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 - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Ercgoor - August 6 - 10:00 am

  The Mini Cooper-S is a well made, quality car, with sufficient power, and is a lot of fun to drive. I have driven vehicles from a minivan to a CLK500, but this little car tops them all because of the fun factor. You drive it once, and youre hooked.

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  Perfect - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By maxine eno - August 6 - 10:00 am

  Awesome vehicle. Took me many years to find a vehicle to replace my Mercedes 450SL.

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  Fun Car with some minor quirks - 2009 Mini Cooper
  By Christine - August 4 - 3:43 pm

  Traded my BMW 325is for a Mini and Im loving it! Similar to the BMW, the handling is great and its fun to drive. Takes sharp turns very well. Since I live in a city that requires plenty of parallel parking, finding parking is amazing. I get compliments on my Mini from everyone. Bucket seats are comfortable. The headrest is larger than any other car brand; I noticed this because Im short (52) and had to remove them to look behind me, even with the seat pumped to its highest. Never encountered this problem with other cars (including SUVs).

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  Its not Mini on fun factor. - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By esfc - July 29 - 10:00 am

  If you need a 4 seater this is not the car for you. Worth very penny of the MSRP paid. Solid build , great handling comfortable ,fast.

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  Coop, Coop, Coop - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By Bob - July 20 - 3:00 am

  This is a great car. Its fun to drive, well engineered, gets good gas mileage, looks sharp, corners like a race car, and accelerates with the best of them. I drive it on a 36 mile commute every day and love it. It does not drive like a small car. It feels very solid on the road.

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  The Best trade-in Ever - 2008 Mini Cooper
  By Timo - July 19 - 12:53 pm

  We took ownership of this vehicle a mere ten days ago. We traded in 2002 Saturn. The Mini Coopers S is 100X different and better than the Saturn. My biggest worry was storage space. All of our groceries fit into the car. The drive is like being a rat in a chase. It moves flawlessly through traffic and poor weather.

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  Its the Bomb! - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Eric - July 11 - 6:13 pm

  Great on the inside, and on the outside. You are ensured to turn heads! Every detail is fun, the "S" has the "zoom, zoom" that the regular version lacks. It is well worth the extra money

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  Instant Celebrity - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By Tracker - July 9 - 10:00 am

  42 mpg on the highway last weekend! Whoo hoo! This little car delivers: fun to drive, economical on gas and overall price, and a babe magnet (both sexes). I have such a great time driving my MINI, I just cant stop smiling. When I park my car, usually theres somebody asking me questions and when I return to the car often it has attracted a crowd of admirers.

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  MiniCooper - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By skyg - July 6 - 10:00 am

  Excellent ride, fun, efficient

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  Awesome Little Thing - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By JP Money - June 27 - 2:16 am

  For both driving spirited and casually, the MINI Cooper S is an awesome car. For a young single male, it has enough space for anything I need and enough room for three of my friends. It is peppy and fun to drive. I have never had a problem with it, knock on wood. This a rare compliment for cars nowadays, which are often over shadowed by complaints. This is the best small car out there!