What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Mini Cooper? What does it compare to?
It’s a small front-wheel-drive hatchback and convertible that relies on retro styling and agile moves to command prices above its weight. It has few direct competitors, but buyers might also consider the Fiat 500e, Kia Soul, and BMW X1.
Is the 2025 Mini Cooper a good car?
It promises a fun time behind the wheel, though it isn’t very practical and it costs more than its size would suggest. It earns a TCC Rating of 6.2 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2025 Mini Cooper?
The Mini Cooper gets a major revision for its fourth generation as a 2025 model, featuring new styling, new or upgraded engines, the latest technology, and slightly larger sizes. It’s offered in base, S, and John Cooper Works models and in 2-Door, 4-Door and two-door convertible body styles. The Clubman is no longer available and neither is the electric Mini, which was called the SE. However, an electric model is due to return, though that might be as a 2026 model.
The Mini Cooper continues with its small size and cute-as-a-bug two-box styling. It sports numerous retro styling cues, including the round headlights, the available contrasting roof, the overall shape, and the available stripe and graphics packages. The nose is rounded off, and the sides sport dark fender flares and rockers panels.
The retro look continues inside, with a round center screen and toggles for some of the controls. The touchscreen stretches 9.4 inches and houses many of the controls. Mini replaces a gauge cluster with a small head-up display that projects on a piece of glass behind the steering wheel.
The Mini gets about 0.7 wider for 2025, which adds slightly more hip room for second-row passengers. It’s not enough to seat three across with any comfort in the 4-Door model, though, and the 2-Door and convertible are officially four-seaters, but best seat two. Front seat occupants have good space on supportive thrones, and cargo space can be useful with the rear seats down, especially in the 4-Door.
The base engine is new this year. A 2.0-liter turbo-4 replaces last year’s 1.5-liter turbo-3 and ups the output from 134 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque to 161 hp and 184 lb-ft. The S model’s 2.0-liter turbo-4 makes 201 hp and 221 lb-ft, up from 189 hp and 206 lb-ft. JCW models get a stronger 2.0-liter turbo-4 that cranks out 228 hp and 280 lb-ft.
With the new base engine, all Minis are spry, with 0-60 mph times ranging from 7.4 to 5.9 seconds. They handle well, too, though the go-kart feel the Mini is known for is best felt in the available Go-Kart “Experience” driving mode.
Fuel economy is good, with combined ratings over 30 mpg in all but the JCW models.
Every Mini comes with a decent set of standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and parking sensors. Blind-spot monitors, rear cross-traffic alerts, lane-departure warnings, rear automatic braking, and an exit-warning system are optional.
How much does the 2025 Mini Cooper cost?
With the more powerful base engine, the 2025 Mini Cooper now tops $30,000 to start, up from about $26,000 last year. That includes cloth and synthetic leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, driver’s seat memory, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a panoramic sunroof, the center touchscreen, navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and 17-inch alloy wheels. An S model costs $4,000-$5,000 more, and the JCW convertible can approach $50,000 in the top Iconic trim.
Where is the 2025 Mini Cooper made?
In England and Germany.
