Compare the2023 MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 DoorVS 2022 Chevrolet Spark

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Spark doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Spark and is only available on Spark LT Auto.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has standard Park Distance Control to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or, optionally, in front of the vehicle. The Spark doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Spark doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door and the Spark have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.

The MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 Door weighs 534 to 717 pounds more than the Chevrolet Spark. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

Warranty

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Spark’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s corrosion warranty is 6 years and unlimited miles longer than the Spark’s (12/unlimited vs. 6/100,000).

MINI pays for scheduled maintenance on the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door for 3 years and 36,000 miles. MINI will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Spark.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has a standard 150-amp alternator. The Spark’s 80-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

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 Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s reliability 41 points higher than the Spark.

Engine

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder produces 36 more horsepower (134 vs. 98) and 68 lbs.-ft. more torque (162 vs. 94) than the Spark’s 1.4 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door S’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 91 more horsepower (189 vs. 98) and 112 lbs.-ft. more torque (206 vs. 94) than the Spark’s 1.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

Regenerative brakes improve the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Spark doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Spark doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has 2.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Spark (11.6 vs. 9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 Door higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Chevrolet Spark (5). This means the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Spark every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

A six-speed manual is standard on the MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 Door, with closer gear ratios for better performance and a lower final drive ratio for quieter highway operation, less engine wear and better fuel mileage. Only a five-speed manual is available for the Spark.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door offers an optional sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is more internally efficient than a CVT but just as easy to drive. The Spark doesn’t offer an SMG.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door S Auto’s optional launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Spark doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Spark:

	Cooper Hardtop 4 Door	Cooper Hardtop 4 Door S	Spark
Front Rotors	11.1 inches	12.1 inches	9.3 inches
Rear Rotors	10.2 inches	10.2 inches	7.9” drums

The MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Only rear drums come on the Spark. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has larger standard tires than the Spark (195/55R16 vs. 185/55R15). The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Spark (205/45R17 vs. 185/55R15).

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Spark’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has standard 16-inch wheels. Only 15-inch wheels are available on the Spark. The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door offers optional 18-inch wheels.

The MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Chevrolet Spark only has 4 wheel lugs per wheel.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Spark doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Chevrolet Spark has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door flat and controlled during cornering. The Spark’s suspension doesn’t offer stabilizer bars.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Spark’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Spark doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s wheelbase is 7.2 inches longer than on the Spark (101.1 inches vs. 93.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door is 4.3 inches wider in the front and 4.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Spark.

Chassis

The front grille of the Cooper Hardtop 4 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 Spark doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has standard seating for 5 passengers; the Spark can only carry 4.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has .9 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room and .5 inches more rear headroom than the Spark.

Cargo Capacity

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has a much larger trunk with its rear seat up than the Spark with its rear seat up (13.1 vs. 11.1 cubic feet). The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has a much larger trunk with its rear seat folded than the Spark with its rear seat folded (40.7 vs. 27.2 cubic feet).

Servicing Ease

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Spark uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that MINI service is better than Chevrolet. J.D. Power ranks MINI fourth in service department satisfaction. With a 21% lower rating, Chevrolet is ranked 16th.

Ergonomics

To help each driver find a more comfortable driving position, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has a telescoping steering wheel. Much better than just a tilt steering wheel or adjustable seat, this allows a short driver to sit further from the steering wheel while maintaining contact with the pedals. The Spark doesn’t offer a telescoping steering wheel.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door Iconic has a standard 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 Spark doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s standard power windows allow the driver or passenger to lower and raise the windows without leaning over or being distracted. The Spark LS doesn’t offer power windows.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Spark LT/ACTIV’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Spark can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s standard power locks allow the driver or passenger to lock or unlock all the doors at a touch without leaning over, or reaching to the back seat. The Spark LS doesn’t offer power locks.

Comfort Access standard on the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door allows you to unlock the driver’s door, trunk and start the engine all without removing a key from pocket or purse. This eliminates searching for keys before loading groceries, getting in the vehicle in bad weather or making a hurried start to your trip. The Chevrolet Spark’s available Passive Entry with Keyless Start doesn’t unlock the trunk.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Spark’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Spark doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Spark’s projector halogen headlights and light instantly. LED lights also last over twenty times longer than halogen.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors available for the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Spark doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Spark doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To better shield the driver’s vision, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has a standard dual-element sun visor that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The Spark doesn’t offer a secondary sun visor.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Chevrolet only offers heated mirrors on the Spark LT/ACTIV.

When the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Spark’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Spark doesn’t offer the luxury of automatic dimming mirrors.

On extremely cold winter days, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Spark doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s optional 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. The Spark doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door’s optional automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Spark doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Spark doesn’t offer rear vents.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door offers an optional Active Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Spark doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door Iconic’s available GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Spark’s available navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

With optional voice command, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door offers the driver hands free control of the radio and the navigation computer by simply speaking. The Spark doesn’t offer a voice control system.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the MINI Cooper Iconic has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Spark doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Cooper Hardtop 4 Door Iconic’s Parking Assistant can parallel park by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Spark doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The MINI Cooper comes in coupe, convertible and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Chevrolet Spark isn’t available as a coupe, convertible or four door.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door is less expensive to operate than the Spark because typical repairs cost less on the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door than the Spark, including $49 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the MINI Cooper Hardtop 4 Door, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Cooper Hardtop 4 Door first among compact sporty cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Spark isn’t in the top three in its category.