Initial Quality – In the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Initial Quality Study (IQS), which measures owner satisfaction with vehicle quality after 90 days of ownership, the Mini Cooper received 2 out of 5 Power Circle Ratings when compared to other vehicles in its class.

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Performance and Design – In the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout Study (APEAL), which measures owner satisfaction with performance and design attributes of a vehicle, the Mini Cooper was the No. 1-ranked vehicle in its class, and received 5 out of 5 Power Circle Ratings.

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Predicted Reliability – The current Mini Cooper debuted in 2007, and is too new to have been included in the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), which measures owner satisfaction with a vehicle’s reliability after three years of ownership. Based on the historical performance of Mini models in our Initial Quality Study and our Vehicle Dependability Study, the 2009 Cooper receives a predicted reliability rating of 2.5 out of 5 Power Circle Ratings.

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Fuel Economy – The 2009 Mini Cooper is equipped with a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine, turbocharged and direct-injected in the Mini Cooper S and JCW models. EPA fuel economy ratings range between 23 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, depending on engine choice and transmission selection.

Our review vehicle was a Cooper S Convertible equipped with a manual transmission. It averaged 30.4 mpg in week of mixed driving. Combined with the Cooper’s standard 13.2-gallon fuel tank, this actual fuel economy figure results in an approximate 400-mile range between fill-ups of premium unleaded.

Safety – The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not crash tested the convertible version of the Mini Cooper. It has assigned the Cooper Convertible a rollover rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives all Mini Coopers the same crash-test ratings: a “Good” rating in the frontal offset impact test, an “Acceptable” rating in the side impact test, and a “Good” rating for rear impacts.

Environment – According to the EPA, the 2009 Mini Cooper consumes between 10.7 and 12.7 barrels of petroleum annually, depending on engine and transmission selection, resulting in a carbon footprint rating ranging between 5.7 and 6.8 tons per year of carbon dioxide emissions. Air pollution scores were only available for the 2009 Mini Cooper JCW at the time this review was published, and ranked a 6 out of 10 in all regions of the United States.

Note: This review was published on December 8, 2009. It may not reflect data that has become available for this vehicle since that date.