2020 Dodge Charger vs 2021 MINI Cooper

The Dodge Charger represents an all-in-one approach to modern performance. Unlike its Challenger coupe counterpart, the Charger is a sedan, providing the usability of four full doors and five-passenger seating. It offers a wide variety of potent powertrains, as well as the availability of all-wheel drive (AWD). The Charger also provides the latest tech and infotainment features. It may be a classic nameplate, but it is a very different approach to the family sedan. This also makes it a breath of fresh air in the modern sedan market.

Thanks to its wide variety of performance models, the Charger's exact competition is hard to pin down. V6-powered versions like the SXT and GT compete with the likes of the Toyota Avalon, Nissan Maxima, and Chevrolet Impala. But the available performance on tap with R/T and Hellcat models opens it up to a world of sports cars and muscle cars. Which model you select determines its rivals.

No matter the trim selected, the Charger provides a baseline of athleticism paired with a spacious cabin, large rear seats, and a large trunk. Together, these make the Charger a fun and functional new car, with styling that helps it stand out in a crowd.

The MINI Cooper is a funky little car with a big attitude that screams nostalgia. The BMW-owned automaker marches to the beat of its own drum, and while the MINI Cooper isn’t the most practical or best equipped car in its class, its unique styling and classic fun-loving attitude will be just what the doctor ordered for many buyers.

The Cooper is available in body styles that include the two-door Mini Cooper Hardtop, a four-door hardtop, and a convertible. Other variants of the Cooper go by different names, such as the larger MINI Countryman crossover and the Clubman wagon.

Updates for the 2021 model year includes several new features and the re-addition of a manual transmission option. Two new special editions are also available: MINI Sidewalk and John Cooper Works GP.

The MINI Cooper's odd place in the market pits it against several competitors from various classes. New car buyers may cross-shop the Mazda MX-5 Miata, BMW 2 Series, Kia Soul, Kia Seltos, Subaru BRZ, Toyota GR86, Hyundai Kona, or Mazda MX-30 when making a buying decision on the MINI. Prior to their discontinuation, the Ford Fiesta and Honda Fit were solid Mini competitors as well.