Mini Hatchback (3dr and 5dr) used cars for sale

Mini hatchback buying guide

What Mini Hatchback trim levels are there?

At first glance, Mini’s trim level range is complicated, so give us a sec and we’ll make it crystal clear. You’ll need to pick your engine first, and Mini’s engines are called One, Cooper, Cooper S and JCW – each adding more power than the last.

The entry-level Mini One comes in the ‘Classic’ trim. This gets bright LED headlights, air conditioning, Bluetooth and DAB radio. On Cooper and Cooper S models, you can choose Classic as well as Sport and Exclusive trim levels. We’ll focus on these here, but Mini does the occasional special-edition model too.

The Sport trim adds a black roof and mirror caps, a body kit inspired by the fast JCW models (plus John Cooper Works badging), cruise control, upgraded suspension, sports seats and rear parking sensors. Exclusive trim is more focused on luxury, with leather seats and a silver roof. It has the same level of equipment as Sport, but without such a focus on racy looks.

On our site you’ll see that some Minis have optional packs with extra features – these are well worth looking out for. The Comfort Pack adds automatic air conditioning, front seat heaters, an armrest, keyless entry and rear parking sensors (if not already fitted). Comfort Plus also gets parking assistance and a reversing camera. The Navigation pack adds sat nav, live traffic updates and Apple CarPlay.

The Mini Electric has different trim levels to the petrol version. Level 1 gets sat nav, cruise control and ambient lighting; Level 2 adds parking sensors, heated front seats and extra storage, while top-spec Level 3 gets leather upholstery, a sunroof, upgraded headlights and a Harman Kardon stereo.

The Mini JCW is also best thought of as its own trim level, with a host of red accenting and even sportier looks. There are also upgraded brakes, plus tweaked suspension and a sportier-sounding exhaust which pops and burbles as you change gear.

Mini Hatchback interior and technology

Gone are the days when the Mini’s speedo was housed in the centre console, but the quirky big circle remains. Now, it’s home to an infotainment screen, with the speedo being relocated behind the wheel where you’d expect it. Below the main screen is a set of chrome-lined air con dials and banks of buttons and chunky aeroplane-style switches. It’s a little hard to find everything at first, but it soon becomes second nature.

The touchscreen has BMW influences, and you can control it using a handy dial like BMW’s iDrive media system. It’s absolutely packed full of features, especially if you buy a car with optional extras, and shows a lot of useful information as well as allowing you to access your music and phone contacts. The ambient lighting around the wheel can pulse with the music, if you wish.

BMW’s input is felt in the materials, too. The Mini feels vastly more premium inside than a Ford Fiesta or Vauxhall Corsa, with lots of soft leather trimmings in the areas you’ll regularly touch. While the steering wheel buttons on post-2021 cars feel a little clacky, the rest of the switches, dials and buttons operate with a solidness that you don’t get in many cars like this.

Mini’s sports seats are very comfortable and will keep you well supported on a twisty B-road. Both three- and five-door cars come with Isofix child-seat mounting points in the rear.

What’s the best engine for the Mini Hatchback?

Diesels are a thing of the past in the Mini hatchback, but you’ve got plenty of choice when it comes to petrol engines – and there’s an electric version too. All are fun to drive, but some have much more power than others – it all depends on how quick you want to go.

(Most popular) Mini Hatchback 1.5 Cooper petrol

Unless you’re a real speed freak, the Cooper will probably represent the sweet spot of the Mini line-up. It’s still very nippy, with 0-62mph taking around eight seconds, yet will manage 50mpg when you resist the temptation of the sportier driving mode. The Cooper opens up the well-equipped Sport and Exclusive trim levels, too. You get a three-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol engine with 136hp, which also boasts a fizzy exhaust note.

Below it is the Mini One, which uses the same engine but detuned to 102hp. As a result, it’s not as quick – and that it’s limited to the entry-level trim somewhat limits its appeal unless you’re after the version with cheapest insurance costs.

Mini Hatchback 2.0 Cooper S petrol

The red ‘S’ badge on Cooper S models should give you a hint of the performance and the corner-carving driving experience on offer. It’s a proper hot hatch, with its 178hp being plenty in a car of this size – the upshot is an acceleration time that matches the Ford Fiesta ST and an automatic VW Golf GTI. At times when you’re not driving it on the doorhandles, you can achieve over 45mpg.

Mini Hatchback 2.0 John Cooper Works petrol

Sitting at the top of the range is the 231hp Mini John Cooper Works, or JCW. This extra power knocks off half a second from the acceleration time – 0-62mph takes just 6.1 seconds – and the JCW is the hardest, fastest, most aggressive Mini. It’ll even top 150mph if you find a racetrack long enough. A little more than 40mpg is possible, although not if you explore the performance on offer.

Mini Electric Hatchback

Mini’s first mass-produced electric car is a version of the three-door Mini hatch. It’s nearly as fast as a petrol Cooper S and, despite being a bit heavier, it’s still fun to drive through twists and turns. Mini has fitted a relatively small battery to the car in order to preserve the fun-to-drive characteristics, with the flipside being a measly 124-mile official range. Mini expects many of these cars to be a second car for a couple or family, so the range won’t be a big deal for many drivers the car is intended for. Unlike in many electric cars, there’s no loss of boot space – the Mini Electric offers just as much space as a petrol Mini.