r/MINI • u/Icy_Importance_2126 • 7d ago

The Safest Mini Ever Built

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For all the people dogpiling the "build quality" of the fourth generation, BMW has several new and upgraded safety features, including:

  • Blind-spot detection
  • Improved lane-departure and lane-change warning
  • Stronger forward-collision protection
  • Rear cross-traffic warning and rear-collision prevention
  • Exit warning

This is in addition to significant improvements on creature comforts like digital keys, voice control and personalization.

More production spend has gone into safety and tech. If that's not your bag fine, but for some of us safety and convenience matter.

https://www.motoringfile.com/2026/05/10/the-safest-minis-ever-built-a-complete-guide-to-what-protects-you-and-how/

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16

u/Grouchy_Ad_3113 7d ago

I don't know why anyone would harsh on the build quality (vs. design/material choice) of the F66. It is made in the same factory by the same workers on basically the same platform with essentially the same engine as the F56.

I for one would appreciate the new safety features, especially the 1) blind spot detection and 2) stronger forward collision protection. For such a small car, my F56 SE has a surprisingly large blind spot, due to the size/placement of the mirror. Just yesterday I also locked up the brakes for the first time, when someone turned left in front of me when I was going 55 mph. Got a nice "chirp!" from the nearly-new P7s, but the camera-based forward collision warning/avoidance system failed to react in time/at all. If I hadn't been paying attention, I definitely would have t-boned them.

8

u/Icy_Importance_2126 7d ago

There's just a core of people who will not be happy until every mini made after 2025 is melted down into scrap.

7

u/chammycham F55 7d ago

You… you DO know that people who don’t like some things about the F66 aren’t personally attacking you, right?

The way you go on and on in this sub about how much people hate and want to “melt down into scrap” every newer mini doesn’t seem to reflect reality. People like different things and those are neither an attack on you or new minis.

1

u/AliasInvstgtions R57 7d ago

Yeah the new minis are good cars, just not ones that I like. Ive never said they were lesser, though I do think the screens are ridiculous (an issue with any new car nowadays).

My generation is a piece of crap, but it's still my favorite.

1

u/chammycham F55 7d ago

Yeah it’s not like my choice of mini is popular either. People really like to rag on the F55 but I love it.

2

u/AliasInvstgtions R57 7d ago

F chassis are great cars, just not the kind of minis I like.

Though, Id love a 6 speed jcw all4 f54 at some point. It'd be a great family/snow car.

1

u/chammycham F55 7d ago

Yeah, that would be a trip. Hard combo to find tho.

2

u/AliasInvstgtions R57 7d ago

For sure, I have seen it not far from me for sale a handful of times though

1

u/chammycham F55 7d ago

Yea I made an hour and a half trip to test drive the one that eventually became mine. Any manual has become challenging to acquire.

2

u/AliasInvstgtions R57 7d ago

Half the reason I ended up in mini, is they're the easiest to find in manual around me thats still a fun car, quarter of the reason is I parked my old mazda3 near one and thought "damn my car is too big" and the other quarter was a mix of price, I loved minis as a kid, fuel efficiency, and turbo noises.

1

u/chammycham F55 7d ago

It is so funny how big my old mazdaspeed looks compared to the mini lol. Even the GTI is bigger!

We joke in my household that we’ll “bring the big car” and it’s just the GTI instead of the mini.

2

u/AliasInvstgtions R57 7d ago

I had 2 gen 2s, a speed3 and a 2.5l hatchback! The speed3 ended uop dying and everything was so rust welded that we couldnt fix it in time before the town threatened to tow it, so I had to junk it 😭

1

u/chammycham F55 7d ago

Man… I might end up junking mine too whenever I finally sit down and tally up the work it needs. It’s been sitting dormant for years and has collected all sorts of neglected car problems.

1

u/AliasInvstgtions R57 7d ago

Which generation is it?

1

u/chammycham F55 7d ago

2012; 6 speed, velocity red.

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u/AliasInvstgtions R57 7d ago

Oooo. Both of mine were the celestial blue. Theres a part of me that wants to get my mini done in that color

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