The Mini Cooper is with no doubt one of the most iconic automotive export from Britain. Born in an era when most were keen on speed but still eager to cut costs, the Mini had to offer a perfect blend of performance and economy in one tiny package. Buying a mini cooper was cool back then – and it still is now.
The racing protégée and compact size gave the car that desirable flair that has seen it retain relevance over the years. The BMW owned Mini is still a popular small car choice to buyers who want a fast car that sips on the gas and can squeeze into tight parking spots.
I bought my first Mini three years ago. Over time, I have come to love its quirks and learned to live with its problems. I will use my experience to talk about the Mini Cooper reliability, look at the pros, cons, and my final verdict on it.
The Mini Cooper Pros and Cons
When looking at the pros and cons, we will focus on the 2014 to 2018 models from across the two-door hatchback, four-door hatchback, and convertible variants.
Mini Cooper Pros
Let’s start by looking into the advantages of getting yourself a Mini
Impressive Fuel Economy
Minis are well known for their fuel efficiency. With the official consumption rate sitting at 33.2 MPG city and 45.5 MPG highway, you won’t have to spend so much juicing up.
Frugal driving can push the figures even higher, especially if you don’t spend most of the time idling in traffic jams. I can easily do my work commute for up to 3 weeks on a single tank before I start glancing at my fuel gauge.
Very Fun to Drive
While its fuel efficiency might fool you into believing it’s as docile as a typical hybrid, the Mini Cooper packs a surprising punch from its flimsy power plant. The weight to power ratio puts the engine less mass to move around, making acceleration better.
The compact design, low center of gravity, and even weight distribution give the Mini its legendary handling capabilities. This keeps the car planted through the corners giving you the freedom to have some fun on those twisty roads when on a road trip without feeling out of control.
A Premium Interior With Decent Features
The interior of the Mini Cooper R50 never feels cheap. Everything from the material on the dash to the door side panel feels pleasant to the touch. The BMW iDrive infotainment system crowns it all, giving the car a solid comfort score that rivals market leaders.
A Practical Design for Everyone
You can get your Mini in the two-door hatch, the four-door hatch or the convertible build. If you are keen on space, you will find the 4-door hatch quite practical. Fold down the rear seats and the 67 liters of boot storage expand to a whopping 278 liters in total – more than enough space for a folding buggy and a couple of suitcases.
Reasonable Maintenance Frequency and Costs
The biggest quirk of the Mini comes from its ruggedness. You don’t have to do your oil changes or check up after a couple of months. A well-used Mini could make do for two years before it demands an oil change or any maintenance.
Of cause, you will still have to change your tires as soon as you run through the tread, but this won’t be as often as long as you don’t try to do burnouts on your way to work.
An Impressive Resale Value
If you take good care of your Mini, you won’t have any trouble disposing of it thanks to the high resale value. You could secure some good money even if you held onto it for a good three years.
The Cons
Even though the Mini isn’t all good with no bad, the benefits are better than the cons. Here are some of the ugly Mini secrets you should know before buying.
- Mini Coopers run on premium fuel. This could eat into the savings you make thanks to the stellar fuel efficiency.
- Hard acceleration and fast driving on the motorway can make the car quite noisy. You won’t have any trouble with this if you drive more gently
- The buying price can skyrocket especially if you add multiple options to the base version
- Mini Cooper dealerships aren’t all over the place. You might have to drive a couple of hours to buy or service your Mini. Go through the warranty to figure out coverage on things like flatbed services.
- The car can be expensive to maintain once out of warranty.
- Only certified Mini dealerships do a great job at servicing your beloved Mini
Is the Mini Cooper a Reliable Car?
According to Consumer Reports, a reliable car is one that:
- Gave you the least downtime by failing less often
- Had the best safety features
- Accomplished what you set out to do more often
- Was affordable to maintain
The Mini Cooper ticks most of the items on this checklist with ease. It’s stellar resilience, and solid build reduces the need for frequent repairs. Most Minis will run just fine for up to two years without the need for thorough maintenance as long as you change the fluids often enough.
Couple this with the superb handling under most driving conditions and you get a highly stable platform that will get you where you need to go with ease.
Purchasing a Mini Cooper will give you a fun driving experience, excellent fuel economy, and less pit stop hours making it one of the smallest cars in the market.
Is Buying a Mini Cooper a Good Idea?
Are Mini Coopers good cars? Yes. Should you buy one? Well. This depends on your needs. The Mini is an excellent car for townspeople who take occasional road trips. It will also be great if you don’t have a large family.
Bottom Line
So, should I buy a Mini Cooper? If you love taking fun drives on winding roads on weekends but still need an efficient compact car for weekday commutes, the Mini will always be a perfect choice. All you have to do when buying a Mini Cooper is ensure that you get it from a reliable dealer on warranty. Check out our website today for the best Mini deals in town.