2026 MINI Cooper vs 2026 Nissan Ariya
The Nissan Ariya wins clearly, 100 to 65.5, on fuel & range, safety.
2026 MINI Cooper
The 2026 MINI Cooper is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact hatchback with 6 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Cooper C 2 Door, is EPA-rat…
2026 Nissan Ariya
The 2026 Nissan Ariya is sold in the U.S. as an electric compact SUV with 5 EPA-rated configurations. Its longest-range version, the ARIYA FWD 87kWh, is EPA-rat…
2026 Nissan Ariya
Clear winThe Nissan Ariya wins clearly, 100 to 65.5, on fuel & range, safety.
| Category · weight | 2026 MINI Cooperoverall 65.5 | 2026 Nissan Ariyaoverall 100 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricenot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 30.2 | 100 | |||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | |||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 92 | 100 | |||||||||
NHTSA 5-Star rating, WhichTrim Safety Signal (open recalls by severity), owner complaints, standard driver-assist features (from the press kit, or from what the manufacturer filed with NHTSA where there is none). Open park-outside / do-not-drive advisories cost 25 points. | |||||||||||
| Space & cargonot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Performancenot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Tech & comfortnot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Overall | 65.5 | 100 | |||||||||
Safety-only comparison · 2 of 7 categories compared · specs not available for Nissan Ariya
MINI Cooper: base trim Signature Trim 2-door FWD · Nissan Ariya: safety only (EPA and NHTSA record; specs not available). Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2026 Nissan Ariya wins
- It costs $1,800 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($750 against $2,550).
- It is rated 101 combined against 32 (EPA mpg or MPGe).
- It has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 100 against 92).
Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.
Specifications side by side
1 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | MINI CooperSignature Trim 2-door FWD | Nissan Ariya |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | $29,500 | — |
Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.
Equipment, feature by feature
5 features · differences first, then sharedSafety1 differ · 1 listed
| Feature | MINI CooperSignature Trim 2-door FWD | Nissan Ariya |
|---|---|---|
| Active Driving Assistant ($500) - Signature Trim | opt | — |
Seating1 differ · 1 listed
| Feature | MINI CooperSignature Trim 2-door FWD | Nissan Ariya |
|---|---|---|
| Power Front Seats: Active Driver Seat with Lumbar Support and Massaging Function for Driver's Seat ($1,250) | opt | — |
Exterior3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | MINI CooperSignature Trim 2-door FWD | Nissan Ariya |
|---|---|---|
| 1" Wheel Upgrade (e.g. 18" to 19"): $750 | opt | — |
| 2" Wheel Upgrade (e.g. 18" to 20"): $1,250 | opt | — |
| Multitone Blue Roof ($600) | opt | — |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPMINI Cooper
Top recalls
- high Seat Belts 25V616000 · 1,571 vehicles
Nissan Ariya
Top recalls
No recalls on file.
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| MINI CooperSignature Trim 2-door FWD | Nissan Ariya | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29,500 (base trim) | — |
| Price range across trims | $29,500 – $49,400 28 trims | — |
| Powertrains | GAS | BEV |
| EPA configuration compared | Cooper C 2 Door | ARIYA FWD 63kWh |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 32 | 101 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $2,550 | $750 |
| EV range | — | 216 mi |
| Basic warranty | — | — |
| Powertrain warranty | — | — |
| Roadside assistance | — | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2026 MINI Cooper or the 2026 Nissan Ariya?
The Nissan Ariya wins clearly, 100 to 65.5, on fuel & range, safety. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2026 Nissan Ariya scores 100 and the 2026 MINI Cooper 65.5. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which has the better safety record, the 2026 MINI Cooper or the 2026 Nissan Ariya?
2026 MINI Cooper: no NHTSA rating yet, grade A, 1 recall. 2026 Nissan Ariya: 5 NHTSA stars, grade A, 0 recalls. Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the biggest differences between the 2026 MINI Cooper and the 2026 Nissan Ariya?
Where the 2026 Nissan Ariya wins: it costs $1,800 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($750 against $2,550), is rated 101 combined against 32 (EPA mpg or MPGe), and has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 100 against 92).