Mini Cooper

Rank: 1
Current Design Introduced: 2002 (as a division of BMW). The original was produced by the British Motor Company and its successors from 1959 to 2000, according to Mini historians.       

2006 Mini Cooper + click to enlarge | view slideshow >

The Mini wins by a long shot; each of our design experts mentioned the Mini as one of the best-designed new vehicles available today. Tom Matano, co-director of the school of Industrial Design at Academy of Art University in San Francisco, said that the Mini has the all-important quality of staying power. “The design just resonates with the buyer and the overall public,” he said.

Brigid O’Kane, coordinator of the Transportation Design Track at the University of Cincinnati, added that the Mini has been so successful because it has a cult following, yet it’s not influenced by current trends, making it more than a passing fad.

It’s clear that the public has been charmed by the combination of its retro shape and contemporary functionality, which includes peppy performance, great agility and road-holding and a parking-friendly size for city folk. Three years after its introduction, it’s still a must-have with people lining up at dealerships. Even used Minis are commanding a premium — the Mini topped our recent Top 10 Resale Value list, with an ALG three-year residual value that tops the charts.