MINI Hardtop 2 Door 2022 Review

The Hardtop 2 Door is the vehicle you think of when someone says "Mini Cooper." It's the smallest vehicle in Mini's lineup — a diminutive hatchback with a pair of doors and four seats (though the rear seats are essentially useless for comfortably fitting humans). The current generation dates back to 2014, making this Hardtop the elder statesman in the class. It will retain this dubious honor next year, when the refreshed 2022 Mini Hardtop 2 Door debuts.

The most significant change in store for the 2022 Hardtop is its refreshed exterior. The front end now incorporates a body-colored panel that runs to the edge of the chrome grille; previously, that panel was black. The grille's chrome trim — along with the badges, door handles and tailpipes — can now be ordered in a gloss black treatment to distinguish it from previous models, which had chrome-only frames. In back are a restyled bumper and standard application of Mini's Union Jack-style taillights.

If you're looking to give your Mini more flair, you can opt for a contrasting roof color. Blue, yellow and gray join the list of previously available white, black and body-colored roofs. There is also the new Multitone roof, which features a color gradient that morphs from blue to black. Trim-specific upgrades include an aggressive rear diffuser for the John Cooper Works model, and fewer yellow accents on the exterior of the electric Cooper SE.

The Hardtop's interior is slightly revised as well. The electric Cooper SE's digital instrument panel is now standard across the model line, as are an 8.8-inch central display, satellite radio and lane departure warning. A heated steering wheel and adjustable ambient lighting join the options list. Apple CarPlay smartphone integration remains an optional extra, and there's still no support for Android Auto. Other key components, from the suspension and powertrain choices, are unchanged from last year, though the high-performance GP model is no longer on sale.

Mini's choice to just go with cosmetic updates rather than a more substantial redesign has left the 2 Door outmatched in both performance and technology features compared to fresher rivals such as the Honda Civic, Hyundai Veloster and Volkswagen Golf GTI. Still, if you were a Mini enthusiast to begin with, you'll likely be satisfied with the Hardtop's stylistic changes.