MapQuest Returns as the Official Navigation Partner of MINI Takes the States 2026
Iconic mapping brand teams up with MINI USA for the second consecutive rally, bringing a custom in-app MINI experience with turn-by-turn navigation of the official routes across California, New York, and Florida.
LOS ANGELES, October 22, 2026--MapQuest, the pioneering navigation brand owned by System1, Inc. (NYSE: SST), today announced it is the official navigation partner of MINI Takes the States (MTTS) 2026, the biennial road rally that brings thousands of passionate MINI owners together on some of America's most scenic roads. The partnership marks the second consecutive rally for MapQuest, which also served as MINI's navigation partner for MTTS 2024.
Now in its 10th edition and celebrating 20 years since the inaugural cross-country journey in 2006, MINI Takes the States 2026 features a new format: three long-weekend road rallies spread across the country. The rally kicked off in California (October 2–4) with a route from Monterey through Sonoma to Lake Tahoe, continues in New York (October 23–25) from Buffalo through the Finger Lakes and Adirondacks to Lake Placid, and concludes in Florida (November 13–15) with a run from Fort Myers to Miami and down the Overseas Highway to Key West.
To power the experience, MapQuest built a custom MINI-branded experience directly inside its free iOS and Android app. Rally participants who are near an event will see the rally appear automatically in the app, or they can open their route via official links in MTTS promotional materials. Drivers simply pick their rally day and tap Start, and MapQuest guides them turn-by-turn along the official MINI route. Participants joining partway through a drive day are automatically picked up at the nearest point on the route — no paper directions or manual waypoint entry required.
"MINI Takes the States is everything we love about the open road — great routes, great community, and the pure joy of the drive," said Doug Berger, General Manager of MapQuest. "After a fantastic partnership in 2024, we're thrilled to be back as MINI's official navigation partner. We've built a MINI experience right into the MapQuest app so every participant can focus on the scenery, and let us handle the turns. It's exactly the kind of experience MapQuest was made for."
"MINI Takes the States is a celebration of everything that makes the MINI community so special — a shared passion for adventure, roads less-traveled, and the connections made along the way," said Jordyn Adelson, Experiential Marketing Project Manager for MINI USA. "As we celebrate 20 years of MTTS, we're excited to welcome MapQuest back for another rally. Its integrated navigation experience makes it easier for our MINIacs to follow the official routes, discover some incredible roads, and focus on what matters most: enjoying the drive together."