2012 MINI Cooper Hardtop Overview Change Vehicle

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

At its core, the Mini Cooper Hardtop is a subcompact three-door hatchback, an economy car by any other name. However, it is elevated above “working-class” status by a storied history, iconic design, and BMW brand ownership. You could get more car for the same money, but you wouldn’t have nearly as much fun.

Thanks to the new Mini Yours program, it’s even easier to custom-build a Mini Hardtop like no other on the road. Highlights include a two-tone leather-wrapped dashboard and steering wheel, a special 17-inch alloy wheel design, and a new “Soda” 3-D pattern design for the outside mirrors and leather upholstery accents. In other news, all models get standard “Cosmopolitan”-style floor mats and a new optional rearview mirror includes an integrated compass display. Base models receive a new 15-inch wheel design, and Mini expands the availability of certain upholstery selections to all models. John Cooper Works models also come with a standard body kit for 2012.

There’s one more item of note. If you’ve got $52,000 sitting around, you could get the limited-production Mini Inspired by Goodwood model, of which only 140 units will be produced for the U.S. Basically, this model was produced in collaboration with Rolls-Royce, and is the most luxurious Mini ever made.

Ask Mini what comes standard on the Cooper Hardtop, and the company says a wide Bulldog stance, alert ergonomic driving position, open-wide front doors, surprising cargo space, and other tongue-in-cheek examples of humorous marketing copy. Filter the whimsy, which is not necessarily something you want to do with a Mini Cooper unless you’re performing serious research on one, and you’ll find four different models for 2012: Cooper, Cooper S, John Cooper Works, and Mini Inspired by Goodwood.

The standard Cooper Hardtop includes 15-inch alloy wheels, leatherette upholstery, a manual driver’s seat height adjuster, LED waterfall lighting, ambient cabin lighting, and push-button ignition. Air conditioning is also standard, along with cruise control, a tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, power side mirrors, power windows with one-touch operation, power door locks with remote keyless entry, and a trip computer. A six-speaker sound system with a CD player is enhanced with an auxiliary audio input jack, satellite radio with one free year of service, and HD radio capability. There’s also a Sport button that recalibrates throttle and steering response for more aggressive driving.

Moving up the trim level ladder brings gains in performance, but not necessarily creature comforts. The Cooper S has a turbocharged engine, 16-inch alloy wheels wearing run-flat performance tires, fog lights, and sport seats. An air intake hood scoop, brake cooling ducts, center-mounted exhaust outlets, and a chrome fuel door identify the Cooper S model from the outside, while the cabin is decorated with aluminum foot pedals.

The John Cooper Works model takes performance to the next level. This model has a massaged turbocharged engine, a reinforced clutch, bigger front brakes squeezed by four-piston Brembo calipers, larger exhaust outlets, and lightweight 17-inch alloy wheels. A body kit and unique trim help distinguish the John Cooper Works model, and the cabin gets stainless steel foot pedals, cloth upholstery, and a 160-mph speedometer. Mini also includes its Dynamic Stability and Traction Control system, as well as an Electronic Differential Lock Control.

For 2012, Mini dives into the luxury end of the subcompact pool with the lavishly outfitted and limited-production Mini Inspired by Goodwood. Based on the Cooper S model, this $52,000 version features Diamond Black Rolls-Royce paint, a Cornsilk Rolls-Royce interior, 17-inch multi-spoke turbine-style wheels, Lambswool floor mats, a Cashmere headliner, Burr Walnut veneers, a Walknappa leather-wrapped steering wheel, and Piano Black controls. The only option is an automatic transmission.

Numerous options are available on other Mini Cooper Hardtops, and it is best to consult the Mini website to learn more about how these cheeky little cars can be personalized. Highlights include Bluetooth, Mini Connected smartphone integration, a navigation system, a Harmon/Kardon sound system, a panoramic sunroof, automatic climate control, Comfort Access keyless locks and ignition, Park Distance Control, heated front seats and side mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive Xenon headlights, leather upholstery, wood or metal interior trim, metallic paint, and much more.

The Cooper Hardtop is equipped with a 1.6-liter, inline four-cylinder engine making 121 horsepower. If that doesn’t sound like much oomph, consider that the Cooper Hardtop weighs around 2,600 pounds. Compared to most cars, this one is a featherweight. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, and a six-speed automatic transmission is optional. Mini says the Cooper Hardtop will accelerate to 60 mph in 8.4 seconds with the manual gearbox. If you want to keep up with traffic, you might want to stick with the stick, because with the automatic it takes 9.7 seconds to hit 60. Fuel economy ratings are not finalized as this review is written, but last year this engine returned 29 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway with the manual transmission and 28-city/36-highway with the automatic. It requires premium fuel, by the way.

We strongly recommend upgrading to the Cooper S, if for no other reason than to take advantage of its thrilling little turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. With 181 horsepower at 5,500 and 177 pound-feet of torque available between 1,600 and 5,000 rpm, the Cooper S hits 60 mph in 6.6 seconds with its six-speed manual gearbox and 6.8 seconds with its optional six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. Fuel economy ratings from last year were 27 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway with the stick shift and 26-city/34-highway with the paddle shift. Premium fuel is required.

The John Cooper Works model is designed to extract maximum performance from the Cooper Hardtop. Featuring direct fuel injection, its turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder generates 208 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 192 lb-ft of torque between 1,850 and 5,600 rpm. Paired exclusively to a beefed-up six-speed manual gearbox, the John Cooper Works model accelerates to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of 147 mph. Fuel economy ratings are 25 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway, operating on premium fuel.

All 2012 Mini models include free scheduled maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles, a feature that can be extended through a pre-paid program to cover the car for six years or 100,000 miles.

The Mini Cooper Hardtop is equipped with six airbags, traction and stability control, and four-wheel-disc antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and Cornering Brake Control. It also has a Crash Sensor feature that, if the airbags deploy, will automatically cut the fuel supply to the engine, unlock the doors, and activate the hazard lights.

The only rating given to the Cooper Hardtop by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is a 5-Star rollover resistance rating. In full testing conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Cooper Hardtop receives Good ratings for its performance in the offset frontal-impact test and the rear-impact injury prevention test, coupled with Acceptable ratings for roof crush strength and the side-impact crash-test.

If crashworthiness ratings aren’t quite perfect, reliability predictions are worse. Consumer Reports says the Mini Cooper Hardtop is likely to provide below average reliability, and back in 2010 J.D. Power and Associates was predicting that reliability would be slightly below average for the Cooper models.

The quirky Cooper offers plenty of fun stuff, especially when it comes to customizing its appearance. We’re intrigued by its standard climate controlled glove box and triple sun visor setup, two unusual features on any car.

Not unexpectedly, it’s best to use the Cooper Hardtop for carrying people or cargo, but not both. With the rear seat in use, the trunk offers just 5.7 cubic-feet of space. That’s barely more than a Miata. But if you treat the Cooper Hardtop as a two-seater and fold those back seats down, there’s 24 cu-ft of space for your stuff, more than the ginormous trunk on a Ford Taurus.

We love the Mini Cooper Hardtop. It’s fun to look at, fun to drive, and fun to be seen in. Plus, it’s fun to use the Mini website’s configuration tools to custom build them one after another. However, in practical terms, it is cramped inside, misses top marks for crashworthiness, doesn’t inspire on the reliability front, and is pretty darn expensive. In other words, the Cooper Hardtop is a toy to be played with, not a serious mode of transportation.

By Christian Wardlaw