2026 MINI Cooper vs 2026 Nissan Leaf
The Nissan Leaf wins clearly, 88.6 to 55.9, on tech & comfort, fuel & range. The MINI Cooper is ahead on safety and price.
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 Leaf
The 2026 Nissan Leaf is sold in the U.S. as an electric compact hatchback with 3 EPA-rated configurations. Its longest-range version, the LEAF 75kWh (18 inch st…
2026 Nissan Leaf
Clear winThe Nissan Leaf wins clearly, 88.6 to 55.9, on tech & comfort, fuel & range. The MINI Cooper is ahead on safety and price.
| Category · weight | 2026 Nissan Leafoverall 88.6 | 2026 MINI Cooperoverall 55.9 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricew 4 | 98.4 | 100 | ||||||||||||
Base MSRP of the trim (or the model's lowest trim). Lower is better. | ||||||||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 100 | 25.8 | ||||||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | ||||||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 61.8 | 75.2 | ||||||||||||
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 | No data | No data | ||||||||||||
| Performancenot compared | No data | No data | ||||||||||||
| Tech & comfortw 3 | 100 | 1.6 | ||||||||||||
Standard (1) and optional (0.5) infotainment, convenience, climate and interior features from the manufacturer's press kit. | ||||||||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | No data | No data | ||||||||||||
| Overall | 88.6 | 55.9 | ||||||||||||
Trim vs trim · 4 of 7 categories compared
Nissan Leaf: open park-outside / do-not-drive advisory (−25)
Nissan Leaf: base trim S+ FWD · MINI Cooper: base trim Signature Trim 2-door FWD. 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 Leaf wins
- It lists 29 standard driver-assist features against 0.
- It lists more comfort and tech equipment (32 points against 0.5 on the press-kit count, standard = 1, optional = ½).
- It costs $1,900 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($650 against $2,550).
Where the 2026 MINI Cooper answers
- It has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 92 against 78).
- It starts $490 lower ($29,500 against $29,990 base MSRP).
What they share
- 3 owner complaints.
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
29 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Nissan LeafS+ FWD | MINI CooperSignature Trim 2-door FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | $29,990 | $29,500 |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Engine type (full description) | 160 kW AC synchronous electric motor | — |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | 214 hp | — |
| Torque | 261 lb-ft | — |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | 131 mpg | — |
| MPG (combined) | 121 mpg | — |
| MPG (highway) | 111 mpg | — |
| Transmission | ||
| Transmission type | Electric single-speed | — |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Ground clearance | 5.3 in | — |
| Overall height | 61.3 in | — |
| Overall length | 173 in | — |
| Overall width | 71.3 in | — |
| Wheelbase | 106 in | — |
| Cargo | ||
| Cargo volume behind 2nd row | 55.5 cu-ft | — |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | 5 | — |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | 39.9 in | — |
| Second-row headroom | 37.2 in | — |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | 42.4 in | — |
| Second-row legroom | 31.8 in | — |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | 4,187 lbs | — |
| Curb weight (minimum) | 4,187 lbs | — |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | Vehicle-speed-sensitive electric power-steering | — |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | 35.4 ft | — |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | 18 in | — |
| Wheel material | steel | — |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | 215/55 R18 | — |
| Connected Services | ||
| Connected services brand | NissanConnect | — |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | 56 in | — |
| Second-row shoulder room | 54.6 in | — |
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
81 features · differences first, then sharedSafety30 differ · 30 listed
| Feature | Nissan LeafS+ FWD | MINI CooperSignature Trim 2-door FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic Emergency Braking (with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection) | std | — |
| ProPILOT Assist | std | — |
| 3D Intelligent Around View® Monitor | std | — |
| Forward Collision Warning | std | — |
| Rear Cross Traffic Alert | std | — |
| Front seat-mounted side-impact supplemental air bags | std | — |
| Lane Departure Warning | std | — |
| Lane Keep Assist | std | — |
| Nissan Advanced Air Bag System with dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt sensors and occupant classification sensor | std | — |
| Roof-mounted curtain side-impact supplemental air bags | std | — |
| Driver Attention Alert | std | — |
| Rear seat-mounted side-impact supplemental air bags | std | — |
| Rear sonar sensors | std | — |
| Active Driving Assistant ($500) - Signature Trim | — | opt |
| Anti-lock braking system | std | — |
| Blind Spot Intervention | std | — |
| Blind Spot Warning | std | — |
| Driver and front passenger knee supplemental air bags | std | — |
| Front Wide View | std | — |
| High Beam Assist | std | — |
| Intelligent Hood View | std | — |
| Lane Departure Prevention | std | — |
| Post-collision auto-hazard and emergency call | std | — |
| Predictive Forward Collision Warning | std | — |
| Rear Door Alert | std | — |
| Secondary Collision Mitigation Braking | std | — |
| Traction control system | std | — |
| Traffic Sign Recognition | std | — |
| Vehicle Dynamic Control | std | — |
| Tire pressure monitoring system | std | — |
