IRVINE, Calif. -

Variations of the Mini Cooper not only led Kelley Blue Book’s latest Hot Car Report for weekly shopping activity growth but also contributed to the cluster of models that softened in consumer interest on the site this past week.

The Mini Cooper Countryman paced the activity gainers with a 35.6 percent week-over-week jump in consumer interest on Kbb.com.

The other four top models among the report’s gainers included the Chrysler 300 (up 28.4 percent), Nissan Altima (up 21.5 percent), Volkswagen Passat (up 18.5 percent) and Lexus RX (up 16.3 percent).

Meanwhile, the Mini Cooper lost traction in Kbb.com consumer shopping appeal, softening 19.1 percent week-over-week. However, three other models sustained more severe drops, including the Scion FR-5 (down 31.0 percent), Land Rover Range Rover Sport (down 25.2 percent) and Lincoln MKZ (down 23.2 percent).

The other model off by nearly as much as the Mini Cooper was the Toyota Prius (down 12.0 percent).

Akshay Anand, market intelligence web analyst at Kbb.com, explained what the latest site trends mean.

“Halo views and upcoming redesigns highlight this week’s gainers for the Hot Car Report,” Anand began. “Mini recently announced that it will produce the Clubvan later this year, and that has drummed up interest in another ‘larger’ Mini model, the Countryman.

“The Nissan Altima is slated for a redesign this year and Nissan debuted the model at the New York Auto Show,” Anand continued. “There is sure to be a battle among midsize sedans with four redesigned vehicles coming to the segment this year, and the initial Altima specs look promising. Nissan’s popular redesigned model is reportedly packing 38 mpg highway and its continuously variable transmission is updated for a smoother, more efficient ride.

“The Lexus RX redesign also has been teased recently, and such a big player in its segment will naturally attract views when a redesign is scheduled. Time will tell how the market reacts when the redesigned Altima and RX are officially on sale,” Anand concluded.