2020 MINI Convertible Trim Levels with Comparisons & Configurations.

The 2020 MINI Convertible is generating a good amount of hype this model year, and more people are learning about just how cool this car looks. But does its driving performance stack up? Are there better convertibles out there?

The reviews you will find of this year's MINI Convertible are somewhat mixed. There are some good things about this vehicle (such as its superb handling capabilities, iconic style, and all-around fun nature), but there are also some not-so-good things, like how stiff the ride quality feels and how cramped the cabin seems. Oh, and the price skyrockets when you tack on upgrades. It is not really practical, but it also kind of isn't supposed to be. The MINI Convertible hearkens back to a time when convertibles were just plain fun to drive and were not kept as daily drivers.

Now, if you are set on buying a 2020 MINI Convertible, you are going to have to consider which trim level you want to buy. There are three solid options to choose from: the Cooper, Cooper S, and John Cooper Works (or JCW for short). While the base Cooper trim level starts off at a modest $28,400, the Cooper S jumps up to $32,400 while the JCW sits at a hefty $38,400 - and those are just the starting MSRPs. For a vehicle that places fun over practicality, the prices on the higher trim levels might be hard to justify.

But that is totally up to you. To give you a better clue as to what you will be getting yourself into if you decide to buy the 2020 MINI Convertible, this trim level comparison review will pit trim against trim and go over their features and specs. In the end, we will let you know which trim level we think is the most worth buying for the average customer.

Compare the 2020 MINI Convertible Cooper vs Cooper S Trims. What is the difference?

Each of these trim levels is a two-door model that can seat up to four adults. As you can imagine, that makes space kind of an issue, and this vehicle is definitely not practical for someone needing a family hauler. The base Cooper trim level is powered by a standard 1.5-L inline-3 cylinder twin-turbo engine, which is able to muster up 134 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque. This gets the Cooper trim from 0 to 60 mph in about 8.2 seconds. The Cooper S, on the other hand, gets a twin-turbo 2.0-L inline 4 cylinder engine which boosts the vehicle to 189 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. Its up-to-speed time is decreased to 6.7 seconds, which is quite the noticeable drop.

These are just the different styles you can get though, which is what is most confusing about the MINI line-ups. There are three different trims that you can get put onto any of these three styles. There is first the Classic, then the Signature, and then the line-topping Iconic.

The Classic comes in four exterior body color options: Midnight Black, Pepper White, Chili Red, and Moonwalk Grey. The roof and mirror caps come standard in the body color that you choose. There is a rear mounted bike rack prep so that you can add your own rack and tote your bikes around with you. In addition, your can choose between white and black stripes on the bonnet, giving the vehicle that signature MINI style.

On the inside, the Classic has standard heated front seats, which certainly adds a bit of comfort during the cooler months (if you plan on driving this vehicle when it is cold out). The seats are done in Carbon Black leatherette, and there is a leather-wrapped sport steering wheel that has multiple controls mounted onto it (such as those for audio and cruise control). The cabin's surface areas are done in a sleek Hazy Grey, and there is Carbon Black color line throughout. The door panel is done in Satellite Grey, and a wind deflector comes as standard equipment.

As far as technology goes, you get a moderate amount of it. The Classic comes with Rear Park Distance Control (but not with Front Park Distance Control). It also has an Active Driving Assistant that can take over from you and guide your driving as needed. Of course, there is an on-board computer to help with all of this. You also get a trial subscription to SiriusXM Satellite Radio.

The Signature trim includes everything that you get in the Classic but includes a good number of upgrades. There are way more exterior body color options to choose from, which are: White Silver, Starlight Blue, Emerald Grey, British Racing Green IV Metallic, Melting Silver, Caribbean Aqua, and Solaris Orange. The roof and mirror caps are body-colored by standard but can be changed if you so opt for it. You can get either black or white mirror caps and a matching roof. You can have fun playing around with these color pairings for hours on end.

Other exterior features include your pick between 16-inch Loop Spoke silver alloy wheels or 16-inch Victory Spoke black alloy wheels. Either way, you get all-season tires and a space saver spare tire for when you might need it.

So, what is different on the inside? First of all, you get the Signature Upholstery Package, and, yes, there are still standard heated front seats that come with the vehicle. You do get the option of equipping the MINI Yours Fiber Alloy interior surface.Y You can also get the MINI Yours interior surface in Piano Black (and it is illuminated). Other interior surface design options include a Carbon Black color line, Glowing Red color line, Satellite Grey color line, Malt Brown color line, and a Satellite Grey door panel. All of these options are quite sleek and enhance the cabin's overall appearance, giving it that sporty 60's vibe we all get serious cases of nostalgia over (even those of us born after the 1960's ended).

