⌘K
Find a vehicle
RecallsCompareNewsPricing
Your vehicle
VIN decoderWindow stickerProblems by systemTitle brands
Federal filings
Service bulletinsOwner complaintsInvestigationsEarly Warning reportsWarranty extensionsDriver-assist crashesTrouble codes
Browse the record
GuidesRankingsAll makesQuarterly reportsWhat is in the data
Paperwork
Repair Claim KitCar CheckFor attorneysFor expert witnessesFor repair shopsRecall disclosure formRecall fix sheets
Tools and data
Recall WatchFleet VIN checkCost calculatorsCar crosswordAPI & data
Sign inGarage
Your vehicleHome›MINI›Cooper› 2020
MINI · Compact Hatchback

2020 MINI Cooper

Electric Gas
Subcompact Cars
7 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
D
Safety Signal
62 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Recalls2 critical 4
Complaints4 crash · 3 injured reported 12
Crash ratingnot rated by NHTSA —
EV rangebest configuration, EPA 110 mi
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 31 mpg
202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2020 MINI Cooper is sold in the U.S. as an electric and gas compact hatchback with 7 EPA-rated configurations. Its longest-range version, the Cooper SE Hardtop 2 door, is EPA-rated at 110 miles with 108 MPGe combined efficiency. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, 2 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 12 complaints, most often about the electrical system.

2020 MINI Cooper

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombRangekWh/100miCharge (240V)Annual fuel*
Cooper SE Hardtop 2 doorElectricFWD135 kW DCPM115100108 MPGe110 mi31.34 h$700
Cooper ConvertibleGasFWD1.5L 3-cyl turbo283631———$2,650
Cooper Hardtop 2 doorGasFWD1.5L 3-cyl turbo283631———$2,650
Cooper Hardtop 4 doorGasFWD1.5L 3-cyl turbo283631———$2,650
Cooper S Hardtop 2 doorGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo263530———$2,750
Cooper S Hardtop 4 doorGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo263530———$2,750
Cooper S ConvertibleGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo263429———$2,850

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 42508, 41694, 41705, 41706, 41707, 41708, 41695.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
Cooper SE Hardtop 2 door10 / 10Federal Tier 3 Bin 0 / California ZEVAll 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standardsSmartWay Elite
Cooper Convertible7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standardsSmartWay
Cooper Hardtop 2 door, Cooper Hardtop 4 door, Cooper S Hardtop 4 door5–7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III ULEV70All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standardsSmartWay
Cooper S Hardtop 2 door3–7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III ULEV125All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standardsSmartWay
Cooper S Convertible5–7 / 10California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III ULEV70All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleConvertible/Cabriolet
Doors2
GVWR classClass 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement2 L

Engine Output

Horsepower189 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity4 seats

Transmission

DrivetrainFWD/Front-Wheel Drive
TransmissionAutomatic
Transmission speeds6

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Optional: Parking assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper SE). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length151.2–157.9 in
Width (body, without mirrors)68.1 in
Height55.5–56.3 in
Wheelbase98.4–101.2 in
Track, front58.7–59.1 in
Track, rear58.7–59.1 in
Curb weight2,701–2,989 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear60/40 to 63/37

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 4 configurations: 3 Door Hatch FWD, 3 Door S Hatch FWD, 5 Door Hatch FWD, 5 Door S Hatch FWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Also on file Beside the 2020 Cooper
Other years The 2027 Cooper Recalls MINI recalls
Advertisement

Factory warranty running out?

The 2020 MINI Cooper is in the years where high-voltage electronics and module repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (4)

Source: NHTSA recall database
!critical

Electrical System

12,535 vehicles 94% reported repaired
Problem BMW of North America, LLC. (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2024 MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper SE) vehicles. Faults may occur in the high voltage battery or high voltage system, resulting in a short circuit. Risk A short circuit increases the risk of a fire. Fix Owners are advised that if a warning message is displayed in the vehicle, to park the vehicle outside and away from structures until the remedy has been completed. Dealers will provide a software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 14, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-866-ASK-MINI (1-866-275-6464).
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 24V612000 reported Aug 15, 2024 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Electrical System

