The 2025 MINI Cooper S Debuts in the US: Increased tech, More Weight, Higher Price & No Manual

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If you’ve been reading MotoringFile you’ll know from our exclusive reporting that the F66 2025 MINI Cooper S you’ll know almost all the details imaginable on the car. Almost that is with the exception some important facts – final US specifications and options. Oh and photos of the car actually in the US. Today we have all of those for you.

The F66 2025 MINI Cooper is the brand’s new (and last) petrol powered Cooper full of new tech and more powerful engines all riding on a revised F56 chassis. So if it looks eerily familiar, it’s because deep down it’s based on the same MINI Cooper that’s been on sale since 2014.

Yet this new Cooper packs technology and performance that moves the game on from the previous model. L2 autonomous driving, augmented reality navigation and more powerful engines are all welcome additions. Because of this MINI USA is raising prices. The previous F56 Cooper had an MSRP of $25,800. For the 2025 F66 Cooper that’s going up to $28,950. The 2025 F66 Cooper S rises from $30,900 to $32,200.

MINI Manual Transmission Is Dead

It’s as shocking as it feels inevitable. Shocking because of the manual’s continued popularity in markets like the US. Over 50% of F56 JCW hardtops for the 2024 m/y were equipped with the manual transmission for instance. It’s also a huge part of the brand’s history and slots well into the MINI’s core philosophy of creating cars that are engaging the drive.

Why would MINI eliminate manuals despite the fact that the F66 (the replacement of for the F56) is mechanically identical and could easily carry over the current Getrag 6 speed? It’s likely about simplifying drivetrains components and cutting costs within manufacturing. And for Europe (where CO2 targets are much more stringent) the manual is slightly dirtier. In the manual’s place is a revised 7 speed dual clutch transmission that will be consistent across the range.

Key Differences Between the new F66 MINI Cooper & its Predecessor The F56

It’s important know that the new F66 MINI Cooper is not a simple refresh of its F56 predecessor. It’s an entire rethink of the F56 that just happens to be on the same chassis. The changes are so through that In fact the only visible parts of the car that have been carried over are the doors, the roof and the glass.

Changes in Size and Weight

The F66 is a slightly bigger car in height and width while being shorter overall. Inside this give the new F66 a bit more rear luggage room along with slightly more interior room for passengers. Case in point front seat shoulder room is up from 50.6″ to 51.2″. In the back its up to 49.1″ from 47.8″. We’ve previously talked about these change in our first hands-on video review of the F66 but these numbers bear it out in data.

Model	F56 Cooper	F56 Cooper S	F66 Cooper C	F66 Cooper S
Length (in)	152.8 in	152.8 in	152.6 in	152.6 in
Height (in)	55.66 in	55.66 in	56.4 in	56.4 in
Wheelbase (in)	98.23 in	98.23 in	98.23 in	98.23 in
Curb weight (lbs)	2,769 lbs (US)	2,842 lbs (US)	N/A.	3,014 lbs (US)

F56 curb weight is taken from the US based cars equipped with an automatic. F66 curb weight are from EU figures as we wait for US specific data.

One key piece of data we didn’t have until today is the final US specification weight figure of the Cooper S model. For the first time in stock form, the Cooper S weighs over 3,000 lbs with a total weight of 3,014 lbs. That’s 172 lbs heavier than the 2,842 lbs F56 Cooper S with the identical DCT. That weight is roughly equivalent to a full size 6″ human being riding shotgun with you all the time. Why the increase? MINI has added an enormous about of technology to the car (12 sensors powering a full autonomous driving system for instance) and new safety equipment that have added pounds. There’s also larger wheels and tires as standard along with more standard equipment in general. MINI USA tells us that if we were comparing a similarly equipped F56 to this new F66 the difference would be much closer.

The F66 (top) is a dramatically simpler interior design that hides more advanced technology.

The Interior of the F66 MINI Cooper

While the exterior changes on the F66 may be surprising given its F56 origins, the interior is downright shocking. MINI has turned the F56 into a completely new car with all the design language, materials and technology found in the J01 MINI Cooper. The biggest change is the minimal design and large, circular display that dominates the experience. We’ve details that display, its operating system and its many functions on MotoringFile for months now. In fact you can see our full demo of the new system below.

The new display and its software is a focal point for the entire driving experience housing almost all functionality save for a row of switches, buttons and toggles just below it. 

Stationary the new MINI OS9 interface had felt intuitive in our previous experiences. But in our time driving the new Countryman with an identical infotainment system we found a relatively learning curve before we felt fully acclimated with the new system. Within the first hour we had quickly become accustom to the new interaction language and overall placement of functionality. 

