2022 Mini Cooper

Overview

The 2022 Mini Cooper is an icon in the automotive world, with its cheeky styling, notoriously sharp handling, and cornucopia of personalization possibilities. Offered in hardtop three- and five-door body styles as well as a ragtop convertible, the Cooper is the brand's bread and butter. Buyers can choose between a 134-hp three-cylinder or a 189-hp four-cylinder engine, the latter of which is the better match to the Mini's fun-to-drive chassis. While base models offer an affordable price tag, the better-equipped S models encroach on entry-luxury car territory, putting them in contention with small sedans and hatchbacks from Mercedes-Benz and BMW—a tough crowd. Still, the Cooper is a good choice for drivers who value style as much as they appreciate driving enjoyment.

What's New for 2022?

Mini has given the Cooper a facelift for the 2022 model year, which consists of updated front and rear bumpers, a revised grille, new wheel designs, and the introduction of some bold new colors, including a cool color-shifting Multitone roof option. The interior sees several upgrades as well, including a redesigned steering wheel, a new checker-patterned upholstery option, and tweaked air vents. Mini has also revised some interior trim and made changes to the infotainment system, making the larger 8.8-inch display standard across the lineup. Also newly standard is a digital gauge display, lane-departure warning, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Manual-transmission Minis took a hiatus recently, but the six-speed stick is once again available but only for three-door Cooper and Cooper S models.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

Now that the manual transmission is back, we’d choose it and put it in the more powerful 189-hp Cooper S Hardtop to maximize the fun-to-drive factor. The five-door Hardtop costs a bit extra, but we’d stick with the three-door since neither Mini is all that spacious. Beyond that, the personal customization options are numerous, and we'll leave them up to you; we’re sure you’ll find a color combination and set of accessories to strike your fancy.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

The standard engine is a turbocharged 134-hp 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine, which provides plenty of pep in this small, lightweight vehicle. All of the Minis in this line come with front-wheel drive. These Minis have responsive handling and feel quick regardless of engine choice, but we like the S models that come with a turbocharged 189-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder. With the larger engine, the S proved to be a little more than a second faster than the 1.5-liter engine in our zero-to-60-mph test, clocking in at 6.2 seconds. We found the automatic transmission shifts well, but the manual transmission is still our favorite. The firm suspension lends itself to enthusiast-oriented driving, which can make the Mini Cooper exciting, but it can be unforgiving on rough roads.

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Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

Hardtop and convertible models with the base three-cylinder engine are rated for 29 mpg city and 38 mpg highway with the automatic transmission and 27 mpg city and 37 mpg highway with the manual. With the three-cylinder engine and a six-speed manual, we managed 38 mpg during our 75-mph highway fuel economy test route. The more powerful 2.0-liter engine in the Cooper S is rated slightly lower by the EPA, with automatic models earning ratings as high as 28 mpg city and 38 mpg highway and manual models earning ratings of 23 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. For more information about the Cooper's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The Mini's interior is charmingly quirky, but at the cost of user-friendliness. Rear-seat passenger space is tight, but front-seat occupants will find little reason to complain. The Convertible model's power top will fold in 18 seconds to unlock the joy of unlimited headroom. Too bad its trunk is tiny. Hardtop models offer more practicality inside their hatchback bodies. A leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated front seats come standard on the Mini Cooper, and a leather interior is optional. The Hardtop model's trunk also is quite small, offering room for just three carry-on suitcases in our testing. But drop the rear seats, and there's room for 12. The five-door Hardtop offers more space for cargo with the rear seats folded, but the Convertible offers less.

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Infotainment and Connectivity

All Mini Cooper models come standard with an 8.8-inch infotainment display and a digital gauge cluster. SiriusXM satellite radio is also standard across the lineup but buyers seeking Apple CarPlay, in-dash navigation, or wireless phone charging will need to pay extra for those features. Android Auto is not available at all.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Overall Safety Rating (NHTSA)

View Crash Test Results

The Mini Cooper comes with standard automated emergency braking and offers adaptive cruise control and park assist as options. For more information about the Cooper's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Standard automated emergency braking
• Standard lane-departure warning
• Available adaptive cruise control

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Mini offers a slightly better warranty than other small-car manufacturers, particularly with complimentary scheduled maintenance. Volvo and BMW both offer complimentary scheduled maintenance plans that match Mini's policy.

• Limited warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers 4 years or 50,000 miles
• Complimentary scheduled maintenance is covered for 3 years or 36,000 miles

Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door convertible

PRICE AS TESTED: $34,450 (base price: $30,450)

ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 122 cu in, 1998 cc
Power: 189 hp @ 5000 rpm
Torque: 207 lb-ft @ 1250 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 98.2 in
Length: 151.9 in
Width: 68.0 in Height: 55.7 in
Passenger volume: 77 cu ft
Cargo volume (top up/down): 8/6 cu ft
Curb weight: 2978 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 6.2 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 16.0 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 36.0 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 6.8 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 8.5 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 6.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.7 sec @ 96 mph
Top speed (mfr's est): 143 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 158 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.91 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 23/33 mpg
C/D observed: 24 mpg

More Features and Specs