2019 Mini Cooper review - retro supermini as polished as ever - Mini Cooper MPG and running costs

Given the Mini was originally conceived as a solution for an oil crisis, the current car really should be a frugal proposition. It proves so, too, as all feature stop-start to cut out any unnecessary idling when stood still. Mini benefits from all of BMW’s EfficientDynamics technology and turbocharging expertise. The result is a choice of cars that avoid the pumps commendably.

No surprises that the Cooper D is the economy champion, achieving a highly impressive 72.4mpg on the old NEDC cycle, that backed with an emissions figure of just 102g/km.

> Read our Mini Clubman Cooper S review

Don’t rule out the petrol models on economy grounds, either, as the diesels' benefits are only really useful on longer runs, while the price differential buys a decent amount of fuel, too. The One achieves 52.3mpg and emissions of 122g/km – identical figures to the turbocharged Cooper. Even the four-cylinder Cooper S manages 44.1mpg as a three-door – on paper, at least. Opting for the automatic or five-door in all worsens these figures slightly, so if you’re watching the pennies – and trying to lesson your tax burden – choose wisely.

Mini pioneered fixed-price servicing packages and the TLC pack remains a popular and cost-efficient way of running the Mini, with five years or 50,000 miles of servicing. Add high residual values and sensible insurance costs and the Mini can be run for comparatively little money, particularly when you take into account its premium positioning.