The Mini Cooper SE does not have a protracted vary, but it surely makes up for it with oodles of enjoyable.
Emme Hall/Roadshow
I’ve all the time had an enormous roadblock on the subject of electric cars. No, I’m not speaking about vary nervousness — it is the shortage of an EV that is as enjoyable to drive as it’s reasonably priced. Teslas are nice, however they undoubtedly aren’t low cost. A Nissan Leaf will not actually break the financial institution, but it surely’s not precisely a blast to drive. Thankfully, Mini’s new electrical Cooper SE checks each of those bins.
Like
- Ridiculously enjoyable to drive.
- Affordable worth with incentives.
Don’t Like
- Driving vary is low.
- Driver’s aids are missing.
The Mini Cooper SE is just obtainable in two-door Hardtop guise, in Signature, Signature Plus and Iconic trims. Sure, the Mini SE solely will get 110 miles of vary from its 32.6-kWh battery, which is way behind rivals just like the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Bolt, however the trade-offs are a low worth and nice on-road manners.
Electric desires
The Mini can behave like a staid EV, quietly streaming down the freeway or battling midcity visitors with ease. There’s sufficient regenerative braking energy for one-pedal driving, and there is an eDrive display within the obtainable 8.8-inch central infotainment system that shows choices for Green, Green Plus or Mid settings that management the ability supply and local weather management utilization. If I need most vary then I’ve to be ready to go with out air-con. The Green settings may even calculate effectivity and might warn me once I hit my desired threshold. Driving at 70 mph on the freeway interprets to 94% effectivity, however I’m OK with dropping to 92%, so my pace warning is about at 75 mph. It’s a neat little function.
When it is time to have a bit of enjoyable, the Mini will not speed up like a Tesla. In truth, it takes the SE about 7 seconds to succeed in 60 mph. That’s a bit of faster than a normal Mini Cooper Hardtop, however slower than the Cooper S. Yes, the Mini SE makes 181 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, but it surely’s additionally lugging round 300 kilos greater than the usual automotive.
However, as quickly as I hit a nook, I neglect all about off-the-line efficiency. Once this little man begins rolling it is unstoppable. The stiff, properly managed suspension is up for something, and Mini’s well-known go-kart dealing with is in full impact. This is the type of pizzazz that compact EVs have been lacking. The enjoyable issue simply makes up for the rest.
Those wheels are all the things.
Emme Hall/Roadshow
It’s the packaging that actually helps right here. The SE’s middle of gravity is 1.2 inches decrease than the Cooper S Hardtop, despite the fact that its trip top is raised a bit to make room for the battery. Further, the SE is much less nose-heavy than the S, so it