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Original poster

How many seats in Mini Cooper?

63 replies

casimirscattery · 27/06/2025 00:48

I've got my eyes on a used 5 door Mini Cooper at a good price, I've been as a passenger before and really love this car. How many seat belts are there in the back? I'm wondering if it's possible to fit three children in the rear seats comfortably. I'll be arranging a test drive this week but would like to get a better idea about it before.

OP posts:
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Sahara123 · 27/06/2025 16:52

Sherararara · 27/06/2025 06:34

Considering you can get 4 elephants in a mini you should be fine.

2 in the front and 2 in the back ….🤣

Shade17 · 27/06/2025 16:43

Iloveasunnyday · 27/06/2025 16:22

The width is the same! 16cm on the boot space and a whole whopping 1cm in height does not make a comfortable 3 seats in the back. 😂

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It’s not 16cm of boot space. Some 13cm of that is rear legroom. That and the height make all the difference. Sure, it’s not something that you’d describe as roomy, but there’s loads more room in the back of the 5 door. The width is not the problem in the 3 door, the lack of legroom squashes the legs up which means you wouldn’t get comfortable in the middle, the extra leg room allowed MINI to accommodate that extra seat.

Ilikewinter · 27/06/2025 16:33

Iloveasunnyday · 27/06/2025 11:21

No it isn't. It's exactly the same dimensions as the 3 door.

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No, the 3 and 5 door mini are not the same size

Butthechildrentheylovethebooks · 27/06/2025 16:32

I have a Clubman and have had 3 tall teenagers in the back. They all swore it was comfortable! They didn't look squished in. Maybe an alternative?

BarnacleBeasley · 27/06/2025 16:29

I actually have been a passenger in the back of a mini cooper with two other women - all slim and 5'4 or under. I can confirm that it's possible, but intimate.

Iloveasunnyday · 27/06/2025 16:22

Shade17 · 27/06/2025 14:20

You mean other than being 16cm longer and 1cm taller? The significant increase in legroom and slight increase in headroom makes it much roomier in the back hence the additional seat. Not massive in there but loads more room than the 3 door.

Show quote history

The width is the same! 16cm on the boot space and a whole whopping 1cm in height does not make a comfortable 3 seats in the back. 😂

Shade17 · 27/06/2025 14:20

Iloveasunnyday · 27/06/2025 11:21

No it isn't. It's exactly the same dimensions as the 3 door.

Show quote history

You mean other than being 16cm longer and 1cm taller? The significant increase in legroom and slight increase in headroom makes it much roomier in the back hence the additional seat. Not massive in there but loads more room than the 3 door.

Iloveasunnyday · 27/06/2025 11:21

MadameCholetsDirtySecret · 27/06/2025 08:04

I have the 5 door Mini Cooper and it is much bigger than the 2 door. There are three seats in the back.
I would go to a mini dealership have have a look.
I love my mini. It’s a brilliant car.

No it isn't. It's exactly the same dimensions as the 3 door.

Tryingtokeepgoing · 27/06/2025 09:51

casimirscattery · 27/06/2025 09:00

Thanks all, I'll probably need to reconsider.

You could consider the MINi Clubman, which is a bigger car than the 3/5 door MINI, without being a faux by four type thing. It has much moor interior space. My late husband had one, a 2018 Cooper S, and it was perfectly comfortable for 4 adults on long journeys so, I suspect, fine for teenager on shorter ones even with another in the back.

Mosaic123 · 27/06/2025 09:06

Two door cars are not at all good for dropping people off anywhere!

Original poster
casimirscattery · 27/06/2025 09:00

Thanks all, I'll probably need to reconsider.

OP posts:
Mustreadabook · 27/06/2025 08:53

I looked at the mini cooper but went for the mini countryman to have more room in the back for the teens. My husband reckoned any taller than 5’10 in the back of the cooper and your head would be touching the roof.

Shade17 · 27/06/2025 08:49

I have a 5 door cooper - John Cooper works

They never made the 5 door hatch in JCW flavour.