But is this better than MINI’s previous system? In our experience with the same system in the new Countryman, absolutely. The augmented navigation (part of the Comfort Package and Comfort Max Package) in particular was a standout. Watch our full MINI OS9 demo to get a better view of this radical new infotainment system.

MINI’s First Vegan Interior

When talking about there interior, the headline for many is that this new MINI is completely leather free. Why? There’s a big environmental impact due to the production of leather in the quantities that companies like MINI need. So much so that MINI has made the bold decision to eliminate leather entirely from its range. The results are surprisingly impressive. This isn’t chimney vinyl or even BMW’s leatherette from the E46. MINI calls it Vescin and it feels more premium than the mid-range leather MINI had previously offered and not far off from the premium Lounge Leather we’ve seen on MINIs for years.

F66 2025 MINI Cooper S Performance

Model	F56 Cooper	F56 Cooper S	F66 Cooper C	F66 Cooper S
Power	134 hp	189 hp	156 hp	201 hp
Torque	162 lb-ft/1480 rpm	206 lb-ft/1350 rpm	170 lb-ft/1,480 rpm	221 lb-ft
Transmission	Manual/DCT	Manual/DCT	7 speed DCT	7 speed DCT

MINI has upped the ante in terms of power with both models. The F56 Cooper is getting a 14% power upgrade going from 134 hp to 156 hp in the F66 Cooper C. This change takes the C from 0-62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in 7.7 seconds. The more powerful F66 Cooper S gets a less dramatic 7.4% horsepower boost from 189 to 204 hp but sees a significant torque increase to 221 lb-ft. This gets the new F66 Cooper S to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds (60 in 6.3 seconds). And keep in mind these are both likely a conservative numbers knowing how BMW calculates figures. 

The F66 2025 MINI Cooper S comes with a revised version of the B48 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, generating an output of 201 horsepower and a maximum of 221 ft-lbs. of torque. That’s up from 189 hp and 206 ft lbs. This allows the Cooper S to go 0 to 60 MPH in 6.3 seconds with the sport automatic DCT – a slight .1 second increase from the previous, lighter model.

One important note. Both the MINI Cooper S you see here and the forthcoming base MINI Cooper C will come to the US exclusively with four cylinder engines. The move means the cooper will share the same exact engine as the cooper s with the only difference being software. This could open the door for huge performance upgrade possibilities.

The New MINI Family Launch Dates

1st Wave: U25 Countryman S, JCW & F66 Cooper S

MINI is completely transforming its model range and the F66 2025 MINI Cooper S and the U25 Countryman S and JCW are the start. All three products have started production this month, with a vehicles arriving at dealers in May.

Each dealer will receive several launch cars that will represent each model with the idea that they’ll be available for test drives and as a way to help potential buyers sort out models and options.

2nd Wave: U25 Countryman SE, F66 MINI Cooper & F65 Cooper S 4 Door

The 2nd wave of this changeover will include the first new electric product to hit US shores. The electric Countryman SE (which we recently reviewed) will begin production in July with an official market launch happening early September. 

The F66 Cooper (with its uniquely US spec four cylinder engine) will finally begin production and make it to dealers in the same timeframe. Along side of it will be the introduction of another new model, the F65 Cooper S four door hatch. 

3rd Wave: F67 Cooper Convertible, F65 Cooper 4 Door & F66 Cooper JCW

The 3rd wave will round out the year with some of the most anticipated models. MINI will begin production of the Convertible in all models (the Cooper, Cooper S and JCW) in November with a market introduction in January of 2025. They will be joined by the Cooper four door and finally (the one we’ve been waiting for) the F66 Cooper JCW.

To make this a bit more simple, here’s a handy guide to all new MINI products destined for the US and when we should see them.

Model	Code Name	Power	MY	Prod. Month	Market Launch
MINI Countryman S All4	U25	Internal Combustion	2025	03/24	05/24
MINI Countryman JCW All4	U25	Internal Combustion	2025	03/24	05/24
MINI Cooper S 2-door hardtop	F66	Internal Combustion	2025	03/24	05/24
MINI Cooper 2-door hardtop	F66	Internal Combustion	2025	07/24	09/24
MINI Countryman SE All4	U25	Battery Electric	2025	07/24	09/24
MINI Cooper S 4-door hardtop	F65	Internal Combustion	2025	07/24	09/24
MINI Cooper 4-door hardtop	F65	Internal Combustion	2025	11/24	01/25
MINI Cooper, Cooper S & JCW Convertible	F67	Internal Combustion	2025	11/24	01/25
MINI JCW 2-door hardtop	F66	Internal Combustion	2025	11/24	01/25

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