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MINI Dealers Are in a Tough Spot
“Consumers have turned away from small, sporty cars, regardless of price,” Automotive News reported at this year’s NADA conference, highlighting challenges for MINI.
With the Countryman as its largest model, MINI lacks the SUV-heavy lineup many buyers now prefer. BMW has opted against a major marketing push, leaving dealers to focus on “selling the deal more than the car.”
Widewail’s 2024 data reflects these struggles. MINI dropped six spots in OEM reputation rankings, the biggest decline of any brand. Monthly review volume fell 29%, mirroring a 21.5% drop in U.S. sales.
With fewer customers coming through the doors, review volume is down, but those who do leave feedback are increasingly critical of staff interactions—negative mentions of staff grew 55% YoY, compared to an industry-wide 20% increase.
However, MINI excels in deal satisfaction. The brand ranked #1 in 2024 for the fewest negative “deal” mentions, improving from #3 in 2023. Less than 1% of its negative reviews cited pricing frustrations.
While attracting buyers remains difficult, MINI’s strong deal satisfaction suggests an opportunity to win over price-conscious shoppers. Competitive pricing alone isn’t likely to be sustainable, but the uncomfortably high cost of vehicles these days suggests better news for MINI, which we cover in the Visualize section below.
