Compare the2022 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 DoorVS 2021 BMW 2 Series

Both the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door and the 2 Series have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available front parking sensors.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, its standard front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door the rating of “Top Pick” for 2018, a rating granted to only 170 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The 2 Series has not been fully tested, yet.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door first among compact sporty cars in their 2020 Initial Quality Study. The 2 Series was rated second in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that MINI vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks MINI 16th in initial quality. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 18th.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door offers an optional sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The 2 Series doesn’t offer an SMG.

To help the driver achieve optimum performance and fuel economy, the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door has a standard up-shift light to indicate when to shift based on power needs and conditions. The 2 Series doesn’t offer an up-shift light.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door stops shorter than the 2 Series:

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door Base has a standard space-saver spare (not available on S) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the 2 Series; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed, and some tires offered aren’t run-flats.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door flat and controlled during cornering. The 2 Series’ suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For better maneuverability, the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door’s turning circle is .4 feet tighter than the 2 Series’ (35.4 feet vs. 35.8 feet). The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the 2 Series xDrive’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.1 feet).

The MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 Door may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 650 to 1100 pounds less than the BMW 2 Series.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door is 1 foot, 10.5 inches shorter than the 230i, making the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The 2 Series doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door has .2 inches more front headroom and .4 inches more rear headroom than the 2 Series Coupe.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The 2 Series Convertible’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The 2 Series doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door has a standard rear wiper. The 2 Series doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

To shield the driver’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side window, the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door has a standard extendable sun visor. The 2 Series doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The MINI Cooper comes in coupe, convertible and four door hatchback bodystyles; the BMW 2 Series isn’t available as a four door.

Insurance will cost less for the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door will cost $1125 less than the 2 Series over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door is less expensive to operate than the 2 Series because it costs $82 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door than the 2 Series, including $296 less for a water pump, $323 less for a muffler, $48 less for front brake pads, $77 less for a starter, $295 less for fuel injection and $399 less for a timing belt/chain.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 Door will be $10857 to $22399 less than for the BMW 2 Series.