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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  Fun Car, not exactly reliable. - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By LJKelley - October 7 - 9:50 pm

  I bought this cute car in 2003 and absolutely loved the interior and styles of the outside. I also loved the fact it had great fuel economy. At first it was real fun but alot of issues cropped up including one cell in the battery going bad causing the whole car to not start. Regular electric issues were found including after warranty was out such as windows, heat etc. These issues were sporadic and would work most of the time.

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  Think About It - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By Bob S - September 7 - 7:50 pm

  I love the personality of this car! I love the overall design--inside and out, but this car is not really meant for urban driving, especially in areas where there are potholes. In two years I have had to replace the struts twice and the brakes once and the run-flat tires while convenient provide for a jarring ride. The ride on expressways is great and acceleration is great. Think about how much the car costs and if youre ready to deal with its quirky issues. Also, not as good on gas as one would expect--I averaged 19 mpg, not the best for a car of this size.

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  goodnews/badnews - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By bsept - August 29 - 10:00 am

  The good news is its a cute car that gets a lot of attention with adequate performance and good MPG. On the downside, if you have feet bigger than size 11 your toe may hit the clutch lever while your heel drags on the floormat--enough to throw you off & stall it. With just 1600 cc it doesnt have much torque. They could easily get another 15 horsepower from this powerplant, and it could use it especially at higher altitudes. Other annoying items: the one-touch down windows are an ass pain, the sport seats are harder to get in and out of, the plastic trim is easily damaged and looks pretty low rent, the mirror control button is easy to damage because of its lo

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  sports car hiding in a shoebox - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By twothfxr - August 20 - 2:00 am

  One of best handling and one of fastest cars Ive driven, and terminally cute. Rough on bad pavement, which might be a problem for some, (especially with 17 inch wheels and sport suspension) but handles speed and turns with no problem, and personally Id have it no other way. Space is deceivingly large and available, and two adults fit in back, once they get in. Front space is excellent except for my wide feet! Once I checked out the competition, there was none.

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  Mini Experience - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By hagertyr1 - August 15 - 10:00 am

  Mini is very wll designed- there is BMW quality for a low price- the warranty is for 4 years including oil changes . The driving experience is especially fun- the sped pick up on expressways is suprising. The stability of handling is remarkable. First winter in the Midwest was a test that the Mini passed. Ice and snow were no problem for the little Mini.

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  Mini at 50 - 2008 Mini Cooper
  By Mini at 50 - WOW!!! - August 8 - 8:13 pm

  Ive had my Super Charged Mini convertible for 1 season and have driven it 14,000 miles as a daily commuter. No problems. Unless you call the attention you get from other drivers a problem. My kids think Im nuts driving such a small car as a daily driver, but I respond life is short and my Mini convertible makes the daily ride an escape from the grind. Put my computer in the trunk, plug my Ipod into the stereo, and let the wind blow on my scalp (not much hair left). Motor on!

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  05 Mini - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By jrfats - July 23 - 10:26 pm

  Im delighted with this Mini. I call it a go cart with air conditioning. I wish that the tires would last longer, but that is a low profile run flat problem. I wish that there were more dealers as I keep the car in Montana - it is over 400 miles to the nearest one. So far, I have had no problems. The brakes are much better than in the 2003 model, which I still have in another location.

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  Breackdown - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Frieda - June 28 - 10:00 am

  The car is fun and great to drive. But it broke down, died, twice. The first time something was loose and the car would not start after I turned it off to get gas. I had to get towed. The second time, about one month later, the cooling fan would not go off, it drained the battery and the car was stuck in my garage, had to be towed again. Last time we didnt have the car for five days, now its been two days so far. I dont know if this car is a lemon or if it happens to all Minis.

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  Devil in the Details - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By jim - June 18 - 3:06 pm

  Loud...very loud road noise from lack of any soundproofing insulation whatsoever and those iron run-flat tires. At speeds over 30mph, be prepared to blast the radio/CD player. Windows...could the doors have been made just a little taller to fully retract the side windows? Underpowered in the automatic transmission. In urban traffic where one has to floor it to enter a lane, the darn thing goes to top rpm and dies. Overall the car needs about 50-75 additional horsepower.

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  Mixed experience - 2007 Mini Cooper
  By ndmyr - June 10 - 6:56 pm

  This is a great performing car, but mine has been in the shop more than I have driven it. DSC and brake warning light is on constantly and DSC doesnt work. My windshield wipers also come on by themselves after I turn the car off which is very irritating. The dealer says the electronic control part is on "national order" status from Mini in Germany which leads me to believe that there must be a lot of other owners with the same problem. Ill have to wait and see if this car can outperform the Toyotas I have owned in the past. I also wish I had the leather seats - the "leatherette" plastic seats make you sweat like crazy and feel cheap relative to the cost of the car. Avoid them.