My wife and I are considering getting a second MINI this year, and expect a 2 door hardtop would best meet our additional needs beyond what our 2022 Sidewalk Edition already provides. However, I'd really like to locate the detailed specs and owner's manual for the 2025 first, to clarify exactly what is changing between a new 2025 and a current 2024.

For instance, I saw a note about the new model having additional driver assistance, but no detail as to what is meant by that. If the 2025 still lacks a blind spot detector, I can add one to a 2024 as easily as to a 2025. Similarly, the 2024 already has automatic cruise control, unlike my 2022.

Apparently, some change has been made to the sunroof, but whether it is an improvement or makes it worse for our needs is unclear. We really liked the 2024 sunroof's shade and bugscreen feature, and would hate to lose that.

So, has anyone actually seen the new 2025 2 door hardtop in person yet, or found detailed specs or a manual for it?

Thanks much!

 

Have you read/watched any of the Motoring File coverage?

https://www.motoringfile.com/section...ooper-4th-gen/

https://www.motoringfile.com/2024/05...not-perfected/


https://www.motoringfile.com/2024/05...mini-cooper-s/

 

I'd not found those before, but appreciated seeing them all. I also found introductions to the new model in Car and Driver and in Motor Trend.

One worry has been eliminated: the simplified non-opening sunroof won't be on the gas 2 door hardtop.

Another useful caution is that it can be difficult to special order a version with all desired options, if you make the wrong choice of style at the start. So, if you can't spec out desired features, perhaps that can be fixed with a different initial choice or two when ordering. I expect your salesperson can assist with that.

Still completely unclear is what new safety and self-driving features may be on or available for the 2025, and how well those work.

[Update: The dealer demo is due to arrive tomorrow, so I may have some answers soon.]

 

Update: I went and saw our local dealer's new 2025 MINI 2 door gas hardtop demo today. It's very nice, and includes all the safety features I'd hoped it would - in particular the blind spot monitor and the ability to stay automatically within a marked lane, rather than merely warning one has been left.

Compared to my MINI convertible with the top down, loading our small dog (or anything else) into the back seat of the hardtop will be a bit more trouble.

It is still possible to disable the engine start/stop at corners feature, but that is now reportedly an option on the big round screen, rather than a toggle switch on the dash, so may or may not be as easy to operate. [Update2: It is NOT easy via menu system.]

The bright blue color is not yet available, but should be by July. Runflat tires are currently an option, but may not be for long. If anyone cares, I'd like runflats to remain an option for those of us who like them. The demo car came with 18 inch wheels.

Loaded except no roof rails and no dynamic suspension.

 

Nice!

We stopped by our dealer over the weekend and drove the new U25 Countryman, though I didn't play around with the safety features or augmented nav stuff. I don't like that so many buttons were moved to the screen, but the screen itself is really cool. I'm sure I could get used to it.

They're supposed to be getting their F66 this week, so I'll go back soonish to check it out as well. I'm not in the market for a new Mini anytime soon, but I like to see if there are any major dealbreakers. I was glad to see on the Countryman that the sunroof now has a solid cover, which I'm sure will what be the case for the F66 Hardtop.

 

Here are my notes from seeing/driving the F66 yesterday. Overall I prefer it to the F56.

We had a chance to drive the new 2025 MINI F66 S hardtop yesterday at the MINICOW meeting. Big take away is I like the front and side, but still don’t like the back. Surprising for me a modifiable scuttle person it actually looks sleeker with no scuttle. Almost 80’s Miata smooth. The range of new and improved features is pretty large.

The interior is rich in fabric textures, design, and cleanliness. Very very attractive. Looking where the dash gauges that are moved to the heads up display used to be there is just fabric. The inside looks so uncluttered. The circular A/C vents of the passenger are now long rectangles. I will say the rich materials of the top half are not matched by the cheapened materials in the bottom half. Like an inexpensive car, hard plastics. Door switches, etc. But still a sleek design. There is a large wireless phone charger with strap to hold phone vertically. The USB C and power ports are below the arm rest, not in front. Where the traditional gear shifter was, there is a short bin, and a larger flip top bine`. The top fils towards the passenger so it is unclear how a passenger would be able to see/get items inside.

