Key Takeaways
- The Mini Cooper SE is the very best all-electric mannequin but.
- Zesty efficiency supplemented by loads of vary makes it sensible and enjoyable to drive.
- Upgrading with non-obligatory extras provides premium styling, consolation, and tech options to reinforce the expertise.
- Regardless of its small trunk, the most recent Mini affords simply sufficient inside house. With fold-down rear seats, the trunk is not so unhealthy, both.
The model new all-electric Mini Cooper SE is a far cry from my first automotive. That was a Nineteen Seventies Mini panel van, which was cute however hopelessly unrefined and hideously gradual. This EV, then again, is actually a sizzling hatch, regardless that there’s a trunk lid relatively than a liftback. It’s additionally very refined, with the mannequin I’ve been driving this final week that includes loads of extras that give it a premium really feel.
For me, nevertheless, the primary enchantment of the Mini Cooper SE is the best way it drives. Anybody who finds most EVs mundane to drive ought to attempt one out as a result of it’s a riot, with oodles of efficiency and nice dealing with on faucet. Whereas the most recent incarnation of the Mini may appear and feel 1,000,000 miles away from the unique imaginative and prescient, it’s obtained a shocking quantity in widespread with earlier automobiles. That ranges from retro styling touches by means of to the go-kart model buzz delivered when behind the wheel.
I’ve pushed among the finest electrical automobiles this 12 months, together with the good Hyundai Ionic N. The Mini Cooper SE can now be part of the record; it’s a blast. Even should you’re a purist and suppose the brand new mannequin is a bit too far faraway from the unique, it’s value experiencing if just for the shock you’ll get when pushing down on the accelerator pedal.
Editor’s selection
Mini Cooper SE
The Mini Cooper SE hits the spot on nearly each degree. It’s a terrific trying automotive, each inside and outside. The up to date inside advantages from some good tech, together with a retro-but-modern central touchscreen. It’s comfy too, however the very best bit is the driving expertise, which is every part a small EV ought to be.
- Engine
- Electrical motor powered by Lithium-ion battery
- Drive Format
- Two-wheel drive
- Horsepower
- 330 kW / 215 hp
- 0-60mph
- 6.7 seconds
- Torque
- 330 Nm
- Prime Pace
- 106 mph
- Transsmission
- Computerized
- Enjoyable to drive, with efficiency and dealing with to match
- Refined with consolation and loads of tech on faucet
- Glorious revisioning of authentic Mini
- Trunk lid must be slammed shut
- Costly if all of the trim choices are added
Value, specs, and availability
The mannequin I’ve been testing is a top-of-the-range trim version, which is fitted with greater than £5,000 value of non-obligatory extras. Which means it comes with a hefty £33,920 (simply over $45,000) price ticket. Anybody who can do with out the additional trimmings can lop a piece of change off the asking value, and it isn’t going to be to any actual detriment of the driving expertise both.
Design and construct
Basic seems simply obtained higher
To be trustworthy, I haven’t been an enormous fan of the trendy Mini. They’re vastly common, and I see them in all places, however I’ve by no means felt like I wished to personal one. All that has modified with the arrival of the Mini Cooper SE. Perhaps it’s the colour mixture I obtained to attempt, which featured a Blazing Blue exterior topped with a superb white roof, black tinted glass and sporty 18-inch alloy wheels. It seems the enterprise.
Whereas the general design could be very fashionable, there’s additionally sufficient retro stuff happening that helps to maintain the essence of what made the unique mini so tempting. There are nonetheless loads of styling touches that assist hold the automotive related although, with my check automotive that includes glorious adaptive LED headlights and folding mirrors that helpfully auto-dimmed as and after I wanted them to. A panoramic glass sunroof supplied the icing on the cake.
Whereas the general design could be very fashionable, there’s additionally sufficient retro stuff happening that helps to maintain the essence of what made the unique mini so tempting.
The inside take
Premium really feel on the within
Admittedly, my check automotive had unique trim content material and over £5,000’s value of choices, nevertheless it was nonetheless an actual deal with to sit down within the cockpit. The white trimmed seats have that traditional Mini look, however are far more comfy. There’s a superb little steering wheel too, which lets me perform loads of automotive management choices as an alternative of utilizing the touchscreen, and the electrical heated seats helped to take the sting off cooler fall temperatures.
I might need been spoiled with this trim degree, nevertheless it left me feeling like the additional value was justified. The inside of the Mini Cooper SE is de facto fairly particular and one of many comfiest small automotive cockpits I’ve been in lately.
The know-how breakdown
A lot of tech treats to take pleasure in
My previous Mini had nothing in the best way of tech, and the Cooper SE exhibits simply how far we’ve include interiors. The beauty of that is that Mini’s designers retained the unique appear and feel. Living proof: The central Speedo, which is now a touchscreen that bristles with every part I would like, together with a wonderful satellite tv for pc navigation system. It may be personalized too and even switched into Go-Kart mode, whereby the display modifications to swimsuit the event. The retro mode, in the meantime, makes the show appear to be it did in previous Minis.
My previous Mini had nothing in the best way of tech, and the Cooper SE exhibits simply how far we’ve include interiors.
My Cooper SE additionally got here with a small heads-up show, a bunch of the standard driver aids and wi-fi cellphone charging, plus consolation touches, together with heated seats. Cleverly, it’s the little particulars that make all of the distinction, with a button panel beneath the Speedo display, which has an on/off toggle for the facility the place the unique automotive ignition key was positioned. The Harmon Kardon encompass audio system sounded superb, too.
Battery, vary and efficiency
I drove an earlier model of the all-electric Mini, and it was fantastic, however nowhere close to nearly as good as the brand new mannequin. With 215 horsepower to play with, this automotive is all the time wanting to get on down the highway, with the 0 to 60mph time of 6.7 seconds seeming even faster than that because of its compact measurement. The opposite main enchantment of the Cooper SE is its vary, with the official determine of 244 miles proving actually sensible. I additionally discovered the battery to be fast and simple to cost, with the 95kW most charging capability which means my stops have been usually performed and dusted in lower than half-hour.
Do you have to purchase the Mini Cooper SE?
I’m completely offered on the Mini Cooper SE. It’s obtained every part I really like about small electrical automobiles. There’s the efficiency and dealing with, which could be tweaked and fine-tuned to offer much more enjoyable relying in your temper and the driving scenario. This automotive has a sensible vary too, with the power to get it charged in subsequent to no time as nicely. Add on the fab design, nice colour mixture and old-meets-new styling touches and that is one very robust bundle. Nice stuff.
Editor’s selection
