This current generation of MINI Cooper is getting a bit long in the tooth. However, a new generation won’t be coming for a few more years, so the British brand needs to keep things fresh if it wants to stay competitive against the all-new VW Golf, Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class. To do so, the current crop of MINIS, which include the MINI Hardtop 2 Door, Hardtop 4 Door and Convertible, have all received mild refreshes. Again.

At the front, the new air curtains are integrated into the front bumper and the front fog lights have been removed. The grille is also much larger, with a hexagonal design and a body colored panel that bisects the design and houses the license plate. It seems as if MINI caught whatever the 4 Series has come down with. John Cooper Works variants also get large front air intakes, finished in gloss black.

LED headlights are standard, as are Union Jack LED taillights and a new Piano Black exterior trim option gives the crop of MINIs an added sportiness.

There are also three new colors, Island Blue, Rooftop Grey and Zesty Yellow, all of which are seen on the cars in the photo gallery below. Those new colors go along with new wheel options, that all look good. The MINI Electric also gets all the same new updates, despite being that last MINI to the party.

Inside, a slightly new steering wheel sits in front of a digital gauge screen, originally seen on the MINI Electric, and a new version of MINI’s version of iDrive is now inside the familiar looking central circle.

This new facelift for the majority of MINI Cooper models isn’t exactly groundbreaking but we get it. MINI is in a tough spot at the moment, as the BMW Group is waiting to invest in a new model and the current car is getting a bit old looking. There’s only so much that MINI designers can do on the relatively small budget they’ve been given. Thankfully, the MINI Cooper is still a good looking car in all variants and this new facelift should keep current customers happy when they trade in their current cars.

Despite all the new standard equipment upgrades, including the addition of LED Headlights, a new Digital Instrument Cluster, Lane Departure Warning and all the aesthetic updates, the MY 2022 MINI Hardtops and Convertibles will see only a $500 increase across most trim levels.

At the same time, several highly popular trim levels will see no price increase from MY 2021 to MY 2022, including the Signature and Iconic trims on the MINI Cooper S Hardtop and MINI Cooper S Convertible, the Iconic trim on the MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop and MINI John Cooper Works Convertible. The Signature trim for both the MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop and the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible received a larger increase due to the addition of optional equipment to those trim levels.

For the third straight model year, the MINI Cooper SE will not see a price increase and will remain at a with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $29,900 plus an additional $850 Destination & Handling fee.

MINI Cooper Facelift Highlights

MINI Cooper 3-Door

MINI Cooper S 3-Door

MINI Cooper S 5-Door

MINI S Cabrio

MINI Cooper SE Collection

MINI Design Sketches