The Mini Cooper SE is my favourite EV of the yr

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 sluggish. This EV, then again, is actually a scorching 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 a whole lot of extras that give it a premium really feel.

For me, nonetheless, 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 newest incarnation of the Mini may appear and feel 1,000,000 miles away from the unique imaginative and prescient, it’s received a shocking quantity in frequent 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 best electric cars this yr, together with the sensible Hyundai Ionic N. The Mini Cooper SE can now be part of the listing; 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 price 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 an amazing trying automotive, each in and out. The up to date inside advantages from some sensible tech, together with a retro-but-modern central touchscreen. It’s snug too, however the most effective bit is the driving expertise, which is every part a small EV ought to be.

Engine

Electrical motor powered by Lithium-ion battery

Drive Structure

Two-wheel drive

Horsepower

330 kW / 215 hp

0-60mph

6.7 seconds

Torque

330 Nm

Prime Pace

106 mph

Transsmission

Automated

Professionals

• Enjoyable to drive, with efficiency and dealing with to match
• Refined with consolation and loads of tech on faucet
• Wonderful revisioning of authentic Mini

Cons

• Trunk lid must be slammed shut
• Costly if all of the trim choices are added

Broaden

Worth, 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 price of non-compulsory extras. Meaning 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 bit 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

Traditional seems simply received higher

To be sincere, I haven’t been an enormous fan of the trendy Mini. They’re massively standard, and I see them in every single place, however I’ve by no means felt like I needed to personal one. All that has modified with the arrival of the Mini Cooper SE. Perhaps it’s the colour mixture I received 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 is likely to be very fashionable, there’s additionally sufficient retro stuff occurring that helps to maintain the essence of what made the unique mini so tempting. There are nonetheless loads of styling touches that assist maintain the automotive related although, with my take a look at automotive that includes glorious adaptive LED headlights and folding mirrors that helpfully auto-dimmed as and once I wanted them to. A panoramic glass sunroof offered the icing on the cake.

The inside take

Premium really feel on the within

Admittedly, my take a look at automotive had unique trim content material and over £5,000’s price of choices, but it surely 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 snug. There’s a superb little steering wheel too, which lets me perform loads of automotive management choices as a substitute 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, but it surely left me feeling like the additional value was justified. The inside of the Mini Cooper SE is absolutely fairly particular and one of many comfiest small automotive cockpits I’ve been in not too long ago.

The expertise breakdown

A lot of tech treats to take pleasure in

My outdated 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. Working example: 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 custom-made too and even switched into Go-Kart mode, whereby the display screen modifications to swimsuit the event. The retro mode, in the meantime, makes the show appear like it did in outdated Minis.

My Cooper SE additionally got here with a small heads-up show, a number of the same old 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 screen, 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 excellent, too.

Battery, vary and efficiency

I drove an earlier model of the all-electric Mini, and it was positive, however nowhere close to pretty much as good as the brand new mannequin. With 215 horsepower to play with, this automotive is all the time desirous to get on down the street, 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 quick and easy to charge, with the 95kW most charging capability that means my stops have been usually carried out 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 received every part I like about small electrical automobiles. There’s the efficiency and dealing with, which could be tweaked and fine-tuned to supply 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 effectively. Add on the fab design, nice coloration mixture and old-meets-new styling touches and that is one very robust package deal. Nice stuff.

Editor’s selection

Mini Cooper SE