Mini is getting a makeover, and the redesigned 2025 Mini Cooper joins an all-new Countryman and an upcoming model called the Aceman to completely refresh the automaker’s lineup. Some Minis are not returning, though, like the excellent Clubman. We’ve previously covered the new 2025 Cooper Electric and Countryman Electric models. This story is about the return of the gas-fueled Coopers.
For now, Mini provides details only for the Cooper and Cooper S three-door hardtop models, and information on the car is patchy at best. However, based on what the company has published, it comes in Classic and Favoured flavors with the traditional ability to customize how it looks and feels with a wide range of paint colors, wheel designs, roof treatments, interior materials, and more.
The 2025 Mini Cooper price starts at $28,950 plus a $995 destination charge, while the 2025 Mini Cooper S costs $32,200 plus destination.
You can spot the 2025 Mini Cooper from a mile away. Well, maybe not literally. But the moment you lay eyes on it, you’ll know what it is. The design hews so closely to the outgoing Cooper that you might not realize it’s all new unless you notice the triangular LED taillights.
Another telltale is the new horizontal LED daytime running lights within the oversized orbs anchoring each of the car’s front corners. Some Coopers will offer trim-specific lighting with animated welcome and departure sequences for a more distinctive appearance. Also, you can opt for Mini logo projection down onto the ground when you open the doors.
Mini says the Cooper will come in Classic and Favoured trim packages and hints that a performance-tuned John Cooper Works model is on the way. Several 17-inch and 18-inch wheel designs are available, and Mini says the Slide Spoke 18-inch option uses 70 percent recycled aluminum in its construction. In addition, Cooper S buyers can upgrade to a Multitone Roof option with a Spray-Tech three-color gradient. Fancy.
Open one of the car’s two doors, and you’ll find an interior inspired by the original Mini Cooper. A round 9.4-inch touchscreen display dominates the center of the two-tone, textile-trimmed dashboard composed of 90 percent recycled materials. The previous instrumentation pod on the steering column is gone, leaving only an available head-up display to provide information in the driver’s direct line of sight.
Under the infotainment screen, the familiar toggle control bar returns. It houses the electronic parking brake, engine start-stop key, transmission gear selector, and stereo volume knob. The available Mini Experience Modes add ambient lighting, dashboard graphics, and sound design to the car’s interior, further personalizing the Cooper to your preferences.
Mini banishes leather from the new Cooper; all upholstery choices are leather-free. A panoramic glass sunroof bathes the cabin in natural light, and the 60/40 split-folding back seat increases cargo capacity from 8.9 cubic feet to 34.4 cu-ft when you drop it flat.
Mini drops the previous three-cylinder base engine from the U.S. market, instead installing a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine in the Cooper models. The preliminary power rating is 156 horsepower, but that could change.
Cooper S models also have a 2.0-liter four, and the company claims it makes an estimated 201 hp and 221 pound-feet of torque. Is it turbocharged? Mini doesn’t say, but probably. Acceleration to 60 mph takes an estimated 6.3 seconds, according to Mini.
Both engines use a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) to power the front wheels. Mini embeds the gear selector within the toggle bar on the dashboard, boding poorly for a return of a manual transmission.
Nevertheless, Mini says it engineered the new Cooper to retain its “iconic go-kart feeling.” Promises include “agile handling,” “precise” steering, “powerful brakes,” and a ”high level of driving pleasure.” Those claims pencil, considering the car’s history of slapping a silly grin on your face with each drive.
Mini says the 2025 Cooper models have 12 ultrasonic sensors around the car to power the advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), including the smallest front radar unit of any BMW Group vehicle in history. And then they don’t reveal what ADAS the car has.
Despite the vague details about what safety features are standard and optional on the new 2025 Cooper, Mini confirms the car has a pedestrian warning system, parking sensors, and a safe exit assistance system. A blind-spot warning system is optional.
In addition, you can get a Driving Assistant Plus Package for the Cooper. It equips the car with lane-keeping assistance and what the automaker characterizes as automatic speed and distance control for city driving. Otherwise, as of this writing, the contents of this upgrade are a mystery.
Recalling the classic Cooper’s traditional center-mounted speedometer, the new Mini Interaction Unit (MIU) living in the middle of the 2025 Cooper’s dashboard hearkens back to the past while rapidly revving the car into the future.
It has a round 9.4-inch touchscreen with a thin, high-resolution OLED display surface. Vehicle instrumentation shows at the top of the screen, main menu selections live at the bottom, and in the middle, there are widgets that you can swipe through to find and display information related to the navigation system, the media source, phone functions, and more. Dual-zone temperature controls flank the menu near the bottom of the screen.
New Mini Operating System 9 software with over-the-air update capability powers the MIU. Amusingly, it includes a cloud-based Mini Intelligent Personal Assistant named “Spike.” To rouse Spike, say, “Hey, Mini.” From there, you can use natural voice commands to control the navigation system, make calls, change radio stations, adjust the temperature, and more. Naturally, one wonders if “Hey, Spike” produces the same result.
An optional Mini Navigation Package adds augmented view capability with 3D visualization to the navigation system. In addition, it provides traffic information and parking availability with digital payment options.
Does the new 2025 Mini Cooper have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto? Mini isn’t saying yet, but it’s a good bet. It also has a wireless charger on the center console, which is made possible by moving the transmission controls to the dashboard toggle bar.
Mini Digital Key Plus is also available. It turns your smartphone into the car’s key via the Mini app, unlocking the doors at a distance of five feet as you approach. Then, you can get in, fire up the engine, and motor to wherever you want to go.
JD Power puts the Mini Cooper in the Compact Sporty Car segment, and few of those remain on sale. So what are the alternatives?
If you want a street-legal go-kart, a Mazda MX-5 Miata is the very definition of such a thing. But it has no back seat and little space for anything but two people.
If you need some practicality to go with your driving enjoyment, you could consider hotter hatches like the Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo or Volkswagen Golf GTI or compact sports sedans such as the Honda Civic Si or Hyundai Elantra N. For areas where inclement weather is typical, the all-wheel-drive Subaru WRX makes sense.
Still, none of those cars offers the same level of personalization or personality you’ll find in the redesigned 2025 Mini Cooper.
Mini is the source of information in this article. It was accurate as of February 8, 2024, but it may have changed since that date. Always confirm product details and availability with the automaker’s website or your local dealership.
Christian Wardlaw is a veteran automotive journalist with nearly 30 years of experience in test-driving vehicles. In addition to JDPower.com, his work has appeared in numerous new and used-car buying guides, newspapers, and automotive industry trade journals.
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