Compare the2022 Lexus RCVS 2022 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 Door

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus RC have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 Door doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The RC’s optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Pre-Collision System in the RC as “Superior.” The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door scores only 4 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

The RC offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The RC’s blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the RC’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the RC and the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 rear parking sensors.

The Lexus RC weighs 845 to 1179 pounds more than the MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 Door. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the RC 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than MINI covers the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 2 times as many Lexus dealers as there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the RC’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the RC’s reliability 42 points higher than the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the RC first among compact premium cars in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is ranked 10th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in reliability, above the industry average. With 44 more problems per 100 vehicles, MINI is ranked 17th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus third in reliability. MINI is ranked 23rd.

The RC has more powerful engines than the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door:

The RC has 5.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door (17.5 vs. 11.6 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Lexus RC comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door.

All wheel drive, available in the RC, provides the best traction for acceleration in wet, dry, and icy conditions. In corners, all wheel drive allows both outside wheels to provide power, balancing the car. This allows for better handling. The MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 Door is not available with all wheel drive.

For better stopping power the RC’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door:

The RC’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door are solid, not vented.

The RC stops much shorter than the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door:

For better traction, the RC has larger standard tires than the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door (235/40R19 vs. 175/65R15). The RC’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door (F:235/40R19 & R:265/35R19 vs. 205/40R18).

The RC’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door’s standard 65 series tires. The RC’s optional 265/35R19 rear tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door’s optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the RC has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 15-inch wheels are standard on the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door. The RC’s optional 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels optional on the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the RC’s wheelbase is 9.3 inches longer than on the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door (107.5 inches vs. 98.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the RC is 3.4 inches wider in the front and 3.6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door.

The RC’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (54% to 46%) than the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door’s (62.3% to 35.1%). This gives the RC more stable handling and braking.

The RC 350 handles at .88 G’s, while the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door S pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the RC’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door’s (34.2 feet vs. 35.4 feet). The RC AWD’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door’s (34.8 feet vs. 35.4 feet).

The RC has 3.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door (83.8 vs. 80.3).

The RC has 4 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front hip room, 4.1 inches more front shoulder room and 3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door.

The RC has a much larger trunk than the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door with its rear seat up (10.4 vs. 8.7 cubic feet).

With its coupe body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the RC offers cargo security. The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door’s hatchback body style, non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the RC. The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The engine in the RC is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than MINI. J.D. Power ranks Lexus second in service department satisfaction. With a 31% lower rating, MINI is ranked 9th.

The RC has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

When three different drivers share the RC, the optional memory system makes it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle. The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door doesn’t offer a memory system.

The RC’s optional easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The RC’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door John Cooper Works does not have a temperature gauge.

The RC’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower both of them with the lock engaged. MINI does not offer a locking feature on the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door’s standard power windows.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The RC offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the RC keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The RC has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the RC has standard rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door doesn’t offer rear vents.

Insurance will cost less for the RC owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the RC with a number “3” insurance rate while the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door is rated higher at a number “5” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the RC is less expensive to operate than the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door because it costs $118 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost less on the RC than the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door, including $68 less for a muffler, $57 less for front brake pads, $74 less for a fuel pump and $61 less for front struts.