The Mini Cooper Roadster is a two-seater built from 2012 to 2015. Most were assembled in Germany — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: 4-cyl. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Cooper Roadster is
The Mini Cooper Roadster is a two-seater that Mini built from 2012 to 2015 — 4 model years. It has been offered with 4-cyl power. Its closest sibling in the Mini range: Cooper Coupe.
Where the Cooper Roadster is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 6 Cooper Roadsters on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | WMW | 2012-2013 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Mini VIN decide which of these 1 lines your Cooper Roadster belongs to. What every character in a Cooper Roadster VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Mini Cooper Roadster adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Mini Cooper Roadster tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Cooper Roadster owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Mini Cooper Roadster have? Power & range
The Mini Cooper Roadster is offered with 1 powertrain — 1.6L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the Mini Cooper Roadster, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-cyl | 1.6L · 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | FWD | Premium |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Cooper Roadster by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Mini Cooper Roadster. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Cooper Roadster | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 4 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 203 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Insurance | $887/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 28 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Mini Cooper Roadster?
The Cooper Roadster is a two-seater, built from 2012 to 2015. Engines offered: 4-cyl.
Where is the Mini Cooper Roadster made?
Across 6 cars in our records the split is: Germany (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
What is the Mini Cooper Roadster warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Cooper Roadster reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Cooper Roadster?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Mini
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini Cooper | 2002–2010 | 33 | 32 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Mini Countryman | 2011–2026 | 23 | 98 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Mini Hardtop | 2009–2026 | 15 | 32 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Mini Cooper Convertible | 2004–2026 | 9 | 32 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Mini Clubman | 2008–2024 | 19 | 32 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Mini Cooper Coupe | 2012–2015 | 2 | 32 mpg | 4.0/5 |