
General driving notes
Closing the tailgate WARNING
An open tailgate protrudes from the vehi‐
cle and can endanger occupants and other traf‐
fic participants or damage the vehicle in the
event of an accident, braking or evasive ma‐
neuvers. In addition, exhaust fumes may enter
the vehicle interior. There is a risk of injury or
risk of property damage. Do not drive with the
tailgate open. ◀
If driving with the tailgate open cannot be
avoided:▷If the convertible top is closed, close all
windows and the sliding sun roof.▷Greatly increase the air flow from the vents.▷Drive moderately.
Hot exhaust system
WARNING
During driving operation, high tempera‐
tures can occur underneath the vehicle body,
e.g., caused by the exhaust gas system. If com‐
bustible materials, such as leaves or grass,
come in contact with hot parts of the exhaust
gas system, these materials can ignite. There is
a risk of injury or risk of property damage.
Do not remove the heat shields installed and
never apply undercoating to them. Make sure
that no combustible materials can come in con‐
tact with hot vehicle parts in driving operation,
idle or during parking. Do not touch the hot ex‐
haust system. ◀
Mobile communication devices in the vehicle
WARNING
Vehicle electronics and mobile phones
can influence one another. There is radiation
due to the transmission operations of mobile
phones. There is a risk of injury or risk of prop‐
erty damage. If possible, in the vehicle's interior
use only mobile phones with direct connections
to an exterior antenna in order to exclude mu‐
tual disturbance and deflect the radiation from
the vehicle's interior. ◀
Hydroplaning On wet or slushy roads, a wedge of water can
form between the tires and road surface.
This phenomenon is referred to as hydroplan‐
ing. It is characterized by a partial or complete
loss of contact between the tires and the road
surface, ultimately undermining your ability to
steer and brake the vehicle.
Driving through water ATTENTION
When driving too quickly through too
deep water, water can enter into the engine compartment, the electrical system or the
transmission. There is a risk of damage to prop‐
erty. When driving through water, do not ex‐
ceed the maximum indicated water level and
the maximum speed for driving through wa‐
ter. ◀
When driving through water, observe the fol‐
lowing:▷Drive through calm water only.▷Drive through water only if it is not deeper
than maximum 9.8 inches/25 cm.▷Drive through water no faster than walking
speed, up to 3 mph/5 km/h.
Braking safely
Your vehicle is equipped with ABS as a standard
feature.
Perform an emergency stop in situations that require such.
Steering is still responsive. You can still avoid
any obstacles with a minimum of steering ef‐
fort.
Seite 167Things to remember when drivingDRIVING TIPS167
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 969 276 - II/16

LoadingVehicle features and op‐tions
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems. The respectively applicable country provi‐
sions must be observed when using the respec‐
tive features and systems.
Information WARNING
High gross weight can overheat the tires,
damage them, and cause a sudden drop in tire
inflation pressure. There is risk of an accident.
Pay attention to the permitted load capacity of
the tires and never exceed the permitted gross
weight. ◀
WARNING
Loose objects or devices with a cable
connection to the vehicle, e.g., mobile phones,
can be thrown into the vehicle's interior while
driving, e.g.,in the event of an accident or dur‐
ing braking and evasive maneuvers. There is a
a risk of injury. Secure loose objects or devices
with a cable connection to the vehicle in the
vehicle's interior. ◀
ATTENTION
Fluids in the cargo area can cause dam‐
age. There is a risk of damage to property.
Make sure that no fluids leak in the cargo
area. ◀Determining the load
limit1.Locate the following statement on your ve‐
hicle’s placard:▷The combined weight of occupants and
cargo should never exceed XXX kg or
YYY lbs. Otherwise, damage to the ve‐
hicle and unstable driving situations
may result.2.Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.3.Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kilograms or YYY
pounds.4.The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load ca‐
pacity.
For example, if the YYY amount equals
1,000 lbs and there will be four 150 lbs pas‐
sengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity
is 400 lbs: 1,000 lbs minus 600 lbs =
400 lbs.5.Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely exceed the
available cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.Seite 170DRIVING TIPSLoading170
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 969 276 - II/16

