2025 MINI Cooper S 4 Door Review

We’ve completed the side quest. The mission to drive all the MINI models that have been heavily updated over the past two years. The Countryman SE ALL4, the regular gas-powered Countryman, the Cooper S Convertible, the MINI Cooper JCW, the Cooper 2-Door, and now the MINI Cooper S 4-Door (or 5-Door if you live in Canada).

The brand’s core traits are strong in each model, with there being little differences in terms of style, technology, and core DNA. That stated, each model does have a slightly unique personality and we wanted to experience what the new Cooper S is like with an extra set of doors attached.

The MINI 4 Door rides on a 101.1-inch (2,568 mm) wheelbase with an overall length of 158.9-inches (4,036 mm). That’s about 6.1-inches (155 mm) longer than the MINI 2 Door, but still over 20-inches (508 mm) shorter than a Honda Civic Hatchback fir reference.

The Cooper S version of the 4 Door includes a panoramic moonroof and our tester arrived painted British Racing Green IV Metallic. It’s the Iconic trim in the USA, or Premier+ in Canada, with the Favored Style. It includes intricate two-tone wheels and a body color roof.

We miss the cool Union Jack taillights, and the new units don’t really do it for us. We also miss the exposed exhaust tips. Up front, the car is unmistakably MINI in appearance, highlight by a set of giant round headlights.

Like the 2 Door and Convertible, the Cooper S 4 Door continues to use a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, but power has increased to 201 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent through the front wheels via a 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission (DCT). We won’t take up too much space repeating our constant complaint about the new Cooper S models, which is the fact they are performance models with a DCT, yet there is no way to manually control the gears at all. No paddle shifters, no slappy gear lever.

Regardless of that complaint, the car is quoted to run from 0 to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds, with a top speed of either 130 mph or 150 mph depending on tires. As the numbers suggest, acceleration isn’t neck-snapping, but the engine features a deep, torque-rich powerband that keeps pulling well into illegal freeway speeds. It’s a very flexible unit that isn’t peaky at the higher end of rpms only.

Despite the impressive haste, the car is relatively efficient, returning 28 mpg (8.4 L/100 km) city and 39 mpg (6.1 L/100 km) highway.

This new MINI rides on the stiffer side of the class, being a more performance orientated hatchback. It’s nowhere near the teeth rattling Coopers of old and the adaptive suspension helps a bit, although we didn’t notice a big difference between the suspension settings.

Despite its small size, the Cooper S 4 Door is a five-passenger vehicle. That stated, with 36.2-inches (919 mm) of headroom and 32.3-inches (820 mm) of legroom, it’s tight quarters in the backseat. The car also has narrow, tight, rear doors with the most rear wheel intrusion this side of a Jeep Wrangler. It’s not a place adults would want to be regularly, making the 4 Door better suited for a couple, or a young family. Not too young though, as we wouldn’t want to be putting a rear facing child seat back there regularly.

Up front, there is plenty of space for passengers who enjoy heated seats and a heated steering wheel for the driver. The cargo area is larger than expected, measuring 13.1 cu ft (275 L) behind the rear seats, which expands to 40.0 cu ft (925 L) with seats folded.

Inside, the car is all MINI with the same basic layout and design of all of the brand’s other models. There’s projected ambient lighting on dash, a ginormous center screen, cloth material on dash, and the screen reflective head-up display. We wouldn’t state the interior consists of the highest-grade materials, but the design, use of textures, and modern minimalism make it feel premium.

The Cooper S can be further funkified with the various MINI experience modes that changes screen appearance and behaviour. Some modes, like Go-Kart, also change the driving characteristics.

Aside from the features mentioned above, the MINI Experiences Modes are at the forefront of the vehicle’s technology. The brand appears to be targeting a younger, tech savvy customer base and everything inside the car does feel modern and technologically rich.

Other features available in the MINI Cooper S 4 door degree camera, and all the usual active safety systems, and a 360-degree camera. The latter is very useful because despite the 4 Door’s small size, the car has a few sizable blindspots.

The 2025 MINI Cooper S 4 Door is a fun useful car. It may be missing some of the energy and rawness of the early 2000s cars, but I don’t think that’s on MINI. The market has changed, and no-compromise cars are rarer and rarer.

Countryman SUV notwithstanding, the 4 Door is the most practical car in the MINI lineup yet still retains the same feel behind the wheel of its smaller siblings. The brand really has done a good job keeping a distinct personality for the Cooper S, even if there are a few things we’d change. Small, Cheerful, and Premium may be a niche segment, but MINI continues to cater to these consumer’s needs.

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