There’s little argument that the original Mini, designed by the legendary Sir Alec Issigonis and released way back in 1959, is one of the most significant and important cars in history. It’s perhaps fitting, then, that it was at a historically significant time – the turn of a new millennium – that the Issigonis original was finally laid to rest and, under the stewardship of BMW, the car was completely reimagined for the modern age.
The car we got, which arrived late in 2000 for the 2001 model year, was an absolute belter, and was justifiably and deservingly met with both critical acclaim and phenomenal commercial success. More than that, it spawned an entirely new brand that style-conscious car buyers, both in the UK and abroad, lapped up for years to come, and is still going strong today.
Here, we look back at how we ended up with a thoroughly modern MINI by taking a look back at the company’s history under BMW ownership.
BMW MINI Generations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- MINI Hatch Pros and Cons
- MINI Hatch Mk4 (2024-present)
- MINI Hatch Mk3 (2014-2024)
- MINI Hatch Mk2 (2007-2013)
- MINI Hatch Mk1 (2001-2006)
- When Did BMW Buy MINI?
Frequently Asked Questions
Which MINI Hatch years are the best?
We reckon the sweet spot in the MINI lineage for most buyers will be the Mk3 version, sold between 2014 and 2024. Compared with earlier MINIs, it’s bigger, roomier and more practical, making it a more viable daily driver, and it has much more in the way of creature comforts and tech. It’s also a more comfortable car than earlier efforts. Okay, so it’s not as technologically advanced as the Mk4 version that replaced it, but it’ll be a lot cheaper to buy and it doesn’t have the latest car’s fiddly touchscreen system, so its ergonomics are actually better. If you want a combustion-engined MINI, the dynamic hardware of the Mk4 is actually just a breathed-on version of the Mk3’s, so the earlier car is just as good to drive. If you want an electric MINI, though, the battery-powered Mk4 has a different, all-new platform, plus it has a considerably better range than the Mk3 MINI Electric.
Which MINI Hatch years are the worst?
All MINIs are appealing, being fun to drive and quirkily styled. If pushed, however, we’d say that the Mk2, sold between 2007 and 2013, is marginally the least appealing of the bunch. When the Mk1 was first introduced, BMW massively overdid it on the interior quality in an attempt to win folk over to the new MINI brand (which worked a treat, by the way), to the point where, it is rumoured, that BMW lost money on every one sold. For the Mk2, that particular objective had already been achieved, so the interior quality was throttled back a bit in order to maximise profits. It wasn’t bad by any stretch, but it wasn't quite as lustrous as its predecessor. Later versions then reinstated MINI’s super-impressive build quality.
Is a used MINI Hatch a good deal?
Yes. Whatever generation of the MINI your budget allows you to buy, you’ll be getting a car that’s a thrill-a-minute to drive, effortlessly stylish and impressive on quality. You won’t be getting the most practical or most comfortable car of the type, but that’s not what you expect with a MINI. The earliest cars can be had for a song these days, although be aware that newer ones still command fairly punchy prices.
MINI Hatch Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Tremendous fun to drive
- Stylish and desirable
- Strong on interior quality
Cons:
- Ride isn’t as cosseting as some
- Relatively tight on cabin- and boot space
- Can look pricey compared to contemporary alternatives
MINI Hatch Mk4 (2024-present)
2024 saw the arrival of the latest all-new incarnation of the MINI. Initially, it was only available as an all-electric car. There are two forms, the Cooper E with 181bhp and a range of 190 miles, and the Cooper SE with 215bhp and a range of 250 miles.
Not long after the initial launch, the Mk4 also became available with petrol power. However, not all was quite as it seemed: despite sharing the looks of the all-electric version, the petrol is actually a heavily revised version of the mk3 MINI underneath. The base-level variant, the Cooper C, has a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine with 154bhp, while the more powerful Cooper S gets a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo with 201bhp. Both get a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox as standard, and there’s no option for a manual.
All have the highly configurable but minimalist interior design as seen in the latest MINI Countryman (read about that car by clicking these blue words) along with the same world-first circular OLED touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard.
