The long-anticipated 2025 MINI Cooper will be initially available as an electric vehicle, with internal combustion engines to launch sometime next year. Produced in China by the Spotlight Automotive joint venture between BMW and Great Wall, the EV will be offered in a grand total of four grades.
But first, MINI wants you to know that Cooper now designates the three-door body style, five-door body style, as well as the convertible. This nameplate was previously used for an engine specification. Having settled that, let us kick things off with those trim levels.
Essential is what MINI dubs the most basic of specifications, followed by the Classic and Favoured. As expected, the JCW slots at the top of the lineup. The biggest differences between the Essential and Classic can be found inside, whereas Favoured gifts the car's exterior with a plethora of eye-catching details. The John Cooper Works is all about sportiness, featuring a high-gloss black grille and Chili Red paint for the roof.
When it comes to drivetrain options, the British automaker has confirmed the most important numbers of the entry-level Cooper E and slightly punchier Cooper SE. The numbers in question are 135 kW (181 hp/184 ps) and 160 kW (215 hp/218 ps), 290 and 330 Nm (214 and 243 lb-ft) of torque, 7.3 and 6.7 seconds to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour), 40.7 and 54.2 kWh for the battery packs, and WLTP combined test cycle driving ranges of 305 and 402 kilometers. The latter figures convert to 190 and 250 miles.
Some of us may not be impressed by said estimates, but remember that the three-door Cooper is pretty small compared to a traditional compact hatchback such as the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf. Boasting a longer wheelbase and wider track than its long-running predecessor, the 2025 model obviously promises to deliver the go-kart feeling typical of the British brand.
Photo: MINI
The Charismatic Simplicity design language of the all-electric Cooper also brings the point home, especially on the inside. Taking inspiration from the center-mounted round instrument cluster of the original from 1959, the 2025 model features a round touchscreen with OLED technology. There is no instrument cluster to speak of, much to the delight of Tesla Model 3 owners.
Essential information is displayed at the top of the screen, whereas satellite navigation is displayed in the center. The infotainment system runs an Android Open Source Project-based operating system dubbed MINI Operating System 9. Said operating system features an app store with quite a few goodies. The quirkiest thing about MINI Operating System 9 is the AirConsole app, which transforms your iOS or Android smartphone into the controller for the game on the OLED touchscreen.
As for functionality, the MINI Intelligent Personal Assistant is – without a shadow of a doubt – the highlight of the BMW-developed operating system. This assistant is so clever that it can learn to automatically drop the driver's window when entering a parking area.
Being an electric vehicle, we also have to touch upon the sensitive issue of charging. On alternating current, the 2025 MINI Cooper tops itself at 11 kilowatts. Fast charging, on the other hand, is rated at 75 kilowatts for the Cooper E and 95 kilowatts for the Cooper SE. In other words, the high-voltage batteries of the E and SE can be charged from 10 to 80 percent in half an hour.
The yet-to-be-detailed 2025 MINI Cooper with combustion engines will be marketed as the Cooper C. For all the info available on the 2025 model at the present moment, please refer to the release below.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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