▁M IN I ▁J C W ▁with ▁their ▁" Driver ' s ▁Car ▁Award " ▁and ▁" Top ▁Pick " ▁award ▁giving ▁it ▁a ▁rating ▁of ▁ 8 . 3 ▁out ▁of ▁ 1 0 , ▁pra ising ▁its ▁driving ▁characteristics ▁and ▁engine . ▁ ▁Fif th ▁G ear ▁awarded ▁the ▁Cooper ▁S ▁their ▁Best ▁Small ▁Car ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁award . ▁ ▁The ▁M ini ▁brand ▁enjoyed ▁par ado x ically ▁strong ▁sales ▁and ▁customer ▁loyal ty ▁in ▁the ▁US , ▁while ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁being ▁r ated ▁worst ▁for ▁problems ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁J D ▁Power ▁survey . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁M ini ▁ranked ▁last , ▁ 3 7 ▁out ▁of ▁ 3 7 ▁br ands , ▁in ▁the ▁J D ▁Power ▁Initial ▁Qu ality ▁Survey , ▁having ▁land ed ▁second ▁to ▁last ▁the ▁previous ▁year . ▁The ▁survey ▁gives ▁the ▁same ▁weight ▁to ▁problems ▁from ▁something ▁being ▁broken , ▁and ▁problems ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁car ▁owner ▁finding ▁them ▁difficult ▁to ▁use , ▁un famil iar , ▁or ▁confusing . ▁The ▁qu ir ky ▁controls ▁found ▁in ▁Min is , ▁such ▁as ▁non - standard ▁wind sh ield ▁w i per ▁or ▁interior ▁light ing ▁switch es , ▁were ▁counted ▁both ▁as ▁" problem s " ▁that ▁hurt ▁M ini ' s ▁ranking ▁in ▁the ▁Initial ▁Qu ality ▁Survey , ▁and ▁also ▁as ▁distingu ishing ▁" id ios ync ras ies " ▁that , ▁over ▁time , ▁made ▁own ers ▁grow ▁to ▁love