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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  The Mini is a full-sized car! - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By minica - August 11 - 10:00 am

  My mini is parked daily next to my 1995 Toyota Tercel... the Mini is about 2 inches taller and wider, but it is about 2 feet shorter. It amazes me that people have commented that they are tired of seeing the tires of other cars, because the drivers perspective in a Mini is the same as that of any other sedan ... actually the Mini sits a bit higher than my Tercel. When I take people for test drives, they comment to me about how surprised they are at the roominess of the car.

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  Excellent car - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By jrk - August 11 - 10:00 am

  This car is the most excellent car to drive, its fun, it has perforance,it has looks, and you get alot of people pointing at the car and wondering what it is!

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  Awesome - 2004 Mini Cooper
  By SteveH42753 - August 7 - 10:00 am

  Absolute fun car to drive. It forgives your mistakes and cares for you as you drive. Better than my 1972 BMW 2002, the last great Bimmer series before they added all the comfort and padding.

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  FUN FUN FUN - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By Crom - August 5 - 10:00 am

  Never have I driven a car as fun as the Cooper S. Once you get up to 2000 rpm, its like riding on a guided missle. People that say the ride is too harsh are probably just road haters, who should give it all up and take the bus.

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  The most fun driving ever! - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Vicki - August 4 - 1:30 pm

  I am a car person and have driven about every car out there from the Lincoln Town Car, Mazda Miata convertibles, SUVs, Mercedes SL500s, and I absolutely love my MINI. It is by far the most fun I have ever had driving since I got my license. The only thing I would trade it for would be another one!

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  Mini is the Best - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Hal Peersonius - August 4 - 12:33 am

  This car looks great and drives like a dream car. It is so much fun to drive. My wife loves it as much as I do. Its used as a daily driver and is easy to handle in traffic. We get a lot of looks from other motorists and when we stop there is always someone out there that wants to talk about the car. This iss my second MINI, I had to have a red and white one. The first one was dark silver. It is so comfortable and we have taken several long trips of over 1000 miles. I think we will keep it.

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  HAS MET ALL EXPECTATIONS - 2002 Mini Cooper
  By TINY H - July 29 - 2:00 am

  FROM DEALERSHIP TO HOME, THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN POSITIVE. TORQUE AND HORSEPOWER ARE PLENTIFUL AND THE 6 SPEED TRANNY IS SPECIAL (DOWN SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 1ST IS RESIST FREE !). FROM BRAKES TO AUDIO SYSTEM, EVERYTHING FUNCTIONS WELL ABOVE AVERAGE. THE OWNER OF 2 PREVIOUS SIS, THIS CAR HITS THE SPOT FOR ME.

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  Wonderful Car - 2005 Mini Cooper
  By Dan Cameron - July 28 - 6:20 am

  I recently bought a new Mini Cooper S blue with a white roof, and absolutely love it! Its great, you can park anywhere, you get great gas mileage, and you can go as fast as you want and get there just as fast. Fun Fun Fun and more Fun. I would highly recommend this car unless you live somewhere that gets a lot of snow, then a nice SUV might do the trick.

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  my mini - 2003 Mini Cooper
  By daw8071 - July 24 - 2:00 am

  The neatest, cutest and most fun for the money car you can have. It handles like a big go cart on rails. Always gives the feel to the driver of total control. I get great gas mileage (29mpg) even though I drive like a nut. The car is rock steady at speed. The Mini is an incredible small package for the price.

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  Fun to Drive - 2006 Mini Cooper
  By Stuart - July 22 - 3:26 pm

  The Mini Cooper is roomier than most people think, so if you are considering one, sit in it. If you like to drive, this car is a blast. I thought that getting the automatic would reduce the fun, but it was for my wife and what she wanted. Living in the congested Portland, OR metro area, I have to say that it is the right choice. I do use the manual mode at times and can either maximize my fuel economy or power by shifting myself. We got the sport package with the 17" wheels. The ride is a little rough, but we dont mind and the handling is great. Its fuel economy in mostly city driving has been around 19-21 MPG. The door locks stopped working on the first day, but after the switch panel was replaced we havent had any issues.