Infotainment10 differ · 10 listed
| Feature | Nissan LeafS+ FWD | MINI CooperSignature Trim 2-door FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 4-speaker audio system | std | — |
| Amazon Alexa Built-in | std | — |
| Bluetooth® hands-free phone system | std | — |
| Hands-free text messaging assistant | std | — |
| NissanConnect® telematics – 5G | std | — |
| NissanConnect® with 12.3-inch touchscreen | std | — |
| SiriusXM® 360 | std | — |
| USB Type C ports (front) | std | — |
| Wireless Android Auto™ | std | — |
| Wireless Apple CarPlay® | std | — |
Convenience6 differ · 6 listed
| Feature | Nissan LeafS+ FWD | MINI CooperSignature Trim 2-door FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 12-volt power outlet (front) | std | — |
| Nissan Intelligent Key™ with push-button start | std | — |
| Portable charge cable (120V / 240V EVSE) | std | — |
| Power door locks with auto locking system | std | — |
| Power windows with remote open for driver's window | std | — |
| Manual liftgate | std | — |
Climate1 differ · 1 listed
| Feature | Nissan LeafS+ FWD | MINI CooperSignature Trim 2-door FWD |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic climate control with rear foot ducting | std | — |
Seating4 differ · 4 listed
| Feature | Nissan LeafS+ FWD | MINI CooperSignature Trim 2-door FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 6-way manual adjustable | std | — |
| 60/40 folding rear seats | std | — |
| Cloth | std | — |
| Power Front Seats: Active Driver Seat with Lumbar Support and Massaging Function for Driver's Seat ($1,250) | — | opt |
Interior12 differ · 12 listed
| Feature | Nissan LeafS+ FWD | MINI CooperSignature Trim 2-door FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 12.3-inch Advanced Drive-Assist® Display | std | — |
| Ambient lighting, white | std | — |
| Bottle holders – 4 (door panels) | std | — |
| Cargo area LED lighting | std | — |
| Center console storage | std | — |
| Cup holders – 2 in center console | std | — |
| Glove compartment | std | — |
| Manual-dimming inside rearview mirror | std | — |
| Room lamp | std | — |
| Sun visors with extension | std | — |
| TailorFit™ steering wheel | std | — |
| Manual tilt / Manual telescopic | std | — |
Exterior9 differ · 9 listed
| Feature | Nissan LeafS+ FWD | MINI CooperSignature Trim 2-door FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 1" Wheel Upgrade (e.g. 18" to 19"): $750 | — | opt |
| 18-inch steel with full wheel covers | std | — |
| 2" Wheel Upgrade (e.g. 18" to 20"): $1,250 | — | opt |
| 215/55 R18 Yokohama AVID GT | std | — |
| LED daytime running lights | std | — |
| LED tail lights | std | — |
| Multitone Blue Roof ($600) | — | opt |
| Variable intermittent windshield wipers | std | — |
| Rear window defroster | std | — |
Powertrain9 differ · 9 listed
| Feature | Nissan LeafS+ FWD | MINI CooperSignature Trim 2-door FWD |
|---|---|---|
| 160 kW AC synchronous electric motor | std | — |
| 214 horsepower, 261 lb-ft of torque | std | — |
| 7.2 kW onboard charger | std | — |
| 75 kWh lithium-ion battery | std | — |
| Charging timer – set desired charge time | std | — |
| J1772 charging port | std | — |
| North American Charging Standard (NACS) port | std | — |
| Plug & Charge capability | std | — |
| Vehicle-to-load capability (V2L), 1,500 watts (requires adapter for exterior J1772 port) | std | — |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPNissan Leaf
Top recalls
- critical Electrical System 26V188000 · 51 vehicles
- high Seat Belts 26V425000 · 3,788 vehicles · filed unfixed
MINI Cooper
Top recalls
- high Seat Belts 25V616000 · 1,571 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Nissan LeafS+ FWD | MINI CooperSignature Trim 2-door FWD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29,990 (base trim) | $29,500 (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | $29,990 – $38,990 3 trims | $29,500 – $49,400 28 trims |
| Powertrains | BEV | GAS |
| EPA configuration compared | LEAF 75kWh (18 inch steel Wheels) | Cooper C 2 Door |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 121 | 32 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $650 | $2,550 |
| EV range | 303 mi | — |
| Basic warranty | — | — |
| Powertrain warranty | — | — |
| Roadside assistance | — | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2026 Nissan Leaf or the 2026 MINI Cooper?
The Nissan Leaf wins clearly, 88.6 to 55.9, on tech & comfort, fuel & range. The MINI Cooper is ahead on safety and price. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2026 Nissan Leaf scores 88.6 and the 2026 MINI Cooper 55.9. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which is cheaper, the 2026 Nissan Leaf or the 2026 MINI Cooper?
The 2026 MINI Cooper starts lower — $29,500 against $29,990, a gap of $490 at the trims compared here. Both are manufacturer MSRPs before destination, options and dealer charges.
Which has the better safety record, the 2026 Nissan Leaf or the 2026 MINI Cooper?
2026 Nissan Leaf: no NHTSA rating yet, grade C, 2 recalls (1 filed with no repair available). 2026 MINI Cooper: no NHTSA rating yet, grade A, 1 recall. 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 Nissan Leaf and the 2026 MINI Cooper?
Where the 2026 Nissan Leaf wins: it lists 29 standard driver-assist features against 0, lists more comfort and tech equipment (32 points against 0.5 on the press-kit count, standard = 1, optional = ½), and costs $1,900 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($650 against $2,550). Where the 2026 MINI Cooper answers: it has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 92 against 78) and starts $490 lower ($29,500 against $29,990 base MSRP). What they share: 3 owner complaints.