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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  I Love It! - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By Kate - June 16 - 2:23 pm

  Bought my MINI about a month ago. This car is really fun to drive! I like it even more than I thought I would. It is easy to zip around town and fit into any parking spot. I have had absolutely no problems with visability and the gas mileage seems good so far. I love it!

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  MINI is #1 - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By decko_gecko - June 15 - 10:00 am

  I just got my MINI I love the car. I feel like I just got my drivers licese and offer to drive just about any place. I hope this feeling does not go away. If you are looking for a fun and good looking car this is the one for you.

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  High Quality Small Car - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By jazz251 - June 11 - 9:06 am

  After years of looking at this car I finally got my wife to test drive it. Now I can not get her out of it! We bought a 2005 model that was sitting on the lot. It had only 10,000 miles and had most options. It is a base engine but the HP seems more than adequate for the traffic bound DC / N. VA area. Plus the gas mileage is great. For a small car it is very quiet. It is well built and fun to drive. I plan to keep this a long time and plan to pass it on to my son in about 5-6 years.

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  What a great car!!! - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By lclaudio - June 10 - 10:00 am

  The mini cooper is a great car to drive! It turns on a dime and gets looks from everyone, even those in much more expensive cars. With 29 miles per gallon in the city and 39 on the highway, I predict well be seeing more of these on the road!

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  One year in my Cooper - 2008 Mini Cooper
  By Turbo S - June 7 - 8:50 pm

  Had the car for little over a year now. It is an absolute BLAST to drive, and will always put a smile on your face. Fuel economy is phenomenal for a car this fast as well. Lots of cool features, like the folding mirrors, that are more fun the show of than functional, but fun either way. The pushbutton start is cool, but I wish it had the comfort access system. The leatherette looks nice, but I dont like the way it feels. All in all, for $25,550 and the included maintainance, its a lot of fun for the money.

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  BMW feel all around Quality - 2009 Mini Cooper
  By Chris - June 1 - 10:50 pm

  If you want a high-end car for a fraction of the price this car is for you. My 09 Cooper is loaded. The car handles better than a go Kart. Its a true sports car with a touch of class. The S makes it move quick and the manual trans. gives you the controll you beg for. You cant go wrong with these vehicles. This is my Second Mini and I just cant get over the QUALITY that is put into these vehicles. They say the S does 138 @ top speed. Ive come closs on a couple of occations and the car handled perfect.

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  My Favorite Little Red Car - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By bveracka7 - June 1 - 7:59 am

  This car is a blast to drive. The first thing people notice is how roomy the interior is for a car that is so small. I love the size, it is just right for me. The Mini S gives you the best of both worlds; its speedy as heck and rides like a European sportscar but doesnt waste too much fuel. I get an average of 35mpg, but you get a lot less if you drive fast. Main things I like are the interior set-up; the dash is beautifully shaped and covered with nice material thats easy to keep clean. I like how the switches & controls are centralized around the console and steering wheel. The interior is not small compared with the outside, and it gives you that feeling of being safe that only a European car gives. When you drive the Mini, you wont feel like youre in a claustrophobic box but rather a pretty comfy sportscar! Ive used it to commute 35 miles each way Monday thru Friday for the past 3 months with no complaints or problems. I found mine at a repo-auction where I got a great price on it, although it had 103K miles, it was a clean Florida car with no issues and a pretty reasonable price for me. I will be investing in a different set of wheels and tires for the winter though, as the 17-inch custom wheels & tires dont like snow at all and I cant drive in the heavy snow. I have been told by a fellow Mini owner that with the right tires and wheels, the car will deal with the snow much better.

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  oooOOOO Yahhhh - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Tyrrell - June 1 - 2:00 am

  I can safely say that it is my favorite car yet. My wife and I have three year old twins - no problem, the car seats and the kids fit fine for around the town driving. I am not even going to go into performace and handling, that is a waste of the readers time. Nothing in its class compares. The surprise is how compfortable and how much room you seem to have. I just took four adults (two 6 2 folks) to the wine country and no one complained about not enough room. I dont know what was more fun, drinking the wine or driving the car there and showing off the car to passer-byers. Buy one if you enjoy life!!! Terry Tyrrell - Westlake Village, Ca

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  Hard to service - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By Downhill - May 28 - 4:10 pm

  Have had this car for a year, 11,000miles, fun car to drive, but a nightmareto service especially if you travel. Dealerships are not convenient,must waita month or more to get an appointment. Also, having trouble with transmissionfinding gear at low speeds. Car lunges,so far two dealerships have not beenable to fix it.

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  2006 Mini Cooper S - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By NLCOOLJ - May 27 - 11:26 pm

  This car is ...............excellent and lots of fun. I bought a 6-speed manual 2006 Cooper S in Astro black with silver roof and bonnet stripes. Its options include Premium, Sport, Cold weather, HK Stereo, Chrono meter, Rear fog light, PDC, Piano surface 7 interior, and Limited Slip Differential. Its fairly quick, fun to drive and I have had many people pay compliments to me about the car. I love its handling. It provides great value for the money.