2021 Mini Cooper

minicar / 2-door hatchback

2021 Mini Cooper 2-door hatchback
2016 Mini Cooper shown

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Small overlap front: driver-side
Moderate overlap front: original test
Side: original test
Roof strength
Head restraints & seats

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Headlights (varies by trim/option)
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Standard system
Advanced

Seat belts & child restraints

LATCH ease of use

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Small overlap front: driver-side

Rating applies to 2014-24 models

Tested vehicle: 2014 Mini Cooper 2-door

The Mini Cooper was redesigned for the 2014 model year.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Hip/thigh
Lower leg/foot
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics

Action shot taken during the small overlap frontal crash test.

The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained very well.

The frontal and side curtain airbags worked well together to keep the head from coming close to any stiff structure or outside objects that could cause injury.

The driver's space was maintained well, and risk of injuries to the dummy's legs and feet was low.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CEN1440
Lower occupant compartment
Lower hinge pillar max (cm) 7
Footrest (cm) 7
Left toepan (cm) 2
Brake pedal (cm) 5
Parking brake (cm)
Rocker panel lateral average (cm) 1
Upper occupant compartment
Steering column 3
Upper hinge pillar max (cm) 5
Upper dash (cm) 5
Lower instrument panel (cm) 4

Driver injury measures

Test ID CEN1440
Head
HIC-15 167
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.1
Extension bending moment (Nm) 13
Maximum Nij 0.20
Chest maximum compression (mm) 24
Femur (kN)
Left 0.8
Right 0.0
Knee displacement (mm)
Left 1
Right 2
Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%)
Left 0
Right 0
Maximum tibia index
Left 0.64
Right 0.28
Tibia axial force (kN)
Left 2.2
Right 0.4
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 93
Right 52

About the small overlap front test

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2014-24 models

Tested vehicle: 2014 Mini Cooper 2-door

The Mini Cooper was redesigned for the 2014 model year. Moderate overlap frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by BMW (manufacturer of the Mini).

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Leg/foot, left
Leg/foot, right
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID VTF1322
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm) 4
Left (cm) 8
Center (cm) 8
Right (cm) 8
Brake pedal (cm) 4
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm) 2
Right (cm) 2
Steering column movement
Upward (cm) -1
Rearward (cm) -5
A-pillar rearward movement (cm) 2

Driver injury measures

Test ID VTF1322
Head
HIC-15 138
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.2
Extension bending moment (Nm) 6
Maximum Nij 0.23
Chest maximum compression (mm) 35
Legs
Femur force - left (kN) 0.7
Femur force - right (kN) 1.0
Knee displacement - left (mm) 1
Knee displacement - right (mm) 1
Maximum tibia index - left 0.39
Maximum tibia index - right 0.43
Tibia axial force - left (kN) 2.3
Tibia axial force - right (kN) 2.5
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 97
Right 92

About the original moderate overlap front test

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2016-24 models built after November 2015

Tested vehicle: 2016 Mini Cooper 2-door

The Mini Cooper was redesigned for the 2014 model year. Beginning with 2016 models built after November 2015, the side curtain airbags were modified to improve rear seat occupant protection in side impact crashes. (Information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on the driver door or adjacent B-pillar.)

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Driver head protection
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Rear passenger head protection

View of the vehicle just after the crash test.

View of the vehicle after the crash with door removed, showing the side airbags and damage to the occupant compartment.

Smeared greasepaint shows where the driver dummy's head was protected from being hit by hard structures by the side airbags.

Smeared red and yellow greasepaint shows where the rear passenger dummy’s head was protected by the side airbag. During rebound, the dummy's head and torso slid out from the shoulder belt and moved across the seat, but this motion does not cause any significant risk of injury.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CES1605
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) -21.5
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Driver injury measures

Test ID CES1605
Head HIC-15 280
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.9
Compression (kN) 0.3
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 37
Lateral force (kN) 1.2
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 36
Average deflection (mm) 30
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 2.27
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.50
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 1.1
Acetabulum force (kN) 2.8
Combined force (kN) 3.8
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.6
L-M moment (Nm) 117
A-P moment (Nm) -36

Passenger injury measures

Test ID CES1605
Head HIC-15 543
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.6
Compression (kN) 0.3
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 50
Lateral force (kN) 1.7
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 39
Average deflection (mm) 31
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 3.58
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.60
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 0.9
Acetabulum force (kN) 2.1
Combined force (kN) 2.8
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 1.0
L-M moment (Nm) 284
A-P moment (Nm) -111

About the original side crash test

Roof strength

Rating applies to 2014-23 models

Tested vehicle: 2015 Mini Cooper 2-door

Overall evaluation
Curb weight2,630 lbs
Peak force13,532 lbs
Strength-to-weight ratio5.15

About the roof strength test

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Manual leather seat

Overall evaluation
Dynamic rating
Seat/head restraint geometry
Technical measurements for this test
Seat type Manual leather seat
Geometry
Backset (mm) 10
Distance below top of head (mm) 21
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail Pass
Max T1 acceleration (g) 13.4
Head contact time (ms) 48
Force rating 1
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N) 1
Max neck tension (N) 285

About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.

