2012 MINI Cooper Convertible Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Mini Cooper Convertible review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 Cooper Convertible, and includes Mini Cooper Convertible safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

Take one Mini Cooper Hardtop, slice off the hardtop part, slim down the size of the rear seat, erase much of the Cooper’s cargo carrying versatility, subtract a few numbers from the fuel economy ratings, add $5,000 to the price tag, and you’ve got a rolling sun tanning salon called the Mini Cooper Convertible.

Mini makes few changes to its 2012 Cooper Convertible. New “Cosmopolitan”-style floor mats come standard, there’s a newly optional compass display in the rearview mirror, and Mini expands availability of interior upholstery and color choices this year. The new Mini Yours personalization program also launches, offering a series of upscale options such as a two-tone leather-wrapped dashboard, a two-tone leather-wrapped steering wheel, “Soda” pattern mirror caps and interior accents, and a new 17-inch wheel design.

When choosing a 2012 Mini Cooper Convertible, there are three models primarily differentiated by upgrades in performance rather than equipment. Each of them is equipped with a 3-in-1 convertible roof that offers a sunroof feature for those times when you want a little sun and fresh air but don’t want the top completely down, a whimsical Openometer that tracks the amount of time you’ve spent driving around with your top off, an active rollover protection bar that pops up in the event you roll your Cooper in a crash, and 50/50-split folding rear seats to expand what little cargo space exists in the trunk. You can even power the top and windows up or down by simply twisting the key in the door lock.

Starting with the most affordable model, the 2012 Cooper Convertible includes air conditioning, power door locks with remote keyless entry, one-touch power windows, power mirrors, a tilt/telescopic steering wheel, and cruise control. Leatherette upholstery and a six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat are also standard, along with a trip computer, ambient cabin lighting, LED waterfall lighting, and push-button ignition. The basic stereo features six speakers, HD radio, a CD player, an auxiliary audio input jack, and a free one-year subscription to satellite radio. Run-flat tires are mounted to standard 16-inch alloy wheels.

If you’d like a more powerful turbocharged engine, the Cooper S model is the one you want. It also comes with sport seats and aluminum foot pedals, and can be identified from the outside by its fog lights, air intake hood scoop, brake cooling ducts, center-mounted exhaust outlets, and chrome fuel door.

For maximum acceleration and handling, check out the John Cooper Works edition. To compliment its even more powerful turbocharged engine, this Cooper Convertible gets a more robust manual gearbox and clutch, four-piston Brembo brakes, a freer-flowing exhaust system, and 17-inch lightweight alloy wheels. Mini’s Dynamic Stability and Traction Control system and Electronic Differential Lock Control are also standard, and to underscore its performance intentions, the John Cooper Works is equipped with a 160-mph speedometer, an exterior body kit treatment, and unique detailing. Cloth upholstery replaces leatherette on this model.

One of the great things about buying a Mini is that you can personalize it exactly the way you want through an extensive optional equipment menu, what the company refers to as “Youification.” Among the available features are Bluetooth hands-free calling and music streaming, a premium Harmon/Kardon sound system, Mini Connected smartphone integration technology, a navigation system, automatic climate control, and Comfort Access keyless locks and ignition. A variety of paint colors, leather choices, and interior trim panels are offered, along with heated front seats and side mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, and adaptive Xenon headlights. There’s much, much more to be had, so the best thing to do is visit the Mini website and see for yourself.

Depending on the Mini Cooper Convertible model you choose, you’ll get one of three different engines, all covered by three years or 36,000 miles of free scheduled maintenance.

The base engine in the Cooper Convertible is a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine making 121 horsepower. That’s not much power, even for a car as light as the Cooper, and especially since it requires premium fuel. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, and Mini says the Convertible gets to 60 mph in 8.9 seconds when you row your own gears. That’s adequate, and no more. If you can’t operate a clutch pedal, the optional six-speed automatic transmission is your choice, but 60 mph doesn’t arrive until 10.2 seconds have elapsed. That’s slower than a Prius. Expect to get about 28 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway with the manual transmission and 27-city/36-highway with the automatic.

Vehix recommends the Cooper S model if you don’t mind giving up a smidgeon of fuel economy in exchange for much more satisfying performance. Turbocharging brings the horsepower rating up to 181 at 5,500 rpm and torque measures 177 pound-feet available between 1,600 and 5,000 rpm. Mini says the Cooper S can accelerate to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds with the manual transmission and 7.0 seconds with the optional automatic, which features shift paddles on this model. Based on last year’s ratings, you can expect the Cooper S to get 27 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway with the manual gearbox and 26-city/34-highway with the automatic. Premium fuel is required.

Truly enthusiastic drivers will want the John Cooper Works version of the Cooper Convertible. It has a direct-injected and turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder good for 208 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 192 lb-ft of torque spread evenly across the bulk of the power band between 1,850 and 5,600 rpm. A strengthened six-speed manual gearbox is the only transmission choice with this model, and Mini says the John Cooper Works Convertible accelerates to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds and can go as fast as 146 mph if you’re brave enough to keep a foot in it. As with other Cooper models, the John Cooper Works requires premium fuel. Fuel economy estimates are 25 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway.

Though the Mini Cooper Hardtop loses its side curtain airbags to the convertible top, dropping airbag count to four, it does comes with a pop-up rollbar designed to protect occupants in the event of a rollover accident. In addition to these features, the Cooper Convertible is equipped with traction and stability control, four-wheel-disc antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and Cornering Brake Control, and a Crash Sensor system that automatically unlocks the doors, activates the hazard lights, and cuts the fuel supply to the engine if the airbags deploy.

Determining how removing the roof of a Cooper impacts crashworthiness is impossible because the car has not been rated by either the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Figuring out how the car may fare with regard to long-term durability is easier, but the outlook isn’t good. Consumer Reports predicts that the Cooper Convertible will perform at below average standards in terms of reliability, while J.D. Power and Associates – which last gave an opinion on the subject in 2010 (as this review is written) – says the car will return slightly below average levels of dependability.

Got something you need to keep cold? Crank the air conditioning and stick it in the Mini Cooper Convertible’s climate controlled glove box. Got something that won’t fit in a Cooper Hardtop? Try the Convertible model, because its trunk is actually larger than the Hardtop’s.

If you’re in a hurry to catch a few rays, the Cooper Convertible’s top completely folds down in 15 seconds. If a rainstorm sets in while the car is parked outside with the top dropped, you can race outside and raise the windows and roof by simply twisting the key in the driver’s door lock.

Mini wants to be sure owners can act when the mood strikes, so the base and Cooper S models are equipped with a Sport button that recalibrates throttle and steering response for more aggressive driving. Of course, in the base model, the effect is negligible.

With most modern convertibles, when you lower the top the windshield and the windshield frame remain in place over the front seats, and when you’re driving down the road your field of vision isn’t much different than when the top is raised. Bummer. In the Mini Cooper Convertible, that’s not a problem. The windshield is way up front, and you’re bathed in sunlight while enjoying a panoramic feeling of oneness with nature. Add the Mini’s jaunty personality and fun-to-drive character, and this is one convertible worth driving.

By Christian Wardlaw