The overall formula of the Mk4 is generally the same as with previous generations. It has the same playful, fun-to-drive character on the road (although this arguably comes at the expense of ride comfort), while the interior is modest on practicality but big on quality. Most importantly, the retro-modern styling and cutesy character remains, meaning the Mk4 is as likeable and as charming as the MINI models that have gone before.
MINI mk4 review
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MINI Hatch Mk3 (2014-2024)
Although the stylistic changes from Mk2 to Mk3 might not be instantly obvious, the MINI of 2014 was in fact a completely new car, and once again larger than its predecessor. Here at last is a MINI with a boot suitable for a weekly shop, and while the rear still only has two seat belts, there is more legroom than before. Practicality improved again in 2015 when a MINI 5-Door hatch version (pictured above) was launched, with a longer wheelbase, three seats in the back and a larger boot, creating a viable rival to the contemporary Volkswagen Polo and Ford Fiesta.
The engine range for the third-generation MINI starts with a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol in the One before moving up to a 1.5 petrol in the new MINI Cooper and then a 2.0-litre petrol in the Cooper S. Later on, even sportier versions were introduced in the form of the John Cooper Works and the limited-run JCW GP, the latter of which had upwards of 300bhp. Again, diesels were offered across the range, and they are impressively smooth by supermini standards, not to mention able to return fuel consumption upwards of 50mpg in normal driving. Later on, in 2020, the MINI Electric (also known as the Cooper SE to reflect its sporting aspirations) arrived, a full battery electric version with a 181bhp electric motor and an official WLTP range of around 140 miles.
For this generation of MINI, the speedometer was finally moved to in front of the driver (a head-up display also became available as an optional extra), with the circular pod in the middle of the dash now housing a basic radio or full infotainment system with all the functionality you expect. Despite this, the interior of the MINI remains truly quirky, and finished to a very high standard for a car in the supermini class.
The increase in the car’s size didn’t harm its driving dynamics, either. In fact, the third-generation MINI was more grown-up to drive than ever, offering improved refinement and handling that still feels as direct and engaging as when the original BMW MINI appeared all those years before.
As with previous iterations of the car, special editions were still constantly being offered. Some to look out for include the Seven, named after the 1959 Austin Seven (as the Mini was originally called), and the JCW Challenge, a UK-only model based on the cars used in MINI’s one-make motorsport series. For those who want racy looks without the higher running costs of a full hot hatch, there’s also the 1499 GT, which marries a 1.5-litre drivetrain of the 2018 MINI One with the styling of a John Cooper Works.
MINI mk3 review
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MINI Hatch Mk2 (2007-2013)
At 3.7 metres the second generation of BMW MINI (codename R56) was a full 6cm longer than its predecessor, a gain that allowed for an improved safety specification and marginally more interior space - particularly in the rear seats- and boot space. It looks like a significantly larger car, too, despite retaining all of the retro styling cues to which buyers had become accustomed, and also offered a more refined driving experience that lived up to the premium badge (and price tag).
As before, the range stretched from the entry-level MINI One through the Cooper and then Cooper S, with even more performance-oriented variants coming later in the MINI John Cooper Works model and the GP model. With an increasing focus on running costs, including tax incentives linked to cars with low CO2 emissions, MINI broadened its diesel offering to include not only the One D, but also the Cooper D and Cooper SD. Interior quality continued to impress, as did the amount of personalisation available, allowing buyers to configure their car just-so, although by this point rival manufacturers were beginning to offer similar upgrades.
Where MINI was clever was in retaining the car’s fun-to-drive nature, despite changes as fundamental as switching from hydraulic power steering to an electric setup, and in the Cooper S, swapping the supercharged engine for a turbo engine. This is still a car that in any specification can put a smile on your face with its direct controls, instant response and peppy performance: it’s not about top speed, it’s about involvement.
A Convertible was offered once again, along with Coupe and Roadster models that have two seats and a lower roofline for those who want to stand out from the crowd. Although not a big commercial success, both are great fun to drive and their rarity relative to other MINIs has the potential to make them interesting to collectors in years to come.
