2002 Mini Cooper Hatchback 2-door 1.6l on 2040-cars

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Most reliable cars and trucks of 2022

Related: Least reliable cars and trucks of 2022   For years now, Consumer Reports has been one of the most prolific sources of vehicle reliability data around. The organization tests a number of vehicles each year and surveys its members on various automotive topics, including reliability. The results of its 2022 annual auto survey are in, and the list of most reliable vehicles has been revealed. Unsurprisingly, Toyota and Lexus dominated the list of most reliable vehicles, but BMW and Mini snuck into the top 10 as well. The list includes: Toyota Corolla Hybrid: 93 Lexus GX: 91 Mini Cooper: 89 Toyota Prius: 89 Mazda MX-5 Miata: 85 Lincoln Corsair: 82 Toyota Corolla: 81 Subaru Crosstrek: 80 BMW 3 Series: 80 Toyota Prius Prime: 77 In terms of the most reliable vehicle type, Consumer Reports says that sedans remain the best choice. Their average score is 58, which is notably better than SUVs’ average score of 51. Minivans and pickup trucks are lower, at 44 and 39, respectively. As Consumer Reports notes, many sedans are older models that have allowed their manufacturers to iron out the wrinkles, making them more reliable. Domestic automakers' SUVs and trucks performed better in the survey than their imported counterparts, with scores of 45 and 41, respectively. The study also showed that hybrids and plug-in hybrids are becoming more reliable, and have climbed the score ladder to the tops of their segments in many cases.  Consumer Reports says its study includes 17 trouble areas, including small stuff like creaks and rattles and much larger problems like drivetrain failures. The organization states that it weights each issue based on its severity to create its predicted reliability scores, with 100 being the best. A car must be in production for at least two model years to be considered for the list. Related video: Green BMW Lexus Lincoln Mazda MINI Subaru Toyota Car Buying Maintenance Ownership Convertible Coupe Crossover Hatchback SUV Hybrid Sedan Consumer Reports reliability

2022 Mini Cooper Hardtop and Convertible refresh adds more grille

The current Mini Cooper Hardtop and Convertible models, while still generally fun and stylish, are getting up there in years. The last total redesign came in 2014, with some minor updates to keep it fresh. For 2022, Mini is going with another refresh instead of an all-new model, and it seems to have cribbed notes from BMW's design team. There's no getting around it, the updated Mini models have a big grille. And that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, the classic pre-BMW Minis had large grilles, but it's also messy. Every version gets a thick black grille surround that extends to the base of the bumper, and it blends into the black air dam. It makes it look overly big and hard to tell where it begins and the edge of the bumper begins. The body color center section makes it look like the grille frame was just laid on top of a plain bumper, and the various openings look a little like afterthoughts. The base Mini Cooper has the simplest design, which helps things somewhat, while the S and John Cooper Works models have bigger openings and more grille mesh. Grille aside, there are other small styling changes inside and out that are much less controversial. Mini is ditching fog lights mounted low in the bumper for minimalist openings and integrated fog lights in the main headlamp housings. The fender garnishes that Mini calls "side scuttles" have been given a tweak and some thin, long turn indicators. At the back, the rear fog lights and reflectors are gone completely for a cleaner design. A new option is the Multitone Roof that features a gradient with Soul Blue, Pearly Aqua and Jet Black. The interior is similar to the current model, but the analog speedometer has been replaced by the digital cluster introduced on the Mini Cooper SE and John Cooper Works GP. Also, the center air vents are now integrated into the dash panels and the steering wheel and ambient lighting arrangement have been redesigned. Mechanically, the Mini lineup is completely unchanged with the same engine and transmission offerings as before. That does mean that manual transmissions will continue to be available. Mini has added some new standard features to the lineup, though. All models now get an 8.8-inch infotainment screen as standard, and the interface has new graphics. Apple CarPlay and satellite radio are also included, though Android Auto is still unavailable. Lane-departure warning is now standard, and adaptive cruise control now has stop-and-go functionality.

Mini Clubman Concept isn't mini, isn't a Clubman

Hey, remember when Mini was... mini? I know, you've heard all this before. But seriously.
Take this new Mini Clubman Concept, for example. As you'll recall, the current Clubman slots in between the Hardtop and Countryman models in the Mini lineup. But because the new, third-generation Mini has grown, so has everything else. And in fact, the concept car seen here is actually 4.4 inches longer and just over 2 inches wider than the current, already-large Countryman. The future of Mini looks awfully maxi.
Furthermore, the Clubman as we know it uses a weird, five-door layout (two up front, a third, suicide door, and two barn doors out back), but this concept adds a sixth door for a decidedly more conventional layout. Of course, four real doors for passengers sort of takes the uniqueness out of the Clubman package, and essentially makes this thing a not-as-tall, front-wheel-drive Countryman. Totally necessary, right?