Verdict
2021 Mini Cooper: Complaints, Recalls & Known Issues
What the public record actually says about the 2021 Mini Cooper — every figure below is a NHTSA or EPA number, not an opinion.
The read
Not enough federal data to rank this one yet.
NHTSA has no owner complaints on record for this model year — which can mean a quiet car or simply a rare one. 2 safety recall campaigns on record — check the VIN and remedy terms with a dealer.
Based on NHTSA complaint volume against 2021 hatchbacks, not adjusted for how many were sold. It describes the model year, not the individual car you are looking at.
Complaints filed
0
Reports to NHTSA, 2021
Safety recalls
2
NHTSA campaigns on record
NHTSA crash test
Not rated
Overall NCAP rating
Combined MPG
29
EPA estimate
Zero reports is not a clean bill of health; rare or lower-volume cars can simply have less owner data.
Complaint volume vs. segment peers
Fewer complaints than 100% of 2021 hatchbacks
The bar is this car's percentile among 2021 hatchbacks by complaint volume — a full bar means the fewest complaints in its class. Not adjusted for sales.
Known issues
No component pattern to show: there are no owner complaints in the current data. That is not proof the car is problem-free.
Recalls(2)
Open a recall to read what NHTSA says is wrong, what can happen, and how it gets fixed. Check the VIN and remedy eligibility with a dealer; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though a manufacturer may offer more coverage.
Air Bags · 20V283000Details +Close −
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.
Seat Belts · 21V554000Details +Close −
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).
A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.
Investigations
0 NHTSA investigations on record
No investigations are on record as of Jul 2026. An empty record is not a clean bill of health.
Crash-test ratings
No NHTSA crash test is on record for this year. Some vehicles and model years were not tested or do not have a published NCAP result.
Fuel economy by trim
| Trim | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Hwy | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper SE Hardtop 2 door | — | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (A1) | 115 | 100 | 108 |
| Cooper Hardtop 4 door | 1.5L 3-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AM-S7) | 28 | 37 | 31 |
| Cooper Hardtop 2 door | 1.5L 3-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AM-S7) | 28 | 37 | 31 |
| Cooper Convertible | 1.5L 3-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AM-S7) | 28 | 37 | 31 |
| Cooper S Hardtop 4 door | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AM-S7) | 26 | 35 | 30 |
| Cooper S Hardtop 2 door | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AM-S7) | 26 | 35 | 30 |
| Cooper Hardtop 4 door | 1.5L 3-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 26 | 37 | 30 |
| Cooper Hardtop 2 door | 1.5L 3-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 26 | 37 | 30 |
| Cooper Convertible | 1.5L 3-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 26 | 37 | 30 |
| Cooper SE Countryman All4 | 1.5L 3-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S6) | 29 | 30 | 29 |
| Cooper S Convertible | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AM-S7) | 26 | 34 | 29 |
| Cooper S Clubman | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AM-S7) | 25 | 35 | 29 |
| Cooper Countryman | 1.5L 3-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AM-S7) | 26 | 33 | 29 |
| Cooper S Countryman | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (AM-S7) | 24 | 33 | 28 |
| Cooper S Hardtop 4 door | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 23 | 33 | 27 |
| Cooper S Hardtop 2 door | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 23 | 33 | 27 |
| Cooper Countryman All4 | 1.5L 3-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 23 | 32 | 27 |
| Cooper S Countryman All4 | 2.0L 4-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 23 | 31 | 26 |
| Cooper S Convertible | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 23 | 32 | 26 |
| Cooper S Clubman All4 | 2.0L 4-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S8) | 23 | 32 | 26 |
| Cooper S Clubman | 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Manual 6-spd | 22 | 32 | 26 |
EPA laboratory estimates by trim and engine. Actual mileage varies with driving, weather, load, and maintenance. EPA source.
Before you buy
Useful next checks
Federal records tell you about patterns. These checks can tell you more about the specific car in front of you.
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Compare model years
"Fewest reports" and "most complained" describe raw NHTSA complaint totals, not vehicle reliability. The last few model years are left unlabelled because they have had less road time.
2021 Mini Cooper: frequently asked
What does the complaint record show for the 2021 Mini Cooper?
NHTSA has no owner complaints on record for the 2021 Mini Cooper in the current data. That is not a guarantee of reliability, especially for a lower-volume model.
What are the most common problems on the 2021 Mini Cooper?
NHTSA has no component pattern to show for the 2021 Mini Cooper because there are no owner complaints in the current data. A quiet record is not proof that every car is problem-free.
How many recalls does the 2021 Mini Cooper have?
2 recalls have been issued that affect the 2021 Mini Cooper, covering components such as air bags. Check the VIN with NHTSA and ask a dealer to confirm remedy eligibility; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though manufacturers may offer more coverage.
What gas mileage does the 2021 Mini Cooper get?
The EPA rates the 2021 Mini Cooper between 26 and 108 mpg combined, depending on trim and drivetrain.