2025 Mini Cooper C and S First Look: The Gas Minis Aren't Going Anywhere

While we know there is an all-electric Mini Cooper coming, the first new-generation (F66-chassis) Coopers for sale will be powered by a conventional turbo engine. This is great news for enthusiasts, who might have worried that Mini was dropping their internal-combustion Coopers entirely for 2025. Instead, the Cooper lives on in Cooper C and sportier Cooper S forms, sharing a redesign with the EV model and ensuring go-kart-like handling and Mini design continue to be available without plugs.

Mini says offering the Cooper with its 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 in addition to battery electric (BEV) variants is the "Power of Choice." It, according to Mini, allows customers to experience the 2025 Cooper and all future Minis the way they want. In the case of the Mini Cooper, the gas engine is for those who "appreciate the traditional performance and characteristic sound of a combustion engine," says Stefanie Wurst, Head of MINI.

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In the spicier Cooper S version, the 2.0-liter turbo I-4 will have 201 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque while the Cooper C produces a yet-unspecified lower output. (The Cooper C arrives later in 2024, so final figures are forthcoming.) For those hoping for a manual transmission, prepare for disappointment. No 2025 Mini Cooper will offer a stick shift. There isn't a shifter at all in any new Cooper, in fact; reverse, neutral, drive, and low are selected via a toggle switch, while park is engaged via a nearby button on the panel below the round dashboard touchscreen.

The interior is essentially the same as the one in the electric Cooper, with that new 9.4-inch round central infotainment screen operating on Mini Operating System (OS) 9. With no gauge cluster ahead of the driver, everything is stuffed onto that round screen, returning the Mini to the late-1950s-era (Morris- and Austin-badged) originals' central gauge pod location.

While the move cleans up the interior's look somewhat, we'll await judgment on its usefulness until we drive one for ourselves. (Central pods aren't uncommon today—just look at Tesla's Model 3.) Just below the round screen and that toggle bar is a wireless charging shelf for smartphones. The 2025 Mini interior experience is enhanced by a pair of projectors in the roof that beam images onto the dash pad, with each design tailored to different Mini Experience Modes. These lights and visualizations can be changed within the Mini OS 9 menus.

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With the optional Mini Navigation package, you'll get a new navigation map screen featuring 3D visualization and Augmented View HUD. By saying "Hey, Mini," Spike or a car avatar will appear on the infotainment display and help you use voice-controlled functions for the navigation, phone, entertainment, or other functions within the Cooper that used to require a physical switch.

The exterior retains Mini's iconic two-box shape, but with updated features and expanded for more room in the interior. With the rear seats up, the cargo space is limited to 8.9 cubic feet but expands to 34.4 cubes when those seatbacks are folded down. Mini taillight design has evolved thanks to LED matrix lighting matching the LED headlights up front. There are three selectable light signatures for the running lights in Classic, Favored, and JCW patterns, and each option influences the animated welcome and goodbye animations.

Finally, as part of the updated features within the classic hatchback Mini Cooper shape, the new octagonal grille features BMW Group's smallest radar sensor to date, which is nestled tastefully between the air intakes. Despite its small size, it still uses 12 ultrasonic sensors to send forward data to the onboard driver assists.

Further exterior options include Classic and Favored Styles along with the colors offered between the C and S trims. You'll also still get your choice of three roof colors to further contrast the body colors and really make your Mini stand out from the rest. Exclusive to the Favored Trim package is a multi-tone roof that features a three-color gradient and will be offered by July. You also get a choice of two wheel diameters of 17 and 18 inches with aerodynamically optimized designs.

Production of the 2025 Mini Cooper S will begin in March and start with an MSRP of $33,195. The 2025 Mini Cooper C will start production in July with an MSRP of $29,945.