EPA Report: 2011 MINI Cooper Most Fuel Efficient Car In Its Class
New figures from the EPA confirm that the MINI Cooper remains one of the most fuel-efficient cars you can own. It’s tops in its class and right in there with the best performers from its surrounding car classes as well. See the numbers and get the full PDF after the break.
Beyond the Cooper but within its class, the worst mileage in the MINI range (the JCW Convertible at 25/33 mpg) is still quite a bit better than the next closest contender, the Mitsubishi Eclipse (at 20/27 mpg). Across all cars, with rare exception, the only way you’re going to get better mileage than a MINI Cooper is in a hybrid. But even those numbers are interesting. Looking at Honda’s new CR-Z sport hybrid, its numbers aren’t much more impressive than the Cooper S. The CR-Z will hit 39 mpg highway, with the Cooper S not far behind at 34 mpg highway. More interesting for this audience, however, is that while the weight of the two cars is basically even, the CR-Z only has 122 hp between both its power plants. Is more than 50 horsepower worth 5 mpg? Uh…YEAH!
<p>The amazing thing is that I routinely beat these estimates in my 07 R56 MC. If I drive fairly conservatively, I beat them by a lot.</p>
<p>If you dropped 50hp from teh MINI, you’d probably be able to beat the CRZ hybrid. Hybrids are so over-rated.</p>
<p>My dad’s 2009 R56 Cooper manual gets over 40mpg in mixed driving. Straight highway pushes high 40’s. It’s kind of amazing. My 2004 R50 manual only ever hits 37mpg on straight highway runs. The Prince engine and 6spd gearbox has done wonders.</p>
<p>I’m often asked what kind of milage my R52 gets and I often reply that it is so much fun to drive, I just don’t really care. If I was all that concerned with optimizing milage, I’d probably have a 50+ mpg hybrid and spend my driving time looking forward to something else to do.</p>
<p>And to the moderator: Thanks for log in fix. If not appropriate here, delete at your whim.</p>
<p>I’m curious what other cars are in Mini’s Minicompact class? Two door hatches – I can only think of the Hyundi Accent, and Toyota Yaris. The others all seem to be 4dr hatch like Fit, Aveo, Mazda2 and Fiesta.</p>
<p>lavardera, you can see that information in the PDF. It’s mostly small sports cars like Porsche.</p>
<p>The “classes” are based on internal volume (passenger and cargo). So the Mini’s competitors in it’s “class” are 2 seater sports cars like the Porsche 911, the Jaguar XK and the Astin-Martin DB9. Not exactly cars built for fuel efficiency.</p>
<p>I just can’t imagine too many folks cross shopping Jag XK against a Mini….</p>
<p>Well its interesting to note that those cars listed, many fall in other categories, all get much less miles/gallon than the Mini’s</p>
<p>I’d say I get higher than the window sticker since I average 31-33 just about every tank (calculated – not the OBC) in my JCW.</p>
<p>I do drive 75% highway but 90% of that highway is during rush hour traffic.</p>
<p>I’ve made 2 highway trips with my 2010 Cooper hardtop 6-speed which is barely broken in (1500 miles) at this point. First trip was 42.0, second was 43.8 mpg. Routine around town mpg is high thirties.</p>