Headlights

Ratings are given for 2 different headlight variations available on this vehicle.

Trim level(s)

  • Iconic trim
  • Signature trim
  • S Iconic trim
  • S Signature trim
  • John Cooper Works Signature trim
  • John Cooper Works Iconic trim
  • SE trim
  • John Cooper Works GP trim
Low-beam headlight typeLED projector
High-beam headlight typeLED projector
Curve-adaptive?Yes
High-beam assist?Yes
Overall rating
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination High-beam assist credit Some glare

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was good on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good on the sharp left and both right curves and fair on the gradual left curve.

The low beams created some glare.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was inadequate on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was fair in all 4 tests.

High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway, on both left curves and on the sharp right curve.

Technical measurements for this test
Trim level(s)
  • Iconic trim
  • Signature trim
  • S Iconic trim
  • S Signature trim
  • John Cooper Works Signature trim
  • John Cooper Works Iconic trim
  • SE trim
  • John Cooper Works GP trim
Low-beam headlight type LED projector
High-beam headlight type LED projector
Curve-adaptive? Yes
High-beam assist? Yes
Overall rating
Applies to 2019-24 models
LOW BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)		 Amount glare
exceeded threshold
Straightaway right edge 102.3 m None
Straightaway left edge 58.4 m None
250m radius right curve, right edge 72.6 m 34.8%
250m radius left curve, right edge 60.6 m None
150m radius right curve, right edge 57.6 m 46.0%
150m radius left curve, left edge 56.0 m None
HIGH BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Straightaway right edge 104.0 m
Straightaway left edge 91.9 m
250m radius right curve, right edge 72.4 m
250m radius left curve, left edge 74.4 m
150m radius right curve, right edge 57.6 m
150m radius left curve, left edge 57.5 m

Trim level(s)

  • Classic trim
  • S Classic trim
Low-beam headlight typeHalogen reflector
High-beam headlight typeHalogen reflector
Curve-adaptive?No
High-beam assist?Yes
Overall rating
Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination:
car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler car-simpler 0 ft 100 ft 200 ft 300 ft 400 ft 500 ft 600 ft Low beams Optimal low-beam illumination High beams Optimal high-beam illumination High-beam assist credit

Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was inadequate on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.

The low beams never exceeded glare limits.

High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was fair on the right side of the road and inadequate on the left side. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.

High-beam assist compensates for some limitations of this vehicle's low beams on the straightaway, on both left curves and on both right curves.

Technical measurements for this test
Trim level(s)
  • Classic trim
  • S Classic trim
Low-beam headlight type Halogen reflector
High-beam headlight type Halogen reflector
Curve-adaptive? No
High-beam assist? Yes
Overall rating
Applies to 2019-21 models
LOW BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)		 Amount glare
exceeded threshold
Straightaway right edge 57.6 m None
Straightaway left edge 26.1 m None
250m radius right curve, right edge 41.7 m None
250m radius left curve, left edge 35.1 m None
150m radius right curve, right edge 31.8 m None
150m radius left curve, left edge 29.7 m None
HIGH BEAMS Average minimum useful
illumination distance (5 lux)
Straightaway right edge 128.3 m
Straightaway left edge .0 m
250m radius right curve, right edge 43.4 m
250m radius left curve, left edge 52.3 m
150m radius right curve, right edge 35.5 m
150m radius left curve, left edge 42.6 m

About the headlight evaluation

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle

System details

  • Standard Active Driving Assistant

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2020-23 models

Advanced
Advanced
  • This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • In the 12 mph test, this vehicle nearly avoided a collision.
  • In the 25 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 7 mph.

About the original front crash prevention test

Child seat anchors

Rating applies to 2015-24 models

Overall evaluation
Vehicle trimHardtop
Seat type leather

This vehicle has 2 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware.

Overall evaluation
Vehicle trimHardtop
Seat type leather
1 3
GGood
AAcceptable
MMarginal
PPoor
Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated.
thether anchor symbol
Tether anchor
lower anchor symbol
Lower anchors
shared lower achors symbol
Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s)
No hardware available

Details by seating position

1
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
difficult to maneuver around anchors
3
Tether anchor
easy-to-find location
no other hardware could be confused for anchor
Lower anchors
too deep in seat
not too much force needed to attach
difficult to maneuver around anchors
Technical measurements for this test

Seat position 21

3

Lower anchor A
Open access rated Yes
Depth Not visible
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 40
Lower anchor B
Open access rated Yes
Depth Not visible
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 34
Tether anchor
Location Middle seatback
Confusing hardware present Yes
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor		 Yes
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH		 Not measured

Seat position 23

1

Lower anchor A
Open access rated Yes
Depth Not visible
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 36
Lower anchor B
Open access rated Yes
Depth Not visible
Force (lbs) 0
Clearance angle (degrees) 34
Tether anchor
Location Middle seatback
Confusing hardware present Yes
Has contrasting label
within 3 inches of tether anchor		 Yes
Tether anchors can be accessed
while seatback is properly positioned
for use of LATCH		 Not measured

About the child seat anchor evaluation