Mini Cooper S Hardtop Increases Power, Rear Space

SEATTLE – In a sea of sameness, the Mini Cooper still stands out.

And a sea of 500-plus Mini Coopers definitely grabs the attention of passersby.

The automaker recently used its biennial “Mini Takes the States” owners’ rally to debut the Mini Cooper S 4-door which joined the thousands of Mini owners along the route from Albuquerque, NM, to here.

The 5-seater aims to combine the traditional and modern, coupling purist styling with the BMW-owned brand’s most-advanced driver-assistance systems. More power is on tap as well.

In the U.S. market, the Mini Cooper S 4-door will come with a 2.0L 4-cyl. (pictured, below) producing 201 hp and 221 lb.-ft. (300 Nm) of torque – a little punchier than the previous-generation 189 hp and 206 lb.-ft. (279 Nm).  The front-wheel-drive vehicle features a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Official fuel economy is 28/39 mpg (8.4-6.0 L/100 km) city/highway, with a combined rating of 32 mpg (7.3 L/100 km). We averaged 38.4 mpg (6.1 L/100 km) during our 223-mile (359-km) leg of the trip.

“Performance has always been pretty key to the brand,” Mike Peyton, vice president of Mini of the Americas, tells WardsAuto. “So particularly in JCW (John Cooper Works) models, we’ve always been kind of looking for opportunities to do that, where we can improve efficiency and the power in it.

“Even our exhaust note, like on our JCWs, is better or different in the U.S. than it is in Europe because of their requirements and standards,” Peyton says.

That said, the 2025 Mini Cooper S isn’t offering a manual transmission, but Peyton says he “wouldn’t rule it out for the future.”

“It’s not a ‘never coming back from,’” he says. “There were reasons we were doing it. There were some efficiencies, some of it was demand. But it’s been interesting that we’re always listening and certainly there’s been feedback and so there’s potentially a path to go back that way.

“I think at our highest point manuals have been about 6% of our portfolio, on average maybe 3%,” the executive says. “Where the highest has been on our 3-door JCW models have been 50%. So, you’ve got to put that all in perspective with JCW being roughly about 6% of our mix. It’s not that it’s a big majority. There’s definitely a core that really loves manuals.”

The 3-cyl. is no longer an option in the Mini Cooper C, the car’s non-performance version.

“Particularly here, since we’re very much known for fun-to-drive, the performance aspect, we don’t need it necessarily from an efficiency standpoint,” Peyton says. “So, we definitely want to make sure that when you’re driving a Mini, it’s driving like a Mini. Maybe in some other parts of the world it becomes more of an economics element. It’s not necessarily a performance element. So, we want to make sure our portfolio here truly is in line with what the customer expectations are. That’s the main decision.”

A new Mini Cooper battery-electric vehicle is still on track to go on sale in the fall, he says.

While its physical dimensions closely resemble those of its predecessor, the Mini Cooper S 4-door finds ways to maximize space while still keeping the vehicle’s traditional low profile.

In the back seat, a noticeably wider interior provides space for three passengers. An additional 2.8 ins. (71 mm) of wheelbase and 6.8 ins. (173 mm) of length makes more room in the second row and cargo area.

Cargo capacity behind the second row is 9.7 cu.-ft. (275 L), adequate to fit two carry-on bags, a computer bag and a backpack (pictured, below). Folding the rear seats increases cargo space to 32.7 cu.-ft. (925 L). A standard panoramic glass roof with a shading system adds to the spacious feel.

Inside, digital innovations and an immersive user experience give customers something new.

A circular OLED touchscreen (pictured, below) is 9.4 ins. (24 cm) in diameter, larger than the 8.8- and 6.5-in. (22.4- and 16.5-cm) rectangular touchscreens offered previously. Referred to as the Mini Interaction Unit, it is front and center on the dash and can be personalized with different functions. It also is where drivers interact with the Mini Intelligent Personal Assistant.

The easy-to-use “Hey Mini” feature is programmable to bring up either a car avatar or the digital Mini companion “Spike,” inspired by the look of an English Bulldog with a charming English accent to match.

The personal assistant can help in operating key functions, like navigation, phone, radio or temperature. It also will answer questions and tell jokes and stories on command. It’s great to play around with during a long road trip, such as what we were afforded during our “Mini Takes the States” drive.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available. Besides appearing on the Mini Interaction Unit, relevant information can also be shown on an optional head-up display.

Base price for the Mini Cooper S 2-Door is $34,600 plus $995 destination and handling. The tested vehicle, in an eye-catching Sunny Side yellow, included a $1,700 “Iconic” trim package. It features an interior camera, active driving assistant and Harman Kardon surround sound, bringing the price to $37,295.

U.S. market production began in July and the first models arrive at dealers in September.

New Mini Cooper S cabin.