MINI mk2 review
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MINI Hatch Mk1 (2001-2006)
BMW bought the Mini brand as part of its purchase of the Rover Group in the mid-1990s, and subsequently retained it when selling Rover in 2000. At the time, both Rover and BMW had ideas about what a new MINI car should be, but it was American designer Frank Stephenson, working for BMW, whose concept was finally approved. The result was not a car bursting with original thinking in the same way the original Mini of Sir Alec Issigonis had done, but was still easily charming enough to reinvent this classic brand for a modern audience.
Those first MINI hatchbacks, available solely in MINI 3-door hatch form and built in Cowley, Oxford, are much more compact than today’s offering, but at the time were still criticised by some for being bloated in comparison to the classic Mini (although by the standards of today, it’s still a very small car). Not that it mattered to buyers, who flocked to the new car, captivated by its retro styling (nods to the past included round headlights and an enormous central speedo) and the ability to personalise it to their precise requirements, which in turn created brand advocacy and drove profitability.
The standard MINI was great fun on the road in its own sporty-but-reserved right, but it was the uprated MINI Cooper S, with its supercharged 1.6-litre petrol engine and satisfyingly snicky manual gearbox, that gave MINI credibility among enthusiasts, for here was a car that was both fashionable and fast, capable of keeping up with much more serious machinery thanks to its instant punch and tenacious grip.
Even quicker versions followed, including the GP (pictured above) with its stripped-out interior (among other changes, the back seats made way for a strut brace to reduce weight and increase rigidity). The MINI range was also extended by the arrival of the MINI Convertible with a folding fabric top, allowing MINI to establish itself as the small premium car of choice. Indeed, it would take until 2010 for Audi to launch a rival in the shape of the A1.
Read out full history of BMW MINI
MINI mk1 review
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When did BMW buy MINI? And what has it done with the MINI brand?
BMW bought the Mini brand in 1996 as part of its purchase of the Rover Group. The first BMW MINI launched in 2001. But the arrival of the 2001 BMW MINI didn’t just herald a new car; it formed the beginnings of a whole new car brand. Yes, MINI soon realised that the countless styling nods given to the original Issigonis Morris Mini-Minor from back in the BMC (British Motor Corporation) days could be applied to other types of car besides the small MINI 3-door hatch, and in the fullness of time, a wide variety of models were spun off the same formula. We’ll take a quick look at them now.
With the first generation of the MINI, these were limited to variations of the same car, those being sporty high-performance versions and the two-door convertible version.
MINI became a lot more adventurous around the time of the second-generation MINI, though. The MINI Clubman appeared in 2008: this was a slightly bigger estate version with strangely unconventional design. For some reason, there was only one rear door on the right-hand side of the car (which opened out into the road when you were parked at the kerb), and twin side-hinged doors for the boot.
Then came the new MINI Countryman in 2011. This time considerably bigger than the regular MINI hatch, the Countryman was a compact family SUV in a similar mould to the Nissan Qashqai, but with all those typical MINI styling cues. Many versions were front-wheel drive, but the car could also be had with all-wheel drive, known in MINI circles as All4.
Like we said earlier, the MINI Coupe and MINI Roadster variants came along in 2012. These were two-door, two-seat cars with either a fixed- or folding roof, both based on the strengthened chassis of the MINI Convertible. Then along came the Paceman in 2013. Possibly MINI’s bizarrest effort yet, this was a three-door version of the Countryman with a raked back coupe-like roof.
A second-generation version of the Clubman came along in 2015: it was much better all-round, and mercifully, had rear doors on both sides of the car. The second-generation Countryman appeared in 2016, which itself was replaced in 2024 with a new third-generation model. All the other models fell away over time.
Keep your eyes peeled for the forthcoming new MINI Aceman, too, due later in 2024. Dubbed as an all-electric urban crossover, this has a five-door SUV bodystyle, but it has a wheelbase that’s 8cm longer than the regular MINI Cooper’s, but 9cm shorter than the Countryman’s, so it slots neatly between for size.