You can find all the information you need regarding fuel tank size and recommended fuel type in your Mini Cooper owner’s manual. But, what if your dog ate your owner’s manual? Not to worry—

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How big is the gas tank on a Mini Cooper?

The Mini Cooper is available in two engine options and two drivetrain options, but every Mini comes with an 11.6-gallon gas tank regardless of which configuration you choose.

The average fuel tank falls in the 13–16-gallon range, so the Mini Cooper’s 11.6-gallon reservoir is appropriately…mini.

How to check your Mini Cooper’s gas tank size

If you’re still unsure how big your Mini Cooper’s gas tank is, there are ways that you can find out on your own.

Measure the gas tank

The first method is to measure the gas tank with your bare hands, just like the Ancient Romans did. It’s easy—all you need is a measuring tape and a calculator.

First measure the length, width, and height of your gas tank in inches and then multiply those three numbers together to get your fuel tank’s total volume. So, if your tank measures 12.5 inches long, 14 inches wide, and 16 inches in depth, you’ll get a total volume of 12.5 x 14 x 16 = 2,800 cubic inches. Then, simply divide that number by the cubic volume of a gallon—231 cubic inches—and you’ll be left with how many gallons your gas tank holds. In this case, it’s 2,800 ÷ 231 = 12.12 gallons.

Check your owner’s manual

The quickest and easiest way to check your Mini’s gas tank size is to do it the way modern Romans do—by consulting your Mini Cooper owner’s manual. You can find fuel tank capacity information in the “Reference” section under “Technical data”. If you can’t find your physical owner’s manual, there are .pdf versions available online at the Mini

website

Drive till empty, then fill it up

Still another way to figure out your Mini Cooper fuel capacity is to do it the way adventurous Romans do it—by driving until your gas tank empty light comes on and then filling your tank up. Just look at the gas pump to see how many gallons you pumped into your Mini Cooper, and you’ll have a good idea of how many gallons your vehicle holds.

A word of caution—do not drive until your tank runs completely empty. Running out of gas will cause your engine to stall, compromising your ability to steer and brake effectively, and causing a dangerous driving situation.

MORE:

What to do if you run out of gas

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How to save on fuel costs in a Mini Cooper

The Mini Cooper is available in two engine sizes—a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine, and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. While your Mini’s engine size doesn’t have any bearing on how big your Mini’s gas tank will be, it does have an effect on how quickly that 11.6 gallons are used up.

Models furnished with the three-cylinder powerhouse combined with an automatic transmission achieve a combined fuel economy rating of 32 miles per gallon, while the four-cylinder automatics lose 2 mpg. Models sporting manual transmissions lose even more fuel efficiency, with three-cylinder manuals registering 31 combined miles per gallon, and four-cylinder manuals returning a rating of just 26 combined miles per gallon.

But your car’s fuel efficiency also has a lot to do with how you drive and maintain your car. Here are some tips on how to get the most out of your Mini Cooper’s fuel capacity:

Keep your car in good working order. Proper maintenance is key to eliminating gas-guzzling inefficiencies in your engine. Make sure to have your car’s oil changed regularly and keep on top of all maintenance issues that arise.

Accelerate softly. Car engines operate less efficiently at higher RPMs. Accelerating softly and avoiding hard-braking situations will go a long way to conserving gasoline.

Stop idling. Running your car when you are not in it or not going anywhere is a massive waste of gas. Sure, sitting in a cold car is not fun, but if you let your car warm up as you drive, you’ll probably be able to do something fun with the money you save.

How to optimize your Mini Cooper’s insurance coverage

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