YearToAvoid

2021 MINI Cooper S Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

No verdict The 2021 MINI Cooper S has zero NHTSA complaints on file and a complaint index of 0, the lowest of any year in this model's history. It carries 2 recalls, covering seat belt retractors and an airbag control unit, but no do-not-drive recalls.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
0/100
#19 of 19 Cooper S years
Verdict
No verdict
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
0
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
2
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
0
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
—
Best nearby year
2019
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
27.5
23.5 city / 33 hwy
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Top 2021 MINI Cooper S problems

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

No component data.

2021 MINI Cooper S recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V554000Jul 21, 2021Seat Belts21,537 vehicles

    Seat belts

    BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2021 2 Series (230i, 230i xDrive, M240i, M240i xDrive), 330e, 330e Xdrive, 4 Series Coupe (430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive) M4 Coupe, M4 Competition Coupe, BMW 4 Series Convertible (430i, M440i), BMW X1 sDrive28i, xDrive28i, 2 Series Gran Coupe (228i, 228i xDrive, M235i xDrive), M2 Competition Coupe, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, M3, M3 Competition, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper, CooperS, JCW), X2 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i, X2 M35i, Z4 sDrive30i, Z4 M40i, MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper SE), MINI Convertible (Cooper, Cooper S, JCW), MINI Clubman (Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW), MINI Countryman (Cooper, Cooper All4, Cooper S, Cooper S All4, JCW All4), Rolls Royce Ghost, MINI Countryman (Cooper S E All4), Rolls Royce Phantom, Rolls Royce Cullinan, and Toyota Supra vehicles. The passenger seat belt Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) may deactivate early, before the webbing fully retracts. As such, these assemblies fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

    Risk: During a crash, a seat belt retractor that does not function as intended increases the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the seat belt retractors (including the seat belts) and, if necessary, replace the retractors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417; 1-866-825-1525 (MINI); 1-877-877-3735 (Rolls Royce); and 1-888-270-9371 (Toyota).

  2. 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.

2021 MINI Cooper S fuel economy and fuel cost

City
23.5 MPG
Highway
33 MPG
Combined
27.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,900
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.

2021 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
2019Best175126
2020Good445229
2021No verdict00227.5
2022No verdict61027.5
2024No verdict111027.5

All MINI Cooper S years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 MINI Cooper S reliable?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2021 Cooper S shows zero owner complaints and a complaint index of 0, ranking it 19th (best) among all model years tracked. It has 2 recalls on file, both addressed by dealer remedies.
Does the 2021 MINI Cooper S have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls: one for seat belt retractors (campaign 21V554000) and one for the airbag control unit (campaign 20V283000). Neither is classified as a do-not-drive recall.
What year MINI Cooper S should I avoid?
Older years like 2005 through 2009 carry Avoid verdicts, with 2007 having the highest complaint index at 100. The 2021 model year has no reported complaints and is not an Avoid year.
How does the 2021 Cooper S compare to other years?
The 2021 model has a complaint index of 0, the lowest recorded across all 19 model years with data, compared to a high of 100 in 2007.
What is the fuel economy of the 2021 MINI Cooper S?
EPA rates it at 27.5 mpg combined, 23.5 mpg city, and 33 mpg highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,900.

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.