YearToAvoid

2020 MINI Cooper S Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2020 MINI Cooper S has a complaint index of 44, ranking 11th out of 19 model years, and earns a Good verdict relative to other Cooper S years. NHTSA lists 5 complaints, 2 recalls, 1 crash, and 1 injury for this year.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
44/100
#11 of 19 Cooper S years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
5
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
2
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
1
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
1
Top issue
Engine
Best nearby year
2019
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
29
25 city / 34 hwy
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0

Top 2020 MINI Cooper S problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine2 (40%)
  2. Brakes1 (20%)
  3. Electrical System1 (20%)
  4. Steering1 (20%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (20%)
  6. Visibility & Wipers1 (20%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Sudden loss of braking power while parking at low speed, resulting in a crash into another vehicle.
  • Rear convertible top folds into the driver's sightline, blocking the rear-view mirror for shorter drivers.
  • Engine stalls and fails to restart after driving through shallow standing water, with the transmission locking up.
  • Tires blow out repeatedly at highway speed, with one owner reporting three separate blowouts plus a fourth tire replaced for bubbling.
  • Power steering fails, making the steering wheel difficult to turn, traced to a failed steering pump.
2020 MINI Cooper S complaints: complaints filed per month1Dec 2019Jun 2020Mar 2021Mar 2025Jun 2025
5 complaints filed with NHTSA from Dec 2019 to Jun 2025; peak Dec 2019 (1).

2020 MINI Cooper S recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V283000May 20, 2020Airbags76 vehicles

    Air bags:side/window:curtain

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X1 xDrive28i, X1 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i and X2 sDrive28i, 2020 MINI Clubman Cooper S All4, 2021 MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper, Cooper S, John Cooper Works and Cooper S E) and MINI Hardtop 4 Door (Cooper and Cooper S) vehicles. Due to a problem with the rollover sensor within the air bag control unit, in the event of a rollover crash, the head air bag, seat belt pretensioners and other safety systems, may not activate.

    Risk: If the safety systems do not deploy as intended in a roll over crash, it may increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The recall began July 17, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.

  2. NHTSA 19V634000Aug 28, 2019Structure & Body683 vehicles

    Structure

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 MINI Hardtop 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, and JCW vehicles. The rear side trim panels may have been assembled without a crash pad. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 214, "Side Impact Protection."

    Risk: Without a crash pad, rear seat passengers would have an increased risk of injury in the event of a side impact crash.

    Remedy: MINI will notify owners, and MINI dealers will install crash pads, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2019. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.

2020 MINI Cooper S fuel economy and fuel cost

City
25 MPG
Highway
34 MPG
Combined
29 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,750
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2020 compared with other Cooper S years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’19’20’21’22’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2017Good286326
2019Best175126
2020Good445229
2021No verdict00227.5
2022No verdict61027.5

All MINI Cooper S years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 MINI Cooper S reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2020 Cooper S a complaint index of 44 with 5 complaints, ranking 11th of 19 Cooper S model years and earning a Good verdict relative to other years of this model.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 MINI Cooper S?
Owner complaints to NHTSA center on the engine, which accounts for 40% of complaints, followed by single complaints each for brakes, electrical system, steering, suspension/wheels/tires, and visibility.
Does the 2020 MINI Cooper S have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2020 Cooper S: one for an airbag control unit replacement and one for missing crash pads in the rear side trim panels. Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
How does the 2020 Cooper S compare to other Cooper S years?
The 2020 model's complaint index of 44 is lower than early years like 2007 at 100 and 2005 at 94, but higher than 2019, which scored 17 and earned a Best verdict.
Was anyone hurt in 2020 MINI Cooper S incidents reported to NHTSA?
NHTSA records 1 crash and 1 injury among the 5 complaints filed for the 2020 Cooper S, with no reported fires or deaths.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.