2025 Mini Cooper S Review: Almost all grown up

Among the vehicles I got to drive at the 2024 Mini Takes the States (MTTS) event, the 2025 Mini Cooper S was the highlight. Sure, there were more powerful, comfortable Minis on hand - but the Cooper S was the most fun.

The 2025 Mini Cooper S is all-new, yet very familiar

It must be a pain to design something that has to maintain its iconic status. Anger enough fans, you will begin to lose sales. With that in mind, Mini designed an excellent replacement for the F56. From the front and side, you’ll be hard-pressed to tell the difference.

What makes this Mini “all-new” is the powertrain, interior, exterior details, and tech. There are some components from the previous model but most of what’s important is new. These changes indicate where Mini is heading.

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Unlike the old days when you had dozens of choices with your interior, exterior, and powertrain, the choices now are much more limited. The lack of choice irks some Mini fans, and I met a ton of them at the MTTS event. Keep in mind that they did all this to keep the brand alive.

Not many powertrain choices for the 2025 Mini Cooper S

If you get the $28,950 base model Mini Cooper, you get a 161 horsepower 2.0-liter, I4 that makes 184 lb-ft of torque. The only transmission available is a 7-speed dual-clutch. I tested the more powerful Mini Cooper S with an MSRP of $32,200.

That one comes with a 201 hp 2.0-liter, making 221 lb-ft of torque. Once again, a 7-speed dual-clutch is the only transmission available. Simply put: the manual transmission is dead.

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Not only is the manual dead in the Coopers, but it’s no longer available in any Mini product. That’s a sad statement but before you light torches and burn effigies of Minis, look at this through their perspective.

In order to keep prices down, get a better return on their investment (ROI), and appease the BMW overlords, they had to streamline their production. This is why, among other things, they did away with a low-percentage, unpopular component. Sorry, but it’s true.

There is one thing that saves the bland interior

Yup, I said, “bland interior," and that’s because there is very little choice in terms of design, materials, seating surfaces, and electronics. Sure, there are about eight exterior colors, but not as many bold ones as before. Still, there are yellow, green, red, and blue finishes that look outstanding.

Interior choices come down to seat fabrics. You get four choices, depending on some trim decisions. Unfortunately, interior components like the dash, door panels, and touch materials all remain the same bland black.

Honestly, the random placement of fabric straps on the steering wheel and dash makes me scratch my head. The denim-like material on the door panels is another odd touch, and they can’t be substituted. That’s kind of a bummer.

There’s a centrally mounted, 9.4-inch circular OLED infotainment screen that also houses all of your driving information. Navigation, audio, speedometer, telemetry - all of it resides in that circle.

It takes some time to get used to, but the overall design is unique, and very Mini-ish. It is fun to play with, and the information it imparts is impressive. I think it saves the interior’s blandness.

Driving the 2025 Mini Cooper S at the 2024 MTTS was a treat

For Mini fans, owners, and enthusiasts the biennial MTTS event is their Woodstock/Lollapalooza. It’s a cross-country drive that has fan events at various stops. Thousands turn out from around the globe with attendees ranging from mild to wild and a vibe that's on par with hardcore music fans.

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Amid the enthusiastic clamor of the event, the folks at Mini gave me a set of keys for a brand-spanking new 2025 Mini Cooper S. My job was to drive it from Bozeman, MT to Spokane, WA. Along the way, I would take many detours to test its back-canyon driving character. Thus, I got to seriously test its highway and performance chops.

Before this journey, I did get a chance to get familiar with the Cooper S on the long Salt Lake City, UT to Bozeman, MT run. Still, my main drive was from the mountains to the sea.

No manual transmission does not equal less fun

Driving well over 400 miles in total, I learned something important: the Mini Cooper S may have lost its manual transmission, but it’s still a hoot to drive. The mixture of a single-joint front and multi-link rear suspension, along with beefy front and rear anti-roll/stabilizer bars makes handling epic.

Remember, this little guy weighs just over 3,000 lbs., and having Dynamic Stability Control mixed with an advanced Corner Brake Control system helps. Also, as is typical of Mini, the 18-inch wheels are pushed to the very corners of the box. This truly gives you that “go-kart” feel.

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The steering response is outstanding, and the brakes can handle a full day of hooning without much fade. Snapping off gear changes under a full boil, the 7-speed is pretty good. Even in traffic, the dual-clutch isn’t too jerky.

Unfortunately, there is no paddle shifter for the Cooper or Cooper S. That kind of sucks, especially considering the torque that claws at the tarmac. It would be great to have more control.

Also, the gear select is now a switch. It’s about twice as thick as a light dimmer in your house. I’m not a fan, but others insisted that it makes more space for an adult-sized set of cup holders. Being a coffee freak, who am I to disagree?

Still, the overall demeanor of the new Mini Cooper S is much more buttoned down. It should make for a much more manageable daily driver, over the former model. Still, it’s a blast to drive.

Final thoughts

Minis are pricey little toys when compared to other small cars but their whole point is driving joy. Every single Mini automobile I’ve driven these past many decades has been a blast. The newest one doesn’t disappoint - most.

Purists will lament the lack of a manual or paddle-shifters while others might begrudge the lack of interior choices as well. If you can put those gripes aside and drive the thing, you may find a permanent smile on your face.

That’s the point, isn’t it? A somewhat practical car with a ton of character, that’s crazy fun to drive? Yeah, they nailed that part. Now give us some paddle shifters!

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