2023 MINI Hardtop 4 Door Review

A handful of new hardtop color choices and the addition of standard Apple CarPlay give the 2023 Mini Hardtop 4 Door some renewed vigor among a group of freshened hatchback rivals. A new yellow hardtop option, plus new white and red Multitone roof colors that feature a color-blending gradient, joins the blue/black Multitone roof introduced last year. The Mini's changes are largely cosmetic, however. There are no additional power or performance upgrades, and Android Auto smartphone integration for the center display, which would be nice to have, is still MIA.

Mini missed a chance here to pull away from four-door hatchback rivals such as the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Honda Civic, cars that blend sporty with practical and include now-common tech as standard features. Compounding matters are supply chain shortages that have forced Mini to halt production of standard manual transmissions. For now, the Hardtop 4 Door will only offer a seven-speed automatic. The base trim level, Classic, is also being suspended, making the Signature trim the new base level. Mini says these changes are temporary but offers no timeline for their return.

The Mini's ace card, though, has always been its swagger, thanks to the myriad ways it can be personalized. From the color of the roof and side mirrors to dozens of stripe, wheel and color combinations, it's easy to build a Mini that stands out in a sea of silver, white and black cars.