Saving fuelVehicle features and op‐tions
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems. The respectively applicable country provi‐
sions must be observed when using the respec‐
tive features and systems.
General information Your vehicle contains advanced technology for
the reduction of fuel consumption and emis‐
sions.
Fuel consumption depends on a number of dif‐
ferent factors.
The implementation of certain measures, driv‐
ing style and regular maintenance can influ‐
ence fuel consumption and environmental im‐
pact.
Remove unnecessary
cargo
Additional weight increases fuel consumption.
Remove attached parts
following use
Remove rear luggage racks which are no longer
required following use.
Attached parts on the vehicle impair the aero‐
dynamics and increase the fuel consumption.Closing the windows
Open windows increase air resistance and
therefore lead to greater fuel consumption.
Tires General information
Tires can affect fuel consumption in various
ways, e.g., tire size may influence fuel con‐
sumption.
Check the tire inflation pressure
regularly
Check and, if needed, correct the tire inflation
pressure at least twice a month and before
starting on a long trip.
Low tire inflation pressure increases rolling re‐
sistance and thus raises fuel consumption and
tire wear.
Drive away without de‐
lay
Do not wait for the engine to warm-up while
the vehicle remains stationary. Start driving
right away, but at moderate engine speeds.
This is the fastest way for the cold engine to
reach its operating temperature.
Look well ahead when
driving
Avoid unnecessary acceleration and braking.
By maintaining a suitable distance to the vehi‐
cle driving ahead of you.Seite 173Saving fuelDRIVING TIPS173
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 969 276 - II/16

Driving smoothly and proactively reduces fuel
consumption.
Avoid high engine speeds
As a rule: driving at low engine speeds lowers
fuel consumption and reduces wear.
Use 1st gear to get the vehicle moving. Starting
with the 2nd gear, accelerate rapidly. When ac‐
celerating, shift up before reaching high engine
speeds.
When you reach the desired speed, shift into
the highest applicable gear and drive with the
engine speed as low as possible and at a con‐
stant speed.
The gear shift indicator, refer to page 87, of
your vehicle indicates the most fuel efficient gear.
Use coasting conditions When approaching a red light, take your foot
off the accelerator and let the vehicle coast to a
halt.
For going downhill take your foot off the accel‐
erator and let the vehicle roll.
The flow of fuel is interrupted while coasting.
Switch off the engine
during longer stops
Switch off the engine during longer stops, for
example, at traffic lights, railroad crossings or in
traffic congestion.
Auto Start/Stop function
The Auto Start/Stop function of the vehicle au‐
tomatically switches off the engine during a
stop.
If the engine is switched off and then restarted
rather than leaving the engine running con‐stantly, fuel consumption and emissions are re‐
duced. Savings can begin within a few seconds
of switching off the engine.
In addition, fuel consumption is also deter‐
mined by other factors, such as driving style,
road conditions, maintenance or environmental
factors.
Switch off any functions
that are not currently
needed
Functions such as seat heating and the rear
window defroster require a lot of energy and
consume additional fuel, especially in city and
stop-and-go traffic.
Therefore, switch off these functions if they are
not actually needed.
Have maintenance car‐
ried out
Have vehicles maintained regularly to achieve
optimal vehicle efficiency and service life. MINI
recommends that maintenance work be per‐
formed by a MINI service center.
Also note the MINI maintenance systems, refer
to page 206.
GREEN Mode
The concept The GREEN Mode supports a driving style that
saves on fuel consumption. For this purpose,
the engine control and comfort features, e. g.
the climate control output, are adjusted.
For Steptronic transmission:
The Coasting driving condition is enabled under
certain conditions.Seite 174DRIVING TIPSSaving fuel174
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 969 276 - II/16

Display
Display in the instrument cluster The mark in the bar display be‐
low the tachometer is high‐
lighted green and appears at the
zero point. The tachometer ap‐
proximately indicates idle speed.
Indications on the Control Display
The Coasting driving condition is displayed in
MINIMALISM Info while this driving mode is ac‐
tive.
The distance traveled in the Coasting driving
condition is indicated by a counter.
Color code green, arrow 1: distance traveled in
the Coasting driving condition. Symbol, ar‐
row 2: coasting driving condition.
Displaying MINIMALISM info
1. "Vehicle info"2."MINIMALISM"3. "MINIMALISM info"
Deactivating the system manually The function can be deactivated in the Config‐
ure GREEN Mode, refer to page 175, menu, for
example, to use the braking effect of the en‐
gine when traveling downhill.
Settings are saved for the profile currently be‐
ing used.
MINIMALISM driving style analysis
The concept
In this situation the system helps develop an
especially efficient driving style and to conserve
fuel.
For this purpose, the driving style is analyzed.
The assessment is done in various categories
and is displayed on the Control Display.
Using this indication, the individual driving style
can be oriented toward conserving fuel.
The last fifteen minutes of a trip are evaluated.
The range of the vehicle can be extended by an
efficient driving style. This gain in range is dis‐
played as a bonus range in the instrument clus‐
ter and on the Control Display.
Functional requirement
The function is only available in GREEN Mode.
Calling up MINIMALISM Analyser Via the Driving Dynamics Control1.Activate GREEN Mode.2."MINIMALISM"3. Select the symbol.
Display
Display on the Control Display
The display of the MINIMALISM Analyser con‐
sists of a fish, which is riding along in a glass of
water on the roof of the MINI and a table of
values that rates the driving style in various cat‐
Seite 178DRIVING TIPSSaving fuel178
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 969 276 - II/16

