The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Fun personality
- Small size
- Big fun
- Manuals are back
Dislikes
- Fairly pricey
- Interior’s charm overshadows cheap plastics
- Not spacious, even for small cars
- Pointless EV
Buying tip
With more versions for 2024, the Mini Cooper lineup once again shines—though they’re hardly bargains anymore.
What kind of vehicle is the 2024 Mini Cooper? What does it compare to?
The 2024 Mini Cooper badge adorns a broad lineup of retro-style cars that nearly defy comparison. Perhaps consider the Kia Soul and BMW X1, if you’re not dead set on a Mini.
Is the 2024 Mini Cooper a good car?
For what it is, the Mini Cooper remains a right good time. It drips with personality, offers thrilling handling, and can even be somewhat practical in the right configurations. It’s a 6.0 out of 10 on the TCC scale. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2024 Mini Cooper?
Mini has brought back a previously unavailable Classic trim level that helps lower the price of entry slightly. Additionally, most versions are once again available with a manual gearbox; the transmission choice was dropped for much of 2023.
The Mini Cooper comes in four basic body styles: two-door, four-door, extended-length four-door (Clubman), and convertible. Each has the same basic styling and personality, plus a lengthy list of styling personalizations.
Base cars deliver decent go with a grunty turbo-3. The turbo-4 that comes on the Cooper S is worthwhile, though. John Cooper Works models provide track-ready handling and 228 hp, but they’re awfully expensive. Most models are front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive is available on certain Clubman versions.
Fuel economy ranges from a low of 25 mpg combined to upward of 30 mpg combined for most configurations. Premium gas is needed, though.
2024 MINI Cooper
Styling
Mini’s design remains playful and fun.
Is the Mini Cooper a good-looking car?
We still like it, even though Mini has spent the last two decades refining its modern take on a classic design. Overall, the Mini Cooper scores an 8 out of 10 for its styling on the TCC scale, with two points for its playful yet functional (mostly) interior.
The Cooper badge now goes on two- and four-door models, plus a longer version of the four-door that’s like a mini wagon and a droptop. Whew. They all have the same expressive front end and retro-chic taillights; it’s what’s in the middle that changes. Oh, and the myriad accessories and options Mini will gladly install for an upcharge.
2024 MINI Cooper
Performance
The Mini Cooper lineup induces more smiles this year now that manual gearboxes are back.
Mini builds fun, sporty cars with great handling and an impressive ride. S and JCW versions are downright quick, too. This lineup earns a 7 based on standard models; those with more turbo punch might score an 8.
Is the Mini Cooper 4WD?
They send power to the front wheels in most cases, though an all-wheel-drive version of the Clubman exists.
2024 MINI Cooper
Comfort & Quality
The Mini Cooper lives up to its name with a compact interior.
It may be fun inside, but the Mini Cooper is not particularly spacious. It’s a 4 on our scale, with a point dialed back for a tight rear seat. Clubman versions would earn back that point thanks to their big cargo areas if we rated them separately, though.
The front seats have beefy bolsters and plenty of adjustment. Two-door models have a cramped, tough-to-access rear seat. Four-door versions solve the access issue but still don’t have stretch-out space.
2024 MINI Cooper
Safety
The 2024 Mini Cooper is missing some crash-test data.
How safe is the Mini Cooper?
It’s a four-star overall model according to the NHTSA, which isn’t a great score. The IIHS has yet to complete testing, though what evaluations have been performed so far have mostly been promising.
Overall, we land on a 5 out of 10 thanks to standard automatic emergency braking that cancels out the weak NHTSA showing.
2024 MINI Cooper
Features
The 2024 Mini Cooper lineup hardly wants for choice, but these models can get pricey.
We’d like to see the return of a cheap Mini Cooper, though the automaker does provide a good amount of kit for the money.
Our 8 out of 10 rating here comes courtesy a decent 8.8-inch infotainment screen, a wide range of options, and a 4-year/50,000-mile warranty with three years of maintenance included. That puts the 2024 Cooper at an 8 out of 10.
2024 MINI Cooper
Fuel Economy
These small, lightweight cars sip fuel—but they need premium.
Is the Mini Cooper good on gas?
It’s decent, but limited consumption is offset by a need for costlier premium unleaded. The lineup scores a 4 on the TCC scale for base models that use the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. They’re estimated at 29 mpg city, 38 highway, 32 combined.
Ratings vary greatly by body style, transmission, and power output, though most check in between 29 and 31 mpg combined. John Cooper Works models can rate as low as 25 mpg combined, though.
