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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  DO NOT BUY THIS CAR!!! - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By AMH - October 30 - 10:00 am

  My CVT Mini Cooper stalls while driving.I was struck from behind but received no damage.One week later,the car died and wouldnt restart.The same day I picked it up from service,the car died 3 times in 2 hours! My car also gets abysmal city gas mileage -17/18. Dealer has been highly unhelpful, stating they couldnt reproduce the problem and expressing no remorse or concern over our safety.6 of the 7 complaints on the NHTSA website deal with the EXACT SAME PROBLEM.In these reports,dealers state they cannot reproduce the problem.I dont feel safe driving any Mini until this problem is solved.

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  Total Recall - 2008 Mini Cooper
  By Bismark - July 18 - 5:00 pm

  The Mini S convertible is a cute and stylish car, with decent power and superior handling, but these are the only positives I can grant it. Ride on 17 inch runflats is appalling (and I have driven track-prepd cars on the street for years, and ride motorcycles, so I am no princess and the pea). Cannot adjust seats to my liking, knee rubs vs center console constantly. Ergonomics laughable (speedometer is a decoration as its well out of the drivers vision, window toggles badly placed, climate controls non- intuitive), gearbox vague, rear- visibility non-existent/dangerous. Cute weekend toy car, but non-viable as modern commuter to anyone over the age of 25. Oh, and my mpg? Only 20 avg.

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  Looks, hype, and lack of substance - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By mcoMINI - May 29 - 10:00 am

  Fun to drive car, though there is NO torque below 3k RPM. Controls are too heavy, ride quality is VERY harsh. Interior too plasticy (vinyl seats in a $22K car?!?). Uneven gaps in body panels look bad. Unpainted plastic on body looks cheap. Stereo isnt very good. Brazilian made Chrysler engine is disappointing, (yes, even in the S model). To top it off, the dealer is STILL trying to rape their customers.

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  Stay Away! - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By jennyj - May 18 - 12:56 pm

  I bought this car from the previous owner who babied the car and had virtually no mileage. I argued with my family and friends that if I had to drive a "fuel economy" car it would at least not be generic, so I bought the Mini. To say I have been let down with this car and BMWs backing of this car would be the understatement of the millennium! The transmission went at 42,000 miles and the wanted 7,500 to replace it, even though there were hundreds of similar complaints of faulty trannys, BMW simply turned its head! Next were the window motors, the end caps of the rain gutters, the exhaust (at over a grand), the power steering pump, and more! This car is the biggest pile of garbage around!

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  Automatic Transmission Problems - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By CeeeeCeeee - April 21 - 4:50 am

  I purchased the car at 44000 miles so have no idea if this happened before but at 60000 miles the transmission died on me! Whole new transmission installed and now Ive learned this is an ongoing problem. When will the next failure occur? Not a cheap fix, believe me, to say nothing of the inherent danger in losing all power without warning.

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  Cute but designed to fail - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By garyenum - December 14 - 9:26 am

  The time chain self destructed at 40k miles and the engine has to be replaced. The technician said that the parts how that there was a problem for a while, judging the wear marks on certain parts. He also said that timing chains only last 30 or 40k miles. Dont buy a Mini. If you own one sell it before the timing chain breaks and screws up the internal parts such that the engine has to be replaced to the tune of $8,000. Dumb design, I was a dummy for buying it.

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  I should have my head examined - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Eddie Mikell - October 20 - 3:10 pm

  I bought this car instead of a miata because I thought I need 4 seats. WHAT WAS I THINKING? What a joke vehicle. It leaks oil, it shudders on acceleration. Its unreliable. People will tell you its the ride man, the ride, but the ride doesnt make up for all the repair bills, or lack of body integrity. Its cute, but it is a lemon.

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  Disheartened - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Sheila - February 15 - 5:50 am

  I am so disheartened and and terribly worried about driving a Mini as this car suddenly stopped while I was on the road and I could have been killed. The transmission gave away and the dealer cost of fixing I was told will be $8000. He states that there was a hole in the transmission and therefore it blew up. Obviously it sounds as though it is a manufacturing problem - but they of course will not admit it and attributes it to my driving. He refuses to admit that so many others have had the same "transmission" problems.

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  Back to the Shop Again - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By BarbAnn50 - February 10 - 12:56 pm

  The transmission died on this car with only 54K miles on it. Had a rebuilt installed (these do not come cheap) and less than a year later, having problems again. Im so incredibly disappointed; Ill never buy another one.

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  DONT BUY - 2015 Mini Cooper
  By bmiller89 - January 22 - 12:22 am

  My 2015 s hardtop with 500 miles needed a new trans because it kept popping out of first gear, i complained and they gave me a new car now the new one is doing the same thing! I it unsafe and not drivable. I almost got into an accident trying to make a left hand turn! MINI has no idea why it failed and just replaced it with the same part number and have no better solution i wish i never bout this car! Dont waste you money save it for something safer that will STAY IN GEAR!!