The 2012 Mini Cooper Roadster: What the critics say

Car and Driver

This front-wheel-drive two-seater has a “c’mon-let’s-play appeal” that’s hard to resist. With the top down, it “delivers sensations akin to roadsters of yore”—including a bit of shake in the cowl and considerable wind buffeting. The rear-wheel-drive Mazda MX-5 Miata is at least as capable a performer, but “the pros outweigh the cons” in this quick-on-its-feet sports car. It’s easily “the most stylish Mini yet created.”

National Post (Canada)

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The pug-faced Roadster may be “cute rather than drop-dead sexy,” but “cute works.” This toy-like convertible is certainly a blast to drive. The three 1.6-liter-engine models include a 181 hp Sport version and a 208 hp turbo John Cooper Works edition—if you’re willing to run up the price. Inside, a “lounge leather” option adds “a fittingly retro touch,” and a dashboard sunshine meter adds to the fun.

The Washington Post

There is little reason to buy a Mini Roadster other than its joie de vivre. You’ll find drawbacks aplenty in this ragtop version of Mini’s coupe, like “paltry cargo capacity” and a single-layer soft top that’s noisy at highway speeds and a bit of work to raise and lower. But underway, this little fun-mobile is smooth, precise, and “exceptionally stable in turns.” It’s what a roadster should be—“cute, charming, and wonderfully impractical.”