The MINI Cooper is a subcompact manual 4-wheel luxury drive that packs a punch at a reasonable price point. Offered as a two-door hatchback, a four-door hatchback, and a convertible, its sporty chassis tuning and retro-modern appearance continue to draw attention. Its upscale interior and turbocharged engines make it a delight to drive on twisty roads. It comes with many options that allow motorheads to personalize their MINI Cooper.

Interior and comfort
MINI Cooper is available in two-door hardtop, four-door hardtop, and two-door convertible body styles. The two-door MINI hardtop and convertible are 12.7 feet long, while the four-door MINI hardtop is slightly longer at 13.3 feet. The two-door and four-door variants have four and five seats, respectively. They come with standard manually-adjustable front seats and synthetic leather-wrapped upholstery. A genuine leather interior, heated front seats, and heated steering wheel are optional.

There is space for 12 carry-ons with the back seats folded down. The two-door hardtop has 8.7 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats and 34 cubic feet with the seats folded. These figures increase to 13.1 and 40.7 cubic feet for the four-door hardtop. All in all, regardless of the body type, Cooper’s front seats are comfortable with enough room for tall drivers and passengers to stretch out.

Engine performance
The MINI Cooper turbocharged engine gives three choices: 134-horsepower 1.5-liter three-cylinder for the standard Cooper model, 189-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder for Cooper S model, and 228-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinders for John Cooper Works (JCW), offering better acceleration. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is offered in the standard and S models, while the JCW has an eight-speed conventional automatic transmission. The MINI Cooper may give an exhilarating driving experience because of its stiff suspension, allowing more control and better handling and acceleration.

Fuel economy
The standard three-cylinder engine in Hardtop and Convertible models is rated for 29 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway with an automatic transmission, and 27 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway with a manual transmission. Mini’s Cooper SE uses a 181 horsepower electric motor (with 199 lb-ft of torque) and 32.6-kWh lithium-ion battery to drive the front wheels, resulting in fuel economy of about 16.9 to 14.9 kWh/ 100 km, making it only suitable for urban use.

Infotainment and add-ons
A modern digital gauge cluster, retro-style toggle switches, and climate control knobs serve as the dashboard’s focal point. An 8.8-inch infotainment touch display surrounded by a sizable LED light ring and SiriusXM satellite radio is standard on all MINI Cooper variants. The touch screen can be controlled by a knob on the center console. Some of its additional features include remote keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, ambient lighting, and a panoramic moonroof. One can choose the Apple CarPlay, in-dash navigation, or wireless phone charging add-ons for an extra cost.

Driver-assistance and warranty
For driver assistance, MINI Cooper offers some standard features like automated emergency braking, rear parking sensors, forward collision warning, lane-departure alert, forward automatic emergency braking, and some optional features like adaptive cruise control and hands-free parking assistance, and navigation instruction on the windshield. For warranty, MINI Cooper offers complimentary scheduled maintenance covered for three years or 36,000 miles. Its limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles, while the powertrain warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles.

Cost and insurance
The MINI Cooper has a base price of $24,250 for Cooper Hardtop. Cooper S Hardtop comes at $27,750, Cooper Convertible at about $29,250, while Cooper S Convertible at $32,750. Upgrading to the Cooper S costs $3,500 extra, regardless of body style. The cost of insuring a MINI Cooper depends on factors like the level of coverage one needs, type of insurance, deductible, one’s credit score and age, past driving record, and location. All the Cooper models offer many personal-customization options.