Our Guide to Choosing the Best MINI Car for You

MINI cars has been a synonym for small, powerful hatchback models in the world for decades now. At first, MINI was just a model name, but currently it has turned into a full-fledged brand. 

The MINI was conceived in the 1950s when the UK was in the midst of a fuel crisis. The first model was designed by Alec Issigonis, who, along with his team, created a small hatchback with all four wheels pushed as far to the corners as possible, then fitted a transversely mounted motor and gearbox to drive the front wheels. The first MINI car was surprisingly spacious for its size. This combined with the frugal powertrain, the MINI became an instant hit in the market. The Original Mini remained in production until 2000, with only a few minor tweaks.

In 1994, German automaker BMW bought the Rover group. Even after it sold most of the other brands in 2000, it kept the rights to the MINI brand. A year later, BMW launched the entirely new MINI Cooper globally. The company made its India debut in 2012 and currently offers 5 models. In this blog, we will help you select the right MINI car.

Mini Cooper 3-Door

The Cooper 3-Door is the closest thing MINI makes to resemble the original small car. Currently, in its third generation, the 3-door hatchback is a tiny car by today’s standards, which also prioritises go-kart-like handling over ride quality. Go for it if you want the purest MINI experience.

MINI Cooper 3-Door is priced at Rs 40 lakh (ex-showroom) and is offered with a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that makes 189 bhp and 280 Nm of peak power and torque. It is mated to a 7-speed DCT automatic.

MINI Cooper Convertible

Want the driving fun of the 3-door hatch, but also want to bask under the sun? Then go for the MINI Cooper Convertible. While driving in India with the top down can be borderline hazardous, the few times that you get to do it is worth it. The Convertible received a facelift in 2021 that saw the car get a new grille, updated headlamps and a redesigned bumper. The soft top also gets the Union Jack printed on top as an optional extra.

The MINI Cooper Convertible is priced at Rs 51.50 lakh (ex-showroom). It is powered by a 2-litre 4-pot turbo-petrol motor that makes 189 bhp and 280 Nm of peak power and torque figures. In India, the Convertible comes with a 7-speed DCT automatic transmission as standard.

MINI Cooper Countryman

The MINI Countryman is for the buyer who has a family. Considerably larger than the 3-door hatch, it is still quite small, around the size of a compact SUV. However, being the size of a crossover doesn’t mean it loses out on Mini’s trademark handling. It is still vastly ahead of its competitors in this category, including the BMW X1, a vehicle that uses the same platform.

In India, the MINI Cooper Countryman is priced between Rs 42.00 and Rs 46.00 Lakh (ex-showroom). The largest MINI car is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that pumps out a maximum power of 189 bhp and peak torque of 280 Nm. Transmission duties are handled by the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. 

MINI John Cooper Works 

The fastest, most powerful MINI you can buy in India, the MINI JCW is the hardcore version of the MINI 3-door, much like how AMG models are for Mercedes Benz. Though the base car remains the same, everything is upgraded to make it better. You get a more aggressive look with blacked-out mesh grille and more prominent vents in the bumper, exclusive alloy wheels, and a roof-mounted spoiler. Inside, it gets JCW sports seats, cruise control and an audio setup by Harman Kardon as standard.

There are mechanical changes as well. The non-adaptive suspension uses a stiffer spring, making the JCW handle even better than the regular model. The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine has been tweaked to now make 228 bhp and 320 Nm of torque. Instead of the 7-speed DCT, the motor in the JCW is mated to an 8-speed automatic. If driving fast and having fun is your thing, then the MINI Cooper JCW is the car for you.

The MINI John Cooper Works is priced at Rs 47.70 lakh (ex-showroom).

Mini Cooper SE

The antithesis of the JCW, the MINI Cooper SE is the company’s first fully electric model. To differentiate it from the internal combustion models, the MINI SE gets a closed-off grille, new vertical air inlets, yellow S badges and ORVM covers. Also new on the model are the 17-inch alloys that are inspired by the British three-point socket. Despite weighing more in weight, the SE maintains the brands handling characteristics, helping you save the world while having fun. 

India gets a single variant of the MINI Cooper SE, priced at Rs 50.90 lakh (ex-showroom). The EV model uses a 32.6 kWh battery pack that powers the front-axle-mounted electric motor, making 184 bhp and 270 Nm of torque. With the optional 11 kW wall box, the battery can be charged from 0-80% in two and a half hours. It also supports 50 kW fast charging.

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