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2019 Mini Cooper Oxford Edition Drivers' Notes Review | Lots of fun for a select few

The 2019 Mini Cooper Oxford Edition is an interesting little model. It's available in both 2- and 4-door Hardtop configurations and aimed at and specifically for college students, recent grads, those in law or medical school as well as active duty or recently discharged or retired members of the military. No one else qualifies to buy one, which is a bummer, because the Oxford Edition is one smoking deal.  Not only does it undercut the price of a bare-bones Cooper, it packs in nearly $7,000 worth of features at no additional cost. That includes stuff like heated seats, a panoramic moonroof, parking sensors and 17-inch wheels. Power still comes from a turbo inline-three, and while an automatic transmission is standard, a six-speed manual is a no-cost option. While the standard Cooper has questionable value given the small size and relatively high price tag, the Oxford Edition is a far more compelling offering. Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder: This is such a joyful car to drive. It's quick, spritely and engaging. It feels great rowing through the gears, especially the way the car comes to life as you release the clutch in third gear. The car feels peppy in the low-to-mid rev range, but loses some steam as you climb to the top. The shifter is a little light, though, and it needs a firmer gate to keep you from accidentally shifting into reverse instead of first. There needs to be a more distinct feel from gear to gear in general. The clutch travel is long, but I don't mind it, and the high take-up point feels natural. The less-hot Minis of today feel much more refined than those of yore, while scorchers like the JCW remind me of the older, rawer Minis in their road-going manner, though with more contemporary design, tech and amenities. If I were to buy a Mini myself, it'd be a Hardtop like this — I don't need a lot of power to have fun, day to day, and this one is comfy. I wouldn't be eligible for the Oxford deal, which is a shame, because I really like this configuration, especially for the price. Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale: I almost completely agree with John, the regular Mini Cooper is exemplary of good, simple fun. It makes less than 140 horsepower and pound-feet of torque. That's not a lot of power, but it's enough that you can confidently floor it anywhere in public without breaking the law. And it feels nearly as eager and darty as the JCW, so you can keep your speed up as you rip it around corners.

Bronco, Yukon, Hummer and a CES recap | Autoblog Podcast #610

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Assistant Editor Zac Palmer. They kick things off by talking about recent news, including the revival of the Hummer name as an electric pickup, revealing Ford Bronco spy shots and the unveiling of the 2021 GMC Yukon. Then Zac tells about his time in Las Vegas attending CES 2020. They talk about the cars they've been driving: a JCW-tuned Mini Clubman, the long-term Subaru Forester with its new gold wheels, a Volvo S60 PHEV that's been added to the long-term fleet, and a Camry Hybrid. Last, but not least, they help a listener decide how to spend his money on a sports car. Autoblog Podcast #610 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Hummer returning as an electric GMC pickup The latest on the Ford Bronco 2021 GMC Yukon CES 2020 recap Cars we're driving:2020 John Cooper Works Mini Clubman 2020 Subaru Forester long-termer (now with gold wheels!) 2020 Volvo S60 T8 Inscription 2019 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

BMW recalling 140,000 electric Mini Cooper SEs for battery issue

BERLIN — German automaker BMW is recalling electric Mini Cooper SE vehicles due to problems in their batteries, which could potentially affect more than 140,000 autos worldwide.  Included in the recall are 12,535 Mini SEs sold in the United States. Around 39,000 vehicles could be affected in Germany, the company said in a statement on Monday, adding that there are no known accidents or injuries caused by the problem. Problems in the battery system can lead to overheating. "A vehicle fire, even when the vehicle is parked, cannot be ruled out," the statement said. There was such a "thermal event" in the U.S. in October 2023, then another in Germany in January 2024. Both have been under investigation. BMW will install a software update in the EVs. The update contains a diagnostic function that will recognize a malfunction of the battery and alerts the driver. The NHTSA recall statement says the software will then somehow discharge the battery to less than a 30% state of charge. Customers who received the message are asked to visit a Mini partner, the company said.