Compare the2024 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 DoorVS 2024 Toyota GR Corolla

The MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 Door has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door and the GR Corolla have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, 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 headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2018, a rating granted to only 177 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GR Corolla has not been tested, yet.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The GR Corolla’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the GR Corolla’s (12 vs. 5 years).

MINI pays for scheduled maintenance on the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door for 1 year and 11000 miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the GR Corolla (3/36,000 vs. 2/25000).

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 2 Door’s reliability 20 points higher than the GR Corolla.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door first among compact sporty cars in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The GR Corolla isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that MINI vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks MINI above average in initial quality. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

On the EPA test cycle the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door gets better mileage than the GR Corolla:

Regenerative brakes improve the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Cooper Hardtop 2 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 GR Corolla doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door offers an optional automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer an automatic transmission.

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 GR Corolla doesn’t offer an SMG.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door S/JCW 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 GR Corolla doesn’t offer launch control.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door stops shorter than the GR Corolla:

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

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 GR Corolla; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 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 GR Corolla’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For better maneuverability, the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the GR Corolla’s (35.4 feet vs. 36.1 feet).

The MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 Door may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 550 pounds less than the Toyota GR Corolla.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door is 1 foot, 9.4 inches shorter than the GR Corolla, 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 GR Corolla doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door has 1.9 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more rear legroom and 4.3 inches more rear hip room than the GR Corolla.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The GR Corolla Morizo Edition doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The GR Corolla 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 Toyota. J.D. Power ranks MINI fourth in service department satisfaction. With a 25% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 20th.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 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 GR Corolla doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 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 GR Corolla’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To better shield the driver’s vision, the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door has a standard dual-element sun visor that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer a secondary sun visor.

When the Cooper Hardtop 2 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 GR Corolla’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 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 GR Corolla offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door has a standard center folding armrest for the driver and front passenger. A center armrest helps combat driver fatigue. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer a front seat center armrest.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door Signature/Iconic’s 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. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

The Cooper Hardtop 2 Door Iconic’s optional Parking Assistant can parallel park by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The GR Corolla doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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

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 $30 to $6355 less than the GR Corolla over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 Door will be $13561 to $16443 less than for the Toyota GR Corolla.

Consumer Reports® recommends the MINI Cooper Hardtop 2 Door, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Cooper Hardtop 2 Door first among compact sporty cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The GR Corolla isn’t in the top three.