Cookiepuss · 27/06/2025 08:43

I've got a 5 door Mini Cooper S (2018 reg) - it has got 3 seatbelts in the back but having sat in the middle "seat" between 2 other adults, it really is not comfortable sitting on the hump with your legs either side. As others have said, it's OK for the occasional short journey but even two adults in the back is a bit of a squash as there is limited leg room (particularly if the driver has long legs and puts their seat back).

Bikergran · 27/06/2025 08:41

casimirscattery · 27/06/2025 00:48

I've got my eyes on a used 5 door Mini Cooper at a good price, I've been as a passenger before and really love this car. How many seat belts are there in the back? I'm wondering if it's possible to fit three children in the rear seats comfortably. I'll be arranging a test drive this week but would like to get a better idea about it before.

Ask the dealer. There are so many different models and variations of Mini these days. I know I rejected having a Mini Cooper some time ago because it had 2 rear seats, but I think MOST have 3 in the back now, (like my JCW All4 has) though it's not comfortable for long journeys for 3 adults.

VerityUnreasonble · 27/06/2025 08:37

A family member has one and we have occasionally squashed 3 shortish people in the back before. It really is a squash and usually involves some complex maneuvering to get everyone's seat belt done up. It's not really comfortable, more a thing you'd just about tolerate for a short emergency drive. It would maybe be ok if they were 3 very slim, not super tall, teenagers?

SALaw · 27/06/2025 08:24

casimirscattery · 27/06/2025 06:33

I appreciate it's not the best but 3 wouldn't go in the back very often at the same time. Maybe 4-5 times a week for a 20 min journey. Would this be safe? Are there 3 seatbelts? How much of a squash is it? Happy to hear it won't work just wondered if others use the back of a mini for 3 teen sized passengers

Edited

In what world is 4-5 times a week for 20 minutes not “often”?

Toadstoollover · 27/06/2025 08:21

I have a 5 door and you will fit them in but it’s a squash. Do you also need to transport bags? The boot is not huge if for example they are have sports bags.

familyissues12345 · 27/06/2025 08:17

Bjorkdidit · 27/06/2025 07:09

How tall are you all is the main consideration. If you and DH are 5 foot or so and your teens are all similar height runners, it's a different consideration to them being 6 foot 4 rugby players.

3 in the back of a Mini is always going to be a squeeze, but it's a non starter if there's only 2 seatbelts. You can probably find photos and specs online.

All tall in our household, I’m the smallest at 5ft 7. My 6ft 2 rugby player son can fit in the back seat behind me driving (and I’m leggy), but I definitely wouldn’t be able to have three of him in the backseat. Two is plenty!

My mini is my car for work/weekdays really, if we go out as a family then we’re more likely to take my DH’s car

RunningJo · 27/06/2025 08:15

Wouldn’t fit 3 teens in for sure, I had one one on a test drive, great car but just not quite big enough. The countryman or clubman would work better.

WildCherryBlossom · 27/06/2025 08:13

My friend has one with 3 seatbelts in the back. She recently fit 3 teenagers in the back for a short journey. Ok for occasional use but really not comfortable for regular use or longer journeys. It was a squish!

RaspberryRipple2 · 27/06/2025 08:09

Seems it depends on age, just had a look at used ones on the website and the 5 door a similar age to ours (2019 plate) is the same as ours with 2 seats in the back (the middle being a hump which would be extremely uncomfortable to sit on!!). However, the new model as linked to above does have 3 seats in the back, so at some point they must have changed the 5 door.

JulietSierra · 27/06/2025 08:08

Iloveasunnyday · 27/06/2025 07:20

https://www.mini.co.uk/en_GB/home/range/mini-cooper-5-door/dimensions.html

Scroll down the page and you will see a birds eye view of the interior. No chance of fitting a teen on that middle seat. Even if they are small now, they are only going to grow surely.

My 18 year old daughter is the one who gets the middle seat. She’s 5’7” and although very slim she’s not exactly tiny! As I said above, it wouldn’t be great for long journeys but she manages just fine for the odd drop off.

Blooberries · 27/06/2025 08:08

I have one. 3 in the back is quite a squash. When I gave 3 adults a lift in the back they couldn't all have their backs flat against the backrest. The middle seat is a hard lump too, not comfortable to sit on. Safe and fine for occasional use but I wouldn't get a mini planning to regularly get 3 in the back.