Used 2012 Mini Cooper S Hardtop Review & Ratings

The Mini Cooper S Hardtop is a new version of a small car that was produced by British Motor Corporation (BMC) in 1959. The car has undergone several modifications and design upgrades ever since that time. The Cooper S has been made available as a Coupe, Hatchback, or Convertible. It is a two-door, four-passenger vehicle, and it has been produced with some modifications that have made it slightly different from other Minis. The first design of the car served as an encouragement to many European auto manufacturers to create their own brand of vehicles within the same category as this car. The vehicle won an award as the second most influential car of the century.

The company that produced the Mini Cooper was acquired in 2002 by BMW, and several changes were carried out including an improvement on design and trims. The company has a reputation of producing cars that are agile, with some of the latest hi-tech devices, this is prevalent in the quirky toggle switches and oversized speedometer. This has been largely responsible for the successes the car has recorded over the years.

The Mini Cooper S Hardtop was born in 1961, when a racing car designer and producer known as John Cooper decided to improve the design of the vehicle. This has been a model that car enthusiasts have grown to love, despite its cramped quarters and boring performance.

The S Hardtop is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbo engine, which is paired up with a standard six-speed manual transmission to deliver 177 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. A six speed automatic is also available. The ride is smooth, due to the four-wheel independent suspension and handling is sporty. Of course, as you would expect from such a small and low-profile car, steering is responsive, allowing you to take on those winding roads with aggression.

Unlike the Coupe, the S Hardtop actually offers plenty of headroom as well as adequate rear visibility. It is equipped with standard safety features, such as emergency braking assist, daytime running lights, stability and traction control, electronic brakeforce distribution, emergency interior trunk release, post collision safety system and tire pressure monitoring. Mini also offers some unique safety options that can be added to the S Hardtop, including an antitheft alarm system, dynamic traction control and park distance control. Speaking of parking, you won't' find an easier vehicle to park in the smallest and most awkward parking spaces anywhere else!