RefuelingVehicle features and op‐
tions
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems. The respectively applicable country provi‐
sions must be observed when using the respec‐
tive features and systems.
Information Observe the fuel recommendation, refer to
page 184, prior to refueling.
ATTENTION
With a range of less than 30 miles/50 km
it is possible that the engine will no longer have
sufficient fuel. Engine functions are not ensured
anymore. There is a risk of damage to property.
Refuel promptly. ◀
Fuel lid
Opening1.Grasp the fuel filler flap at the rear edge
and open it.2.Turn the fuel cap counterclockwise.3.Place the fuel cap in the bracket attached
to the fuel filler flap.
Closing
1.Fit the cap and turn it clockwise until you
clearly hear a click.2.Close the fuel filler flap.
WARNING
The retaining strap of the fuel cap may be
jammed and crushed during closing. In this
case, the lid cannot be correctly closed and fuel
vapors or fuel can escape. There is a risk of in‐
jury or a risk of property damage. Pay attention
that the retaining strap is not jammed or
crushed when closing the lid. ◀
Seite 182MOBILITYRefueling182
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 969 276 - II/16

FuelVehicle features and op‐
tions
This chapter describes all standard, country-
specific and optional features offered with the
series. It also describes features that are not
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to
the selected options or country versions. This
also applies to safety-related functions and sys‐
tems. The respectively applicable country provi‐
sions must be observed when using the respec‐
tive features and systems.
Fuel recommendation General information Depending on the region, many gas stations
sell fuel that has been customized to winter or
summer conditions. Fuel that is available in
winter helps make a cold start easier, for exam‐
ple.
Information ATTENTION
Even fuels that conform to the specifica‐
tions can be of low quality. This may cause en‐
gine problems, e.g., poor engine start-up be‐
havior, poor handling and/or poor
performance. There is a risk of damage to
property. In case of engine problems, switch
gas stations or use a brand name fuel with a
higher octane rating. ◀
Gasoline
General information For the best fuel efficiency, the gasoline should
be sulfur-free or very low in sulfur content.Fuels that are marked on the gas pump as con‐
taining metal must not be used.
Fuels with a maximum ethanol content of
25 %, i. e. E10 or E25, may be used for refuel‐
ing.
Ethanol should meet the following quality
standards:
US: ASTM 4806–xx
CAN: CGSB-3.511–xx
xx: comply with the current standard in each
case.
Information ATTENTION
Do not press the Start/Stop button after
refueling with the wrong fuel. Furthermore, the
catalytic converter is permanently damaged.
There is a risk of damage to property. Do not
refuel or add the following in the case of gaso‐
line engines:▷Leaded gasoline.▷Metallic additives, e.g., manganese or iron.
Do not press the Start/Stop button after refuel‐
ing with the wrong fuel. Contact a dealer’s serv‐
ice center or another qualified service center or
repair shop. ◀
ATTENTION
Incorrect fuels can damage the fuel sys‐
tem and the engine. There is a risk of damage
to property. Do not use a fuel with a higher
ethanol percentage than recommended or one
with other types of alcohol, e.g., M5 to M100. ◀
ATTENTION
Fuel that does not comply with the mini‐
mum quality can compromise engine function
or cause engine damage. There is a risk of
damage to property. Do not fill with fuel that
does not comply with the minimum quality. ◀
Seite 184MOBILITYFuel184
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 969 276 - II/16

If you use gasoline with this minimum AKI Rat‐
ing, the engine may produce knocking sounds
when starting at high outside temperatures.
This has no effect on the engine life.
CAUTION
The use of poor-quality fuels may result in
harmful engine deposits or damage. Addition‐
ally, problems relating to drivability, starting
and stalling, especially under certain environ‐
mental conditions such as high ambient tem‐
perature and high altitude, may occur.
If drivability problems are encountered, we rec‐
ommend switching to a high quality gasoline
brand and a higher octane grade — AKI num‐
ber — for a few tank fills. To avoid harmful en‐
gine deposits, it is highly recommended to pur‐
chase gasoline from Top Tier retailers.
Failure to comply with these recommendations
may result in the need for unscheduled mainte‐
nance. ◀
Recommended fuel grade
MINI recommends AKI 91.
John Cooper Works:
MINI recommends AKI 93.
Minimum fuel grade
MINI recommends AKI 89.
John Cooper Works:
MINI recommends AKI 91.Seite 185FuelMOBILITY185
Online Edition for Part no. 01 40 2 969 276 - II/16