Technology also expands on the Signature trim level. You get a standard alarm system, Rear Park Distance Control, the on-board computer, and a 6.5-inch infotainment display screen. You also get the Touchscreen Navigation Package included, which is nice if you do not wish to rely on your smartphone's navigation app.

There are also some seriously nice creature comforts that come along with the Signature that you will not find on the Classic. The Signature gives you the Premium Package, the HomeLink universal garage door opener with a compass built into it, and white turn signals. Of course, you still get the bike rack prep on the rear as well as your choice of white or black bonnet stripes.

Alight, the Signature is a pretty significant upgrade, but what about the line-topping Iconic trim level? Well, you get a few extras tacked on. You get one more color option, this one being MINI Yours Enigmatic Black Metallic. You still get to choose between body-colored, white, or black mirror caps and a matching roof. You also get a number of 17-inch wheel options, which are: the 17-inch Rail Spoke 2-tone alloys, 17-inch Propeller Spoke 2-tone alloys, 17-inch Roulette Spoke 2-tone alloys, 17-inch Tentacle Spoke 2-tone alloys, 17-inch Cosmos Spoke Black alloys, or 17-inch Cosmos Silver alloys. Again, all of them come with all-season tires and a space saving spare tire.

The interior has a massive list of features that is sure to impress buyers. In addition to everything that comes on the Classic and Signature trim levels, the Iconic gives you heated front sport seats and many options for stylized appearances. You can choose from the following in order to customize your MINI Convertible: Carbon Black leatherette upholstery, a Black Pearl cloth and leatherette mixed upholstery, Carbon Black Cross Punch Leather, Satellite Grey Lounge Leather, Malt Brown Chesterfield Leather, Carbon Black MINI Yours Lounge Leather, a MINI Yours sport steering wheel with multiple controls mounted onto it, a JCW leather multi-functional steering wheel, Chrome Line interior trim (or you can opt out of it entirely), a Fiber Alloy MINI Yours interior surface, the standard Hazy Grey interior surface, Piano Black Illuminated MINI Yours surfacing, a Piano Black interior surface, Carbon Black color line, Glowing Red color line, Satellite Grey color line, and Malt Brown color line. Obviously, you have a lot of choices to make while designing your Iconic trim!

Technology gets a big boost here too, upgrading you to an 8.8-inch touchscreen display. Apple CarPlay comes standard here, but be aware that, if you are an Android user, you cannot sync your phone to the 2020 MINI Convertible since there is no pairing available with Android Auto. Kind of a bummer, right? And it is a shame you have to spend so much more to get something that comes standard on many of MINI's competitors line-ups.

You do get a nice amount of additional creature comforts slapped onto the Iconic. Inside, you will find the Premium Package to be standard. There is also a nice Harman Kardon sound system and LED headlights with cornering lights built in. Sure, you are paying a lot more for them, but if you need these features, the Iconic trim level has them.

Compare the 2020 MINI Convertible Cooper S vs John Cooper Works Trims. What is the difference?

The John Cooper Works (JCW) gets a big boost in power from its tweaked version of the Cooper S' twin-turbo 2.0-L inline 4 cylinder. It gets 228 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque and can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 6.3 seconds.

As you can probably guess by now, the John Cooper Works can be equipped with either the Classic, Signature, or Iconic trims. Just be sure that you adjust for costs depending on the trim level you select, and be aware that adding extras on can make this vehicle all the more expensive. In other words, shop wisely with this one.

Which Trim to Choose?

There you have it, the entirety of the 2020 MINI Convertible's line-up. We know that the body styles and trim levels are a bit confusing, but we hope that you now have a bit more clarity than before. As you can see, there is a lot of room to customize your MINI Convertible. But which combo should you go with?

Go for the Cooper S. The base engine feels a little too under-powered for our liking, and, as we imagine, for yours as well. The Cooper S presents a nice balance in power, handling, and cost. Equip it with the Signature to get the benefit of a lot of nifty creature comforts without going totally overboard with the Iconic. The Iconic has the better standard infotainment setup, but it does not exactly warrant the beefy price tag. Stick to the middle of the road with the 2020 MINI Convertible and you'll be good to go for years to come.