145 vehicles 83% reported repaired
Problem BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020-2024 MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper SE) vehicles. The high voltage battery housing may not have been sealed properly, allowing water to enter the battery. Risk A high voltage battery with water damage can cause a fire or a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of injury or a crash. Fix Dealers will inspect and leak test the high voltage battery, and repair the battery as necessary, free of charge. Letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed June 28, 2024. Owner notification letters were mailed October 30, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 24V302000 reported Apr 29, 2024 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Air Bags

76 vehicles 100% reported repaired
Problem BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 X1 xDrive28i, X1 sDrive28i, X2 xDrive28i and X2 sDrive28i, 2020 MINI Clubman Cooper S All4, 2021 MINI Hardtop 2 Door (Cooper, Cooper S, John Cooper Works and Cooper S E) and MINI Hardtop 4 Door (Cooper and Cooper S) vehicles. Due to a problem with the rollover sensor within the air bag control unit, in the event of a rollover crash, the head air bag, seat belt pretensioners and other safety systems, may not activate. Risk If the safety systems do not deploy as intended in a roll over crash, it may increase the risk of injury. Fix BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The recall began July 17, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 20V283000 reported May 20, 2020 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Structure

683 vehicles 100% reported repaired built Jun 11, 2019 – Aug 14, 2019
Problem BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2020 MINI Hardtop 2-Door Cooper, Cooper S, and JCW vehicles. The rear side trim panels may have been assembled without a crash pad. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 214, "Side Impact Protection." Risk Without a crash pad, rear seat passengers would have an increased risk of injury in the event of a side impact crash. Fix MINI will notify owners, and MINI dealers will install crash pads, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2019. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 19V634000 reported Aug 28, 2019 BMW of North America, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Cooper

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2020 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. MINI publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →MINI’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2020 MINI Cooper, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Advertisement

Parts & accessories for the 2020 MINI Cooper

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this Cooper →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
12complaints filed

4 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 3 injuries · 0 deaths reported

5.1 per 10,000 built · MINI reported 23,576 Cooper built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2019: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 1

Most-cited components

Electrical System 3
Air Bags 3
Engine 2
Visibility/Wiper 2
Steering 2
Service Brakes 2

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

A driver drove head on into my drivers seat door hard enough that his front bumper completely detached from his car and my door could not open, close, or lock, and my car was not drivable. My car has side airbags. No airbag deployed. I had to go to the hospital immediately after the accident.
Air Bags Feb 23, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11719915
I was pulling into a parking spot slowly and all of the sudden the car took off and took off and I couldn’t stop and when I tried to sped hard on the break it wouldn’t work and I lost control and my car wouldn’t stop until it crashed into another vehicle that was sitting in another parking spot
Service Brakes Jun 25, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11669081
The contact owns a 2020 Mini Cooper S. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the power steering feature malfunctioned, causing the steering wheel to become difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering pump had failed and needed to be replaced.
Steering at 25,500 miles Mar 13, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11648130
The contact owns a 2020 Mini Cooper. The contact stated the while driving at 55 to 60 MPH, the vehicle sunroof glass exploded without impact. No injuries were sustained. The contact drove the vehicle to the residence. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be inspected. The manufacturer was not contacted.
Visibility/Wiper Jun 9, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11327954
Originally problem started with a about five warning messages, a brake system one, a chassis stabilization one, Collision warning one, pedestrian warning one, and a drive train message. They were would appear while drive at any speed but, would go away after the car was shut off and restarted.
Power Train Oct 25, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11622035
The tires on this vehicle have blown out 3 times in the 9 months we have owned this car. Another tire (a fourth incident) had a bubble that was replaced before it blew out. All incidents were separate times. The dealer and BMW will do nothing. All blow outs were on the highway traveling about 60 MPH
Wheels at 8,028 miles Mar 18, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11403655

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by MINI itself: 3 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 2 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 13 per 100,000 built. Every Cooper model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every BMW warranty extension (46) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 142
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-07-10
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 139 service bulletins, 2 warranty extensions, 1 service campaign

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Engine, Structure, Equipment Adaptive/Mobility.

