2025 MINI Cooper Reviews, Pricing & Specs

While some may have trouble distinguishing this latest generation from last year’s model, there are a few changes to clue in on. These include its halo-ring headlights, distinctive front bumper and grille, and substantially different taillights. It took us a second, but the latter are arranged like a split Union Jack flag. One could also say they make it look a bit bug-like, but they complement the overall geometric vibe well. And whether it’s a three-door or five-door hatchback, the silhouette its quintessentially Mini. The front end is quite short and stubby, and there’s minimal overhang at the back as well.

Inside, the new Cooper boasts fresh design and materials. The ribbon accent on the dashboard stage-right of the infotainment screen accessorizes the two-spoke steering wheel. The dashboard’s also outfitted in a tweed sport coat-resembling material, as if designers were listening to Rondeau while deciding what to cover it in. Finally, the interior is bathed in natural sunlight via a panoramic sunroof, which is standard on non-convertible four-door models.

Instead of conventional switchgear, most controls are incorporated into the round 9.4-inch touchscreen with Mini’s latest Operating System 9 infotainment software. But there are still a handful left, including an ignition switch, transmission controls, track selection and volume for the audio system, and what Mini calls Experience Modes that use ambient lighting and displays to create different vibes, as well as the sportiest Go Kart drive mode.

Our tester’s front seats were covered in a cloth material that matched the dash, and they possessed good side bolstering, manual adjustment, and standard heating along with a standard heated steering wheel. Faux leather seat material is optional, but we found the cloth to be quite comfortable, and even chic in appearance.

Overall materials quality is very good for a subcompact hatchback, and for 2025, drivers have the option of using a pop-up screen that acts as a head-up display showing speed and driver-assistance information. This might be overkill considering the same info is displayed at the top of the centre screen, but we appreciate the quirkiness nonetheless.

Beneath the 2025 Mini Cooper’s short hood lives a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The engine produces 161 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque in the base model and 201 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque in the Cooper S, with front-wheel drive (FWD) in both cases. Regardless of trim or body style, these engines are responsible for roughly 1,320 kilograms (2,900 pounds) of curb weight, and they propel the Mini Cooper S three-door to 100 km/h in about 6.5 seconds. Base models take around 7.5 seconds.

Our Mini Cooper S hardtop’s driving experience was a total gas in basically every scenario. Thanks to its relatively modest curb weight, the engine felt more like it was putting out 250 hp — and was quite enthusiastic in how it ripped off the line. Its power curve was very linear as well, and the dual-clutch gearbox clicked off gears seamlessly. Whether darting through city traffic or passing on the highway, we always had more than enough power at our disposal. We imagine the base engine has decent pep, too, but the slight price increase for the Cooper S’s added torque is worth it.

Our S tester was well-damped for rougher roads, possessing a ride quality that was enthusiast-centric but never too choppy or uncomfortable. It felt planted and smooth on the highway, too, reminding us of previous generations of the Volkswagen GTI. Our tester was not equipped with the optional $600 adaptive dampers, but we were plenty content without them.

This enthusiast-geared ride quality really paid off while zooming through fun mountain roads. Body roll was present but well contained, and like any good hot hatch, the Mini turned in quite well under braking. Steering action, ratio, and response were all very good, and made us wonder why more FWD enthusiast fare can’t have this level of front-end precision.

Some light torque steer was present, but it wasn’t a mark against this car. We enjoyed being more hands-on (pardon the pun) while slicing through our favourite bits of technical tarmac. Finally, the front tires exhibited quite a bit of noise under hard cornering, but this was extinguished with a little more restraint, patience, and smoothing of our inputs. The Cooper S could be a great option for any budding driving enthusiast looking to craft their skills on an autocross course or at a local track day.

Our only major gripe was that, despite possessing generally good shift logic, we had no way to shift its transmission ourselves. Paddle shifters aren’t an unreasonable expectation in this price bracket, never mind that there’s no more three-pedal manual option available. It takes upgrading to the much pricier two-door Mini Cooper JCW to get paddles.

The 2025 Mini Cooper may have a larger engine than before, but it achieves a Natural Resources Canada rating of between 7.3 and 7.9 litres per 100 kilometres combined depending on the configuration.

Despite being a subcompact hatchback, the 2025 Mini Cooper is surprisingly spacious inside. With 1,330 litres of space up front and over 900 litres in back, the boxy shape has more benefits than just iconic styling. Cargo room expands from 252 litres to just about 948 litres with the 60/40 rear seats folded. Overall visibility is good, though having the rear seat headrests up significantly reduces visibility out of the back window.

We particularly enjoyed our tester’s driving position. Because the head-up display sits up on the dash, we were able to tilt the steering wheel down nice and low and telescope it reasonably close to our torso for both a comfortable and performance-driving-ready posture. Having the wheel extended all the way out can limit ingress and egress, but we still found these to be generally very easy in the Cooper.

As Mini is under the BMW Group umbrella, we were expecting our Cooper S’s Operating System 9 infotainment to function much like iDrive which, while having a slight learning curve for the uninitiated, is generally smooth in its operation. Little lag, easy to pair a smartphone, and so on. That wasn’t the case.

First, the good. This latest infotainment system’s various themes were fun to change. Graphics and resolution were very good, and we were even able to monitor tire pressures while romping around on fun roads. Changing between climate control and music screens was a cinch, and quickly navigating to the main menu made lighting, head-up display, and other adjustments easy. Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, and dual-zone climate control are standard, and there are several USB-C outlets throughout the cabin.

However, the operating system was quite laggy, and we had to re-pair our iPhone every time we turned the car on. The head-up display, while a neat feature, required readjustment every time we turned it on, too. Annoyingly, it never remembered our preferred position. Again, this was easy to quickly adjust, but system memory is standard across the industry. One evening while driving around, one of the interior reading lights flickered on and off randomly, which makes us think our tester needed a full dealer service department reset or software update.

In Canada, the 2025 Mini Cooper comes standard with forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane departure warning.

Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality is optional. Our test car’s adaptive cruise control was laggy, slow to accelerate after reducing speed, and it was easily confused by cars cutting into our lane.

As of this writing, the 2025 Mini Cooper has not been tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The NHTSA has already issued a recall for the Mini’s integrated braking system, though, so it’s important to make sure this has been remedied before purchasing.

In Canada, the price of entry for a 2025 Mini Cooper is $38,269 for the entry-level Cooper C three-door model, including the $2,555 destination charge and other fees. The MSRP climbs to $43,269 for the more powerful Cooper S three-door. Expanding to the four-door body style costs $39,269 for the Cooper C and $44,269 for the Cooper S.

Mini also offers a two-door Cooper convertible, which starts at $46,269 at the bare minimum and $50,269 in Cooper S spec. For the most performance possible in the Mini Cooper chassis, the John Cooper Works trim starts at $55,269 as a three-door hatchback and $62,269 as a convertible. Here, horsepower is increased to 228 and torque to 280 lb-ft, while adding a host of standard performance and convenience features.

The Mini brand has always been about customization, and the latest 2025 model is no different. There are various equipment packages, exterior and interior appearance packages, and many individual options available to whip up many different variants.

As far as competition goes, there are far fewer choices in the new car market than there were 10 to 15 years ago. Gone are the Honda Fit, Mazda2, Ford Fiesta, Fiat 500 and 500 Abarth, as well as the Toyota Yaris. For hatchback utility, the larger Mazda3 is one option at $29,287 (turbocharged models start at $41,987) as is the $39,181 Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Note: Images show a US model.