The driver seat is power with great lumbar, massage, and memory. The passenger powered, no lumbar. When you fold the front seats forward to access the rear, they automatically slide forward for rear access. In the F56 I always lost the previous position returning the seat back. There is no leather option. I have not spent much time with the Vescin leather replacement, but it does not feel like pleather/leatherette or old. I need more time with it in the heat to see how it does like backing in the sun. But Teslas and BMW have been using a similar product and they look great after years and miles.

The F66 auto locks and unlocks as you leave and approach it. I am guessing if you approach two MINI parked side by side with two keys, both unlock. But when you drive away the remaining MIN would re-lock. Just surmising.

Performance is way up (about the same as the previous JCW) with 0-60 in just 6.3 seconds. Shifting with the Dual Clutch Transmission remains smooth and very quick gear changes. Suspension is much more like the R56; great road feel which the F56 lost a lot of, and sense of immediate crisp handling control. Steering ratio is slightly faster lock to lock, and the wheel is smaller and thicker feeling more like a go kart. All in all more sporty feel. And no run flats, so huge improvement. I read the S wheels were a little bit bigger so more road contact area, but don/t have a spec handy. The non-S moves from 16” to 17”. The first thing I did buying a new or used MINI was swap out the run flats. Having owned a couple F56 hardtop and F57 Convertible I can say the performance and handling are dramatically better. This is a much better MINI. I added this sentence after writing most of this review: If I had a choice between F56 and F66 I would now pick the F66.

The gear shift location took getting used to. It is on the dash. There is reverse, park, drive, drive low (like sport). There are no paddle shifters, but a back door to change two steering wheel controls to shifters. The new transmission software in go cart “experience” of which there are 7 is quick to up and down shift. It has been reviewed very well on Motoringfile. Also in go cart mode, the heads up display gets the tachometer, so no longer need to look down for it. Navigation in the heads up is much richer too, actual moving map, compared to the simple F56 one. Oh, the location of the HUD is adjustable so if you get in, can’t get the whole thing in your view, just adjust it.

The tech is a bit overwhelming even though I have been in the F60 Countryman and F66 hardtop a couple times now. There always seems like more to learn. I still need more seat time to understand the drive experience of which were are 7, login and how the voice control works. The center screen is simply amazing, and feature navigation was easier than a Volvo XC40 I drove when cross shopping the F60 Countryman. Screen functions are easily understood with meaningful symbols and sliders. I’d like to say come important features are still ***** Start/stop is a key like ****, Radio on/off/volume/and scroll is a ****. For Colorado two buttons max heat, and defroster are at the finger tip. Also parking brake. I really wish there was max A/C.

I have yet to try the voice control because it requires a user profile. and the profile starts a 30 day time period that is related to a subscription. Voice control is important to me to keep my eyes on the road. I am still trying to figure out what is in the subscription, and what is not. I have been told the voice control of climate system requires no subscription. Just say "Hey MINI I am hot" and the A/C temperature drops down. I really want to learn more about it. I am not sure, but I think the $10/month subscription is the Augmented Reality Navigation (like looking at a front facing camera with overlay arrows for turns), also autonomous driving and a richer set of voice commands. I’d check other sources than me for this information.

From a safety perspective, there is finally blind spot monitoring now once you get going. I am sure there are more features I just dont know. The side cameras combine to present a virtual drone view looking down to see the MINI’s placement in parking places for navigating. Really cool.

I found a pretty good overview of the F66 here, showing a lot of the features. A big gap in the video is the “Hey MINI” which has the “Spike” character now. Enjoy!

 

Thanks for writing all of that out, it's very helpful.

 

The manual is now posted, which answers a lot of questions. One it does not answer is whether you can defeat the interior camera that monitors driver attention by covering the lens with black tape. One it does is that the engine automatic start/stop behavior at corners is no longer a single toggle switch, but rather takes about 5 menu choices to reach, or running the car in either Go Kart or Sport or Low mode.

 

There is a physical toggle next to the start switch to flip through driving modes.

 

…. Yes, I know that the dedicated start/stop defeat switch is gone for 2025, but I thought it was easy to control on the screen? Can it be assigned to short cuts?