2023 MINI Hardtop 4 Door

　　

2023 MINI Hardtop 4 Door Review

byDan FrioReviews Editor

　　Dan spent many years covering the go-fast, look-good, get-loud corners of the automotive universe. First, he served as editor of enthusiast magazines AutoSound and Honda Tuning, then as executive editor at SEMA News, the publishing arm of the trade group that produces the annual SEMA Show (yes, that show). As a contributor to zzdcar, he now likes to keep the volume low and the speed limit legal, providing expert car-shopping advice to drivers looking for the perfect match.

　　A handful of new hardtop color choices and the addition of standard Apple CarPlay give the 2023 Mini Hardtop 4 Door some renewed vigor among a group of freshened hatchback rivals. A new yellow hardtop option, plus new white and red Multitone roof colors that feature a color-blending gradient, joins the blue/black Multitone roof introduced last year. The Mini's changes are largely cosmetic, however. There are no additional power or performance upgrades, and Android Auto smartphone integration for the center display, which would be nice to have, is still MIA.

　　Mini missed a chance here to pull away from four-door hatchback rivals such as the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Honda Civic, cars that blend sporty with practical and include now-common tech as standard features. Compounding matters are supply chain shortages that have forced Mini to halt production of standard manual transmissions. For now, the Hardtop 4 Door will only offer a seven-speed automatic. The base trim level, Classic, is also being suspended, making the Signature trim the new base level. Mini says these changes are temporary but offers no timeline for their return.

　　The Mini's ace card, though, has always been its swagger, thanks to the myriad ways it can be personalized. From the color of the roof and side mirrors to dozens of stripe, wheel and color combinations, it's easy to build a Mini that stands out in a sea of silver, white and black cars.

　　

Which Hardtop 4 Door does zzdcar recommend?

Spring for the Cooper S if you can stretch it. The larger engine makes the Mini snappy and responsive, best suiting its character. In the absence of the Classic trim, the Signature trim becomes the default base trim, and it's a good one, including a panoramic sunroof, heated front seats and keyless entry. It also offers a few options, such as the premium audio system.

　　

MINI Hardtop 4 Door models

The 2023 Mini Convertible is available in two trim levels: Cooper and Cooper S. They're differentiated by the engine under the hood. There are also two subtrims — Signature and Iconic — that denote the number of features on each vehicle.

　　The Cooper is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine (134 horsepower, 162 lb-ft of torque), while the Cooper S gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder (189 hp, 206 lb-ft). Both models are front-wheel-drive and come with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. (Production of manual-transmission models has been halted.)

　　Note: Mini has temporarily discontinued the base trim, the Classic, due to supply chain issues. No timeline had been given regarding its return at the time of this review. We've included the listing of the Classic trim (based on the 2022 car) for reference purposes, should it be resurrected from the supply-chain ashes. See the Signature's feature set below for what's currently available as the "base" Mini Convertible.

　　Classic

　　15-inch alloy wheels Body-colored roof LED headlights Heated sideview mirrors Automatic wipers Leather-wrapped steering wheel Imitation leather seats Digital instrument display 8.8-inch touchscreen Apple CarPlay smartphone integration Satellite radio Rear parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible behind the vehicle when parking) Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane) Signature

　　Includes the above, plus:

　　16-inch wheels Panoramic sunroof Keyless ignition and entry Dual-zone automatic climate control Ambient cabin lighting Heated front seatsIconic

　　Includes the above, plus:

　　17-inch wheels Power-folding side mirrors Auto-dimming rearview mirror Premium leather upholstery Nappa leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel Navigation Head-up display Wireless device charging 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound systemCooper S Hardtop 4 Door

　　The Cooper S offers the same features and trim levels as the regular Cooper and adds:

　　17-inch alloy wheels (Signature) 18-inch alloy wheels (Iconic) Additional driving modes Sport seatsMany features on the Iconic trim are available for the Signature as part of the Premium and Touchscreen Navigation packages. Other packages include:

　　Driver Assistance package Automated parking system (steers into a parking spot with little or no driver intervention) Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on a screen above the instrument panel) Premium package (Cooper) Auto-dimming mirrors Heated steering wheel 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system Resolute Edition (Cooper S) 18-inch wheels Unique bronze exterior treatments (stripes, soft top) Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel Ambient cabin lighting Imitation leather/cloth combination upholstery Some of the above items are available as stand-alone options. Adaptive dampers and adaptive cruise control can be added to Cooper S models, and the sport seats can be replaced with the standard seats from the Cooper if preferred.

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