SHOP

Price reductions on selected cars, from £250 - £1000 off

skip to main contentskip to footer
red mini cooper driving

Mini Cooper review

Ever since the 1960s, the name ‘Mini Cooper’ has been a byword for motoring fun. And so it is today. The modern-day Mini Cooper is a great choice for those who prioritise having a hoot and like a car with a touch of class, style and even – dare we say it - usability thrown in.

Looks?

One glance at the third generation of the reborn Mini Cooper and you know what you’re looking at. Where other modern interpretations of classic vehicles have come across as little more than a pastiche, the Mini has always remained true to the design of the original.  

It all starts with the chrome grille, which instantly apes that of the 1959 original Mini. On either side of this are large round headlights, which contain daytime running light rings and sit in cut-outs in the bonnet. The windscreen is almost vertical – after all, the Mini is more about style than efficiency – which gives a decent view out. 

The flat side and frameless windows shout ‘Mini’, and at the rear there’s a tailgate (the original car had a drop-down boot opening) that’s flanked by a couple of multi-use taillights. In later cars, these are styled like Union flags in case you weren’t aware of the Mini’s British heritage. 

red mini cooper s rear

One glance at the third generation of the reborn Mini Cooper and you know what you’re looking at.

What’s it like to drive?

Driving the Mini Cooper is a lot like playing with an eager, obedient puppy. It somehow manages to fill every drive with a feeling of joy and of getting caught up in the moment. 

The turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine pulls strongly away from rest. Earlier models also had a 1.5-litre diesel available, which isn’t as much fun but is quiet and economical on the motorway. 

All Minis have firm, short-travel suspension and quick steering that echoes go-kart rides. No kart has ever been as comfortable as the Mini. Quick steering also makes the Mini Cooper incisive in town and parking is amazingly easy.    

red mini cooper s driving

Driving the Mini Cooper is a lot like playing with an eager, obedient puppy.

Inside?

As with the outside, the interior of the Mini is instantly recognisable as one of the British firm’s offerings. There’s a circular theme throughout, so circular vents abound on the dashboard for a start.  

Ahead of the driver is a sporty three-spoke steering wheel and on top of the dashboard ahead of it sits an instrument pod. This contains speed, revs, fuel level, coolant temperature and driving information. In the centre of the dashboard sits a huge round instrument panel reminiscent of the speedometer in the first Mini (and earlier generations of the reborn Mini). 

This infotainment centre contains the sat-nav system where one is fitted, plus the Bluetooth set-up and the audio system. 

Below this sit the dials for the air-conditioning system, and at the bottom is a row of toggle-type switches that you simply need to flick. The glass area is comparatively huge, so seeing out of the car is very easy indeed, helped by thin pillars. Every Mini also exudes a feeling of quality, so the stuff you touch regularly, such as the door releases, indicator stalks, even the gearshift action, feel classy and smooth.

mini cooper interior 

Practicality

The Mini Cooper is a low-driving car, so you’ll need to be fairly nimble to get into and out of it. Once you’re in there, though, there’s a fair amount of space up front. 

There’s a huge amount of legroom up front so you can really enjoy the legs-out driving position. You sit quite low in the car, too, so there’s a surprising amount of headroom. 

Things are a bit tighter in the back, where there’s less space than you’ll find in the Audi A1. Getting in and out of the back seat can be tricky. There is a five-door version of the Mini Cooper, which is a bit longer and much easier to get into the back of. It also has a bigger boot, which is a welcome addition for families – standard Minis aren’t known for their boot space. 

 mini cooper boot

Running costs and reliability

The Mini Cooper shouldn’t prove expensive to run – the 1.5-litre turbocharged engine is punchy and managed an official average of 52.3mpg, which is strong for a feisty petrol hatch. If diesel is your preference, then the 1.5 model can manage an average of 74.3mpg. 

The Mini Cooper is pretty safe and earned a four-star rating from crash test experts Euro NCAP when it was tested in 2014. It was marked down slightly because it has an automatic braking system only as an option, not standard. The same applies to lane-departure warning. 

What we love

The Mini Cooper is one of those rare cars that appeals to people of all ages. It doesn’t matter if you had the original back in your youth or are a new driver and want something that’s as fun and compact as a first or second car. The Mini Cooper appeals to both. Young girl around town? Sorted. Sporty middle-aged dad? Perfect for you, sir. It’s also a car you can buy for your child, safe in the knowledge that it’s fun but not too quick and it won’t cost a heap to run.  

Still looking for the one?

Use our comparison tool to find the car for you

If you like the Mini Cooper...

The Mini Cooper is one-of-a-kind, but plenty of its selling points are found elsewhere: 

Use our Help Me Choose tool if you still can't decide.

Perfect for

Town and country drivers

Verdict

Great!

You can’t really go wrong with a Mini Cooper because it’s great at pretty much everything it does. This car is a pleasurable drive on grey days in winter and on Sunday morning in summer. It feels great–and your mates will think it’s brilliantly cool.

This review was