own an S-convertible and an S- clubman to finish my MINI family. I recommend these cars to anyone and everyone come across! And I just got back from a cross country road trip, best and most comfortable drive Ive ever had for long term road time.

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  2012 Base Mini, Manual Trans, Lemon - 2012 Mini Cooper
  By Kevin - December 4 - 11:13 am

  I traded in my trouble plagued 2002 Mini, for what I thought was a major upgrade. I purchased my 2012 Base Model Mini with manual transmission last Aug. with 31,000 miles. While driving down to my favorite eatery, shifting from 1st to 2nd shifter know came off in my hand. I managed to replace it and continued on. A couple of days later a aprox. 32,000 miles I began to notice a clatter from the engine at first start up in the morning, during the next few weeks it became progressively worse. I took it to the local Mini dealer and was informed the clatter was the clutch failing. Being a mechanic for 40 plus years I called BS, told them to keep the car for a cold start test the next day. Low and behold it was determined the timing chain was at fault, these engines apparently have chain tensioners prone to failure. The timing chain was replaced along with tensioners and gears. The dealer Seattle Mini stuck by their story that my clutch was failing and would be 2400.00 to replace, but offered me an extended warranty that would cover the clutch for 1895.00. What a way to cover the cost of the warranty work. About 2 weeks after having the work down, the engine began to misfire badly, had it towed to the dealer, they replaced the coil packs for the ignition, and spark plugs and wires. So here we are today, 41,102 miles, the engine is beginning to clatter again from the exact same location. Under warranty to 50,000 miles. Soon as it gets worse to justify the warranty work and before 50,000 miles back in again for another timing chain, followed by a quick trade in for another car, not MINI. Oh and did I mention that Seattle Mini tried the whole your clutch is failing routine on me a 2nd time with offer of the extended warranty when I took it in for the Misfire problem I mentioned earlier. By the way the clutch still works perfect, however the manual transmission has always been clunky when shifting, the transition from 1st to 2nd requires a firm pull, it also has no reverse lock out, on 2 separate occasions I have been at a light and forgot to downshift into first, while quickly doing so as to not block traffic, it went into reverse. Luckily caught it before I hit someone behind me. Been driving manual for years.

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  The Best Hatchback Available - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Alejandro - November 26 - 10:00 am

  I can sum up my mini cooper S with three phrases, Fun, Quality and Good Value. BMW did not hold back from giving the mini the technology and design it does for its big boys (700 series) This car is fun to drive everyday. I never imagined thought that I would get so much attention from other folks. Hence the styling success. For the first 6 months of ownership I would at least 1 person if not 3 people stop me to chat about my mini cooper S. I look forward to many years of motoring pleasure.