2020 MINI Cooper Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2020 MINI Cooper ranks 13th of 21 model years with a complaint index of 40 and earns a Good verdict. NHTSA lists 7 complaints, 3 crashes, 2 injuries, and 2 recall campaigns, with Airbags the top problem area at 43% of complaints.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 40/100
- #13 of 21 Cooper years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 7
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 3
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 2
- Top issue
- Airbags
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 31
- 28.5 city / 36 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 2 / 0
Top 2020 MINI Cooper problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags3 (43%)
- Electrical System2 (29%)
- Brakes1 (14%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (14%)
- Fuel System1 (14%)
- Steering1 (14%)
- Transmission & Powertrain1 (14%)
- Visibility & Wipers1 (14%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Owners report airbags failing to deploy in moderate to severe crashes, including rear-end and head-on collisions.
- One owner described the sunroof glass exploding while driving at 55 to 60 mph with no impact involved.
- Front brake pads and rotors were reported badly worn at 15,000 miles.
- Some owners reported the steering assist and stability control systems shutting off with warning messages after using the USB port.
- One owner reported repeated dashboard warnings for chassis stabilization, collision, and drivetrain systems, with the car eventually shutting off and shifting into park while driving.
2020 MINI Cooper recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- 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 fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 28.5 MPG
- Highway
- 36 MPG
- Combined
- 31 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,550
- 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 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2020 MINI Cooper reliable?
- NHTSA data shows a Good verdict for the 2020 MINI Cooper, with a complaint index of 40 and only 7 complaints on file, ranking 13th out of 21 model years.
- Does the 2020 MINI Cooper have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2020 MINI Cooper: one for an airbag control unit replacement and one for missing crash pads on rear side trim panels. Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
- What is the top problem area for the 2020 MINI Cooper?
- Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 43% of complaints and involving 3 crashes and 2 injuries.
- How does the 2020 MINI Cooper compare to other years?
- With a complaint index of 40, the 2020 model is safer than years like 2005 (index 95, Avoid) and 2009 (index 100, Avoid), but ranks slightly worse than 2019 (index 10, Best) and 2021 (index 30, Good).