  • M840226 Service campaign
    2026-07-10 · Electrical System
  • Once the Telematics Module (TCB2) enters sleep mode, a MINI Data Services trigger for Remote Services(remote engine start, lock/unlock/climate conditioning) will not be able to reactivate the TCB2. Due to this issue, Remote Services will not function in the vehicle when parked and locked.
  • M010324 Warranty extension
    2026-04-27 · Fuel/Propulsion System
  • EVAP PURGE (VENT) VALVE EXT LTD WTY (ELW) 15 YRS/150,000 MLS
  • M511616 Service bulletin
    2025-07-16 · Structure — Body
  • Cavity protection applied to the underside of the hood is leaking out onto the wheel arch trim and grille.
  • M310424 Service bulletin
    2024-03-04 · Suspension
  • During inspection and/or diagnosis there is noticeable dirt/grease buildup on the axles near the inner and/or outer CV boots.
  • M511616 Service bulletin
    2023-11-02 · Structure
  • Cavity protection applied to underside of the hood is leaking out onto the wheel arch trim and grille.
  • M610607 Service bulletin
    2023-10-25 · Electrical System
  • MINI electrical systems have continued to develop over the past few years. As a result, the demand on the batteries has increased. Breakdowns due to an empty battery or problems in the vehicles electrical system can have various causes, most of which are not due to the battery itself. For this reason, a battery replacement will permanently eliminate the problem only in the rarest of cases. The
  • M540123 Service bulletin
    2023-08-01 · Structure — Body — Roof And Pillars
  • ?The panoramic roof sunblind does not close, or jams while closing.
  • M110323 Service bulletin
    2023-08-01 · Communication — Manufacturer Telematics
  • ?BMW AG has issued a Delivery Stop: REPLACE CHARGE AIR LINE.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2020 MINI Cooper failed the emissions check on 2.4% of first inspections — close to the 2.2% for every 2020 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.73% (every 2020 vehicle: 1.6%).

New York inspections 2.4%

failed emissions

551 initial inspections of 535 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2020 CooperEvery 2020 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check2.4%2.2%542
Failed the safety inspection0.73%1.6%551
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0%0.19%551
Miles driven a year6,5329,980odometer at inspection
Average odometer41,20462,630odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2020 vehicle” is every 2020 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Cooper by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2027 A* 0 0 31 mpg2026 A 1 3 32 mpg2025 C 4 6 32 mpg2024 C 2 2 114 mi2023 C 2 12 114 mi2022 C 2 9 114 mi2021 D 4 7 110 mi2020 this page D 4 12 110 mi2019 B 2 17 32 mpg2018 A 0 8 32 mpg2017 B 3 34 32 mpg2016 C 4 51 32 mpg

Common questions about the 2020 Cooper

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2020 MINI Cooper have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 4 recall campaigns for the 2020 MINI Cooper, 2 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 24V612000, covering Electrical System. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2020 MINI Cooper?

NHTSA has not published a crash-test rating for the 2020 MINI Cooper yet. On the recall record WhichTrim grades it D (62/100), which measures open and severe recalls rather than crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2020 MINI Cooper?

Across the 7 EPA-rated configurations of the 2020 MINI Cooper, the best EPA combined figure is 31 mpg (MPGe on the electrified versions) and the longest EPA range is 110 miles on a charge. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2020 MINI Cooper?

Transport Canada measured it at 151.2–157.9 in long, 68.1 in wide (body, without mirrors), 55.5–56.3 in tall, on a 98.4–101.2 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 2,701–2,989 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2020 MINI Cooper?

Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 MINI Cooper, most often about electrical system, air bags, engine. Of those, 4 involved a crash, 3 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2020 MINI Cooper?

The EPA smog rating for the 2020 MINI Cooper runs 3 to 10 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV125, California LEV-III ULEV70, California ZEV, Federal Tier 3 Bin 0, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2020 MINI Cooper?

The manufacturer has filed 142 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2020 MINI Cooper, most often covering electrical system, equipment, engine. The most recent is dated 2026-07-10. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2020 MINI Cooper do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2020 MINI Cooper failed the emissions check on 2.4% of first inspections — close to the 2.2% for every 2020 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.73% (every 2020 vehicle: 1.6%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations7 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates7 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls4NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints12NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratingsnoneNHTSA NCAPNHTSA has not tested this model year. Cars are selected for testing, so untested is not unsafe.
Service bulletins142NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA12 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2027 Cooper The Cooper model year with the cleanest record on file — grade A, 0 recalls.Recalls Every MINI recall on file All campaigns filed against MINI vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this Cooper by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API