The Mini Cooper is marketed primarily on its hip style and nostalgic value. Nothing wrong with that, but sometimes this indicates that the automaker didn’t put much thought into what’s under the hood. We shouldn’t assume it’s a solid buy just because it was fifty years ago.
How reliable is the Mini Cooper?
The Mini Cooper has earned a high-reliability rating according to expert reviewers and everyday owners. J.D. Power gave it a Quality Award for fewest problems in the first 90 days, and a Dependability Award, for fewest problems in the first three years.
A Look Back at the Mini Cooper
The Mini Cooper debuted as the performance model variant for the British Motor Corporation’s Mini lineup in 1959.
Many consider the Cooper to be the British equivalent of a VW Beetle. It’s a nimble city car with a surprising amount of floor space inside thanks to the front-wheel-drive layout.
It would become an iconic piece of 1960s culture. In 1999 it was voted the 20th Century’s second most influential auto by the Global Automotive Elections Foundation. That’s after the Model-T, of course.
The original Mini Coopers were retired in 1990, redesigned for the 90s, and then updated again in 2000, which brings us to the current generation.
How Reliable is a Mini Cooper?
User Reviews
In terms of reliability, the Mini Cooper generally gets rave reviews from its drivers, with a few notable complaints.
This issue mostly comes down to compatibility. Mini Coopers demand standard Mini Cooper replacement parts. Because Mini are sort of a niche automaker, those parts are made in lower numbers, meaning that they’re more expensive than, say, replacement Ford parts. Expect to wait around for parts to ship, too.
Besides the cost of replacement parts, one driver gave the car a five-star review, but noted that the car suddenly stopped working while they were on the highway, and another driver’s key fob stopped working early.
So, the car still has its issues, but has come a long way from the 2014 Minis, which had a reputation for demanding frequent, expensive repairs.
NHTSA
The 2020 Mini Cooper has had two safety recalls. Both pretty severe, but affecting relatively few units.
The first recall had to do with missing crash pads in the side trim panels, resulting in a higher risk of injury in the event of a crash. The recall affected 683 units, and the notification letters were issued on October 11, 2019 for owners to have the pads installed.
The second recall involved airbags not deploying in the event of rollover. This recall affected 76 units.
The notification letters were issued on July 17, 2020 for drivers to get in touch with dealers to have the airbag control unit replaced.
Next we have a complaint from a driver in North Bethesda, Maryland. They were driving at around 55 to 60 mph and the sunroof simply exploded all of a sudden. No injuries, the dealer wasn’t contacted, and they didn’t leave their VIN number.
So overall, we can say that the Mini Cooper reliability rating is solid. This is pretty good for a first-year track record, but some issues won’t become apparent until the car’s spent a few years on the road. So, check back with the NHTSA now and then.
Finally, it should be noted that the Mini Cooper has a remarkably high resale value. The 2013, for instance, still holds a Kelley Blue Book value of $11,706 – $18,072. For a seven-year-old car that debuted at around $26,000, that’s a strong sign of reliability.
Photos: Mini
