MINI 3-Door Hatch FAQs

• What is the difference between a Mini Hatch and a Mini Cooper?

  The two names are one and the same, with both referring to the Mini as we have come to know it. Compared with the original series of the Mini, the most-recent reincarnation of this beloved three-door and five-door hatch was launched in the year 2000 by BMW, before a second-generation version followed in 2006, and a third-generation in 2014. Whether you call it the Mini Hatch, Mini Cooper, or simply the Mini, this is a car with a pedigree of fanfare behind it.

• Is a Mini Hatch a good first car?

  In deciding whether a Mini Hatch is a good first car, you need to ask yourself whether you can afford to maintain and run a car like this. Sure, the driving dynamics are a blast, however, you will be staring at high insurance costs for a car of this calibre. In addition, when something goes wrong, which is inevitable with all cars, the maintenance and repair costs will be dearer than that of other cars. If you have deep pockets for your first car, the Mini Hatch will delight, but there is a reason most first-time car buyers opt for something more mainstream and economical like a Toyota Yaris, Hyundai i30 or Mazda 2.

• Is a Mini a hatchback?

  Generally speaking, yes, a Mini is a 3-door or 5-door hatchback, although with the brand name also doubling as the name of the vehicles in the line-up, it has caught on colloquially as a reference to each of these hot hatches. The Mini car has a distinguished history dating back to the 1950s, having been owned by a number of different parent companies and originally considered an icon of 1960s British popular culture.