MINI Cooper Convertible review

Is the MINI Cooper Convertible a good car?

The new MINI Cooper Convertible had us smiling almost the entire time we were driving it, quickly reminding us why we loved its closely-related predecessor so much. This little open-top thrill machine is fun to drive, and features a superb-looking, quality-feeling interior that’s more practical than a traditional two-seater roadster’s – though not by much, we’ll admit. Plus, every model gets a burbling four-cylinder petrol engine, for smooth power delivery and a lovely exhaust note. 

How much does the MINI Cooper Convertible cost?

You might think that the most frequent recipient of the Auto Express Convertible of the Year award would be our reigning champion, the genre-defining Mazda MX-5. Or perhaps the Porsche 718 Boxster? Maybe even the BMW Z4? But no. 

Long-time readers will know that for a long while, this title was held by the previous MINI Convertible, which managed to take home the gong a total of seven times throughout its life, including a six-year unbroken streak from 2018 to 2023. So despite its diminutive size, the replacement for the brilliant little drop-top has some big shoes to fill. 

Luckily the new MINI Cooper Convertible had a very good head start, because underneath is an updated version of the previous car’s platform. The suspension, steering and transmission tuning have all been tuned differently to separate it from its predecessor, as well as other models in the MINI range. 

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Speaking of which, while the tin-top Cooper hatchback is available with either a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder or 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, the Convertible just gets the larger of the two in varying states of tune. 

Base Cooper C models get 161bhp and 250Nm of torque; enough for 0-62mph in 8.2 seconds. Meanwhile, the Cooper S we drove gets a more generous 201bhp and 300Nm, which allows it to hit 62mph in 6.9 seconds. Finally, the full-fat John Cooper Works model turns the dial up to 228bhp and 360Nm, cutting the 0-62mph time down to 6.4 seconds. 

Regardless of which you choose, the engine is paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission; there’s no manual gearbox offered in any version of the new MINI Cooper. 

Prices for the Cooper Convertible start from £27,050, or £31,450 if you go for the more potent Cooper S. That’s about £4,000 more than the equivalent hatchback, although the larger 2.0-litre engine will be responsible for some of that. Both versions are available in a choice of three trim levels: Classic, Exclusive and Sport.

Every model is equipped with the circular OLED screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, sat-nav, a wind deflector, heated steering wheel, rear-view camera, cruise control and various other safety systems.

Cooper S models in the same Classic specification get slightly more kit, such as a head-up display, wireless charging pad, heated front seats, 17-inch rims and adaptable front and rear light signatures.

Exclusive trim unlocks a choice of ‘Nightshade Blue’ or beige upholstery, and adds a light-grey knitted dash trim, a lidded storage box and a blue decorative dashboard strap, plus silver grille surround and exterior logos.

For a JCW-inspired look, Sport trim adds more aggressive front and rear bumpers, 18-inch rims, and a black and red interior treatment, complete with shift paddles on the steering wheel. Adaptive suspension, upgraded sport brakes and sport transmission also feature.

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The new MINI Cooper Convertible is one of the few cars still built in the UK, at the company’s historic Oxford plant. However, we got to enjoy the car as it was meant to be enjoyed, by going for our first drive in sunny South Carolina in the US, where everything is bigger, including the potholes – as we quickly learned. 

The ride is firm, like it is in all the MINIs we’ve tested recently, which results in the Cooper Convertible feeling like it's crashing into larger potholes. We also noticed the car starts to jiggle a lot over uneven road surfaces. But on a smoother tarmac, it’s comfortable to cruise along in, and the cabin is actually surprisingly quiet even at higher speeds with the roof down.  

It took some time, but eventually we found a twisty back road on the outskirts of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and the Cooper Convertible came good, because it feels very planted going through corners. Well weighted steering adds to the fun, as does the grip and body control this little car delivers, all complemented by a rapturous, burbling exhaust note from the four-cylinder engine under the bonnet.  

We weren’t left wanting for more power after driving the mid-range Cooper S, which delivers plenty of punch low down, plus the occasional pop and hint of turbo whistle when you lift off the throttle. The gearbox can be hesitant in its standard setting when you put your foot down, but throttle response becomes quicker if you switch from Normal to the Go-Kart driving mode – or one of the ‘Experience Modes’ as MINI calls them.

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For those who are searching for a guilt-free, zero-emissions open-top driving experience, an electric version of the MINI Cooper Convertible is coming, and it will even be produced in Oxford from 2026.

For now though, the MINI Convertible is available exclusively with a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. MINI claims it can return up to 43.5mpg in the base Cooper C model, while the more powerful Cooper S and hot JCW version will do up to 42.8mpg and 40.9mpg respectively – providing you keep your heavy lead foot at bay. 

It almost goes without saying that you shouldn’t expect to hit those kinds of efficiency figures if you’re primarily blasting along B-roads lapping up what you can of the British sunshine.  

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As well as using the same platform as the previous MINI Convertible, some design elements have been carried forward to the new model as well. Probably the most noticeable are the oblong tail-lights, however these feature new internals with a similar customisable, dot-matrix pattern that the Cooper hatch has. The grille and headlights are also fresh, but the biggest change is the cabin.

We’re very familiar with this new interior design already, because it’s shared with the Cooper hatchback, as well as the new Aceman and Countryman SUVs. It’s fresh and cool, with knitted material across the dashboard and high-quality, vegan-friendly leatherette upholstery. 

The highly impressive centrepiece is the super-sharp 9.4-inch circular OLED touchscreen that’s responsible for displaying vital driving information, infotainment and climate controls. Which is why we’re pleased to report that even with the roof down and in direct sunlight, it’s still very easy to read the high-contrast display. 

A fun addition for the Convertible is an ‘Always Open Timer’ in the central display that tells you exactly how much time you’ve spent driving with the roof down. Hopefully British buyers won’t find this too taunting during the colder, wetter months of the year – which, admittedly, feels like most of the time. 

But when the sun does come out, it takes just 18 seconds to lower the fabric roof via a toggle switch at the top of the windscreen, and you can do it at up to 18mph. Alternatively, ‘Sunroof’ mode slides the soft-top back by 40cm if you just want to bring a little extra light into the cabin. 

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One benefit the Cooper Convertible has over traditional two-seat roadsters, such as the Mazda MX-5 and BMW Z4, is a pair of back seats with two sets of ISOFIX child-seat mounting points. Although that doesn’t make the MINI a family car. 

Of course, there’s all the headroom in the world with the roof down, but legroom is in much shorter supply so adults won’t want to spend that long back there. It’s also much louder in the back of the Convertible, partly because of the much slimmer rear windows. 

Meanwhile, boot capacity is 215 litres with the roof in place, which is enough for your luggage, plus a bucket and spade, to go on a weekend trip to the seaside. However, the storage space shrinks to 160 litres once you fold the roof down. On that rare occasion that you need to load longer items into the Convertible, you can lower the rear seats to create 665 litres of space. 

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The latest MINI Cooper hatchback hasn’t received a crash safety score from industry experts Euro NCAP, so neither has its Convertible sister model. 

Like the previous model, the Convertible features a rollover protection system that includes hoops behind the rear seat headrests that are deployed as soon as the car thinks it might roll over.

Other safety and driver-assistance equipment includes cruise control, a rear-view camera, automatic emergency braking, traffic-sign recognition and lane-keep assist. Meanwhile adaptive cruise control and semi-autonomous parking function are available with the optional ‘Level 3’ pack, which is only available on select variants and costs £5,200.

Every new MINI is covered by a three-year manufacturer’s warranty, which is par for the course – but it has no mileage limit.