2012 Mini Cooper

The 2012 Mini Cooper Convertible is offered in three trim levels Cooper, Cooper S, and Cooper John Cooper Works. The John Cooper Works (JCW) trim is reviewed separately. The price for the Mini Cooper Convertible starts at an MSRP of $24,950 and the Cooper S costs $27,950. The prices of the car can go up based on the multiple customizations available with the car. The standard features of the car include 16-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, height-adjustable driver seat, air-conditioning, cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel, ambient lighting, and a 6-speaker stereo. 

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Although the base Mini Cooper Convertible offers enough performance to keep you entertained, we recommend going for the Mini Cooper Convertible S. It gets you a more powerful engine. The fuel economy is not much compromised compared to the standard Mini Cooper Convertible. The standard features are quite impressive for the segment. The optional features with the Mini Cooper Convertible are endless and there are multiple ways you can make your Mini stand out from the crowd. 

The 2012 Mini Cooper Convertible offers pretty good fuel economy figures. The Mini Cooper Convertible manages to return 27 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway with the manual transmission. The Cooper Convertible with the automatic transmission returns 28 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. The Cooper S with its turbocharged engine manages to return 27 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway with the manual transmission while the Cooper S paired with automatic transmission returns 26 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway. It gets a 13.2-gallon fuel tank capacity which is quite decent for the segment. 

Even though the Mini Cooper Convertible is among the fastest cars in the segment, it still manages to return the best fuel efficiency in the segment. The Fiat 500 C comes at the second position in the fuel efficiency department which is pretty good considering the slow performance of the Fiat 500C. The Fiat 500C comes with the smallest fuel tank in the class and offers the least driving range. The Mazda MX-5 Miata returns the least fuel efficiency in the segment. 

The interior of the 2012 Mini Cooper Convertible is one of the most attractive interior layouts in its class even after years of its launch. The front seats of the Mini Cooper Convertible are spacious for the driver and co-passengers. It offers a good ambiance and the seats provide good support to hold the driver in place around the corners. The same can not be said for the rear seats though, as they feel cramped and do not offer space to accommodate an adult. Even kids will not like being in there on a long drive. 

The dashboard design feels premium and it is not a conventional design if you compare them with other cars. The controls for the driver fall within the reach of the driver and there are no ergonomic issues as such. You can fold the rear seats to increase space in the cargo area. The cargo area is also not very practical with just 6 cubic feet of space on offer. 

The Mazda MX-5 Miata has the most spacious legroom for the front row passengers. However, it does not come with any second row at all. The Fiat 500C offers the most spacious rear row. The Mini Cooper Convertible also offers a spacious front row but lacks room in the rear row. Although the cargo area is not that great, it still offers the best cargo area in the competition. 

Standout interior features:

• 6-way manual-adjustable front seats
• Sport front seats
• Tilt and telescopic steering wheel
• Air conditioning
• Leather steering wheel

2012 Mini Cooper Convertible Infotainment System

The 2012 Mini Cooper Convertible comes with a user-friendly infotainment system. It is quite easy to operate and you will not focus on the infotainment system much when you are behind the wheel of a Mini. It gets AM/FM stereo, auxiliary audio input, satellite radio, and a 6-speaker audio system as standard. You can upgrade the stereo to an optional Harman Kardon premium sound system.

Standout infotainment features:

• AM/FM stereo
• Auxiliary audio input
• Satellite radio
• 6-speaker audio system
• Harman Kardon premium sound system (Optional)

The most exciting part of a Mini other than the driving dynamics has to be its charming exterior styling. You can easily recognize the 2012 Mini Cooper Convertible as a Mini no matter from where you are looking at it. The front gets the signature Mini grille and the classic oval-shaped headlamps that have become an identity of a Mini Cooper. The center of the front hood houses the Mini logo and it looks like a beautiful small hatch. The side and rear are also similar to the classic Mini design language. 

The Fiat 500C has the most compact dimensions in the segment with the shortest length and the least width. It also gets the shortest wheelbase in the segment. The Mazda MX-5 Miata is the longest and widest car in the class but the Mini Cooper Convertible has a longer wheelbase in comparison. The Mini Cooper Convertible is also the heaviest car in the competition.

Standout exterior features:

• 16-inch wheels
• Retractable soft-top
• Rear spoiler
• Rear fog lamps

The 2012 Mini Cooper Convertible comes with an impressive list of safety features standard with the car. However, it has not yet been tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The Mini Cooper Convertible gets safety features like traction control, stability control, 4-Wheel ABS, dual front with head protection chambers, side-mounted airbags, passenger airbag occupant sensing deactivation, and front seatbelt pretensioners.

The safety features include:

• Traction control
• Stability control
• Electronic brakeforce distribution
• Post-collision safety system
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• Emergency braking assist

The 2012 Mini Cooper Convertible still remains to offer an excellent package for the price even decades after being in the market. It offers an excellent blend of performance and efficiency. The driving dynamics have always been one of the key selling points for Mini cars and the Cooper Convertible is no different. There will be only a few rare people who will not love the attractive exterior styling of the car. If you are looking for a fun hatch, the Mini Cooper Convertible deserves to be on your list.