Mini pivots to more crossovers and EVs

Mini is shifting to where the U.S. market is.

The maker of microcars is beefing up its crossover range and joining the bandwagon of automakers ditching fossil fuel for electrons.

Mini will become an all-electric brand by early 2030, and the British marque will roll out its last combustion engine variant in 2025.

The brand has been facing an existential crisis — customers in the U.S. and elsewhere are walking away from small cars for more spacious crossovers and other light trucks. The crisis is reflected in Mini's U.S. sales, which slumped to 28,138 units last year — its lowest since 2002, when the brand entered the market.

But Mini says its turnaround plan will expand its U.S. lineup with products more relevant to the market.

The automaker will roughly double production of its Cooper SE electric hatchback this year for the U.S. And it could bring two new electric crossovers to the U.S.

Mini also seeks broader appeal through a budget-priced version of the Mini Cooper two- and four-door Hardtop. A Mini Oxford Edition will bundle popular options in an entry-level three-cylinder hatchback that starts at $20,600, including shipping.

Mini is hopeful product updates will restore 2022 sales to 2019 levels, when the brand sold 36,272 units.

"The premium segment is up about 9 percent, and we expect to be above that," Mike Peyton, vice president of Mini of the Americas, told Automotive News this year.

Hardtop: For the 2022 model year, the Mini Hardtops received significant updates to the exterior, interior and infotainment and driving safety features. The front end features a new single unbroken hexagon grille that extends low to the road with the safety bar hidden underneath a body-color panel. Air curtains are integrated on the front bumper to improve aerodynamics. The rear bumpers feature visual changes that give the Mini a wider stance and sporty look.

The next-generation Hardtop models are expected in the second half of 2024, according to AutoForecast Solutions. Meanwhile, the Mini Convertible is set to receive a redesign in 2025.

Cooper SE: The new full-electric Mini went on sale in the U.S. last year. The SE is powered by a 32.6-kilowatt-hour battery that delivers about 110 miles of range on a full charge. For the 2022 model year, the car received updates to the front and rear, a redesigned interior, new display elements and a multitone roof. The EV could get a redesign as early as 2024.

Clubman: The hatchback was freshened for the 2020 model year. Also introduced then was a new higher-performance John Cooper Works Clubman with a 301-hp four-cylinder turbo engine. Production of the Clubman will end in 2024, and a new generation is not planned.

Countryman: The four-door compact crossover received a freshening last year that included a redesigned grille, front fascia and bumper trim, and updated headlights and taillights. Expect a redesign to arrive in the U.S. in late 2023 or early 2024.

Electric compact crossover: Mini could be planning an all-electric two-door crossover in cooperation with parent BMW Group's Chinese joint-venture partner, Great Wall. A China-made five-door model the size of BMW's X1 could arrive in the U.S. in 2024.

Traveller: This new crossover will be a global model available with either an electrified drivetrain or a fuel-powered engine, according to AutoCar. It would be built on BMW Group's CLAR platform, making it Mini's first rear-wheel-drive model. It should arrive here in late 2024.