Nearly as much fun to drive as its Mini Hardtop sibling - 2023 Mini Cooper Convertible
0Overview
The reincarnated Mini Cooper made its debut in North America twenty years ago and it's still just as stylish and fun to drive as it was back then. Its retro-modern styling still turns heads, and its sporty chassis tuning gives drivers something to look forward to every time they slide behind the wheel. Offered as either a two-door hatchback, a four-door hatchback, or a convertible, the Cooper isn't particularly practical, but for singles or couples, the smallest Mini model still has appeal. Standard models are powered by a 134-hp turbocharged three-cylinder, but going with an S model swaps that for a spunky 189-hp turbo four, which offers much better acceleration. Unfortunately, doing so also raises the Cooper's price significantly, coming very close in price to luxury-branded cars such as the BMW 2-series Gran Coupe and the Mercedes-Benz A-class. Need more performance than the regular Cooper can provide? Check out the Cooper JCW (reviewed separately), which boasts a fiery 228-hp turbo engine.
What's New for 2023?
A new Resolute Edition of the Mini Cooper will be available for the 2023 model year. It wears Rebel Green paint, frosted bronze exterior trim, yellow-and-cream tweed seat covers, and special Resolute Edition door sill protectors. The package is also available on the convertible model but swaps the Hardtop's white roof and mirror caps for a black soft top and black mirror caps.
We'd choose to go with the manual transmission 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 desirable, and we'll leave them up to you.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The standard engine is a 134-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder, which provides adequate pep in this small, lightweight, front-drive vehicle. We prefer the S models, which come with a 189-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. With the larger engine, the S proved to be a little more than a second faster to 60 mph than with the base 1.5-liter engine, clocking in at 6.2 seconds. We found the automatic transmission shifts well, but the manual transmission is still our favorite as it provides the most driver engagement. The firm suspension lends itself to enthusiast-oriented driving, which can make the Mini Cooper exciting, but the ride can be unforgiving on rough roads.
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—but still not a lot given the car's small size. The Hardtop model's trunk 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 carry-ons. The five-door Hardtop offers more space for cargo with the rear seats folded, but the Convertible offers less. A leather-wrapped steering wheel and heated front seats come standard on the Mini Cooper, and a leather interior is optional.
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.
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