2022 Mini Cooper refreshed with new bumpers, $500 price bump

The 2022 Mini Cooper Hardtop and Convertible receive mild updates, new front ends, and more standard technology. The Cooper gets a $500 price increase to start at $23,750, including a destination fee of $850, the automaker announced late Tuesday.

The small urban car continues in three body styles, three models, and three trim levels, as well as the Cooper SE electric vehicle.

Sold in two-door or four-door Hardtop styles or as a two-door Convertible, all Coopers feature a taller hexagonal grille and new air curtains in the lower bumper meant to improve aerodynamics. The fog lights have been deleted. Cooper S and John Cooper Works models get a pair of air intakes with gloss-black surrounds. The rear bumper picks up the hexagonal cue from the front that accentuates the twin tailpipe emerging from the center. 

Like the 2021 Countryman, LED headlights, LED indicators, and Union Jack LED taillights come standard. New color options and larger wheel choices complete the exterior updates. 

Inside, an 8.8-inch touchscreen takes over the circular center stack as standard, along with satellite radio and Apple CarPlay compatibility. Mini still denies Android Auto users, partly because it’s using an older version of parent company BMW’s iDrive infotainment system. A new steering wheel design offers a heated option. Standard automatic emergency braking is now complemented by standard lane-departure warnings, and an available upgraded adaptive cruise control system works down to a stop. 

Hardtop and Convertible versions of the Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works (JCW) are offered in Classic, Signature, and Iconic trims.

The Cooper uses a 134-hp 1.5-liter turbo-3 with a 6-speed manual and is priced at $23,750 in Classic trim, $27,750 in Signature, and $31,750 in Iconic. A dual-clutch automatic transmission added $1,250 to the 2021 Mini Cooper, and we expect the same for 2022. 

The Cooper S uses a 189-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4, but only the base Classic model incurs the $500 upcharge to $27,750. The Signature ($31,750) and Iconic ($35,750) remain the same price as 2021. 

The four-door Hardtop costs $1,000 more than the two door, and the Convertible is about $5,000 more on average.  

The performance-oriented JCW tunes the turbo-4 to 228 hp, and it starts at $33,750, or $500 more than last year.

The SE electric car wears similar updates inside and out, and the heated steering wheel is standard. Pricing remains the same as last year, starting at $29,750 for the Classic trim and topping out at $37,750 in Iconic trim.

Built in the Netherlands, the 2022 Mini Cooper is expected in dealerships in April.