Go Ahead, Take it Off: Soak Up the Heritage Charm, Modern Tech in the 2025 MINI Convertible

The standard 2025 MINI Cooper Convertible starts at $33,950, and the Cooper S at $37,200. Both have a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, and their peppy difference in horsepower and torque can help you decide which trim is right for you.  

For a softer suspension and 161 horsepower with 184 lb-ft of torque, the standard MINI Cooper Convertible taps into the “Always Open” philosophy to put the top down and enjoy the sunshine, while feeling that 0-60 mph in 7.9 seconds with your hair in the wind. Fuel efficiency is at 30 mpg in the standard Cooper Convertible.

The MINI Cooper S Convertible is their most popular offering and has 201 horsepower, 221 lb-ft of torque, and 0-60 mph in 6.7 seconds, for a more spirited drive. 

The all-new MINI JCW Convertible, starting at $43,700, has a bit more horsepower, at 228, and feels like it was meant to be driven on the track with its go-kart handling, dynamic damper control, and a 7-speed sport dual clutch transmission and paddle shifters.

MINI harnesses the performance of racing legend John Cooper for a little excitement on a daily commute, something I know my son would enjoy in the rear seat. 

With its 18-inch wheels, customizable taillights—yes, you can pick a pattern for everyone to see as you pass by—exposed exhaust tip, and sport brakes, it looks the part of a sporty performance car.

The MINI is customizable with 11 paint colors, and more than a few caught my eye. But when I saw the MINI Cooper S Convertible in Ocean Wave Green Metallic, I fell in love. 

Tapping MINI’s heritage, the color selection pays homage to favorites like British Racing Green and Chili Red, adding a modern twist when paired with the redesigned round LED headlights upfront and in the back with a new shape, updated grille, and more wheel selections. Although I miss the previous year’s Union Jack tail lights, this year’s are growing on me with their similar shape.

Choosing between the three trims— Signature, Signature Plus, and Iconic— will help you determine what paint colors, mirror cap color options, 17” or 18” wheels, and additional features to enjoy. As tested, we drove the MINI Cooper S and JCW Convertible with the Iconic trim. 

MINI has a philosophy and clever challenge for its owners to drive with their MINI Convertible “always open” and gamifies how long the car is driven with the top down. 

The top of the 2025 MINI Convertibles can fully retract or replace the soft top when driving up to 19 mph. Or if you prefer to only open it up like a sunroof, which opens up to 16 inches, you can open it when you’re driving, regardless of speed. 

Either way, I do think the Union Jack-style soft top option is a must for customization. Just be sure to keep the sunscreen handy.

Interior materials are sustainable across both the Classic and Favoured interior style options. Classic Style offers a choice of 2 cloth/Vescin upholsteries, piano black exterior accents, dashboard topper in black with blue undertone, steering wheel with stitching in Vibrant Silver, and a headliner in Satellite Grey. 

The Favored Style trim allows buyers to select from 2 leather-free, vegan upholstery options. These could easily fool you into thinking it is leather—but it is not. You also get a closable box in the center console, Vibrant Silver exterior accents, a dashboard topper in Grey/Beige herringbone pattern, and an anthracite black headliner.

The power front seat option also adds a 2-driver memory setting. This is great for couples who drive and sit at very different driving heights, like my husband and me. If you do see eye to eye on music, you can turn up your favorite songs, even with the top down, thanks to the Harman Kardon surround sound system.

With the Cooper S’ Iconic trim and Comfort Package Plus, safety features like adaptive cruise control, parking assistant plus, and navigation with augmented reality made driving in the MINI feel secure, aware, and helpful when driving around all of the unfamiliar roads and one-way streets. And you can get a heads-up display to keep an eye on the speed limit at all times—another racing heritage detail, if a modern one.

The digital driver display is now in the form of the first 9.4-inch round OLED display across all of the 2025 MINI models. Much like its predecessors, it pays homage to the circular speedometer you’d find in the center of the dashboard. Swipe through to navigate, select music, check the weather, and ask Spike to help turn the AC down.

While the MINI is small and easy to maneuver, it is important to see the map or parking guides on the display, especially when you have the convertible top down.

Activate Spike, MINI’s virtual English Bulldog voice assistance, with “Hey MINI,” and he’ll set your cabin temperature, radio station, or navigation to find your way to a neighborhood coffee shop.

With MINI experience modes, you can also provide the driving and cabin experience you crave for the drive with standard modes: Core is the default, Green is a regulated throttle and climate control, and Go-Kart sets up a stiff handling experience.

I personally enjoyed adjusting the soundscapes for the perfect ambiance to match the day. Pairing my favorite Sirius XM channel with Go-Kart mode let me really feel that young-driver experience. And it was so good.

From $33,950 to $43,700, there are many ways to customize your MINI Convertible: standard Cooper, Cooper S, or JCW for fun to thrilling drives. However, the tech is consistent across each model with the voice assistance, navigation, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and the circular digital display.

I loved putting the top down on the Cooper S convertible, feeling the sun and smelling the salty sea air; it made me feel at home. I’ve never owned a convertible, but I now understand why people never let go of theirs. Maybe I can convince my husband that we need our own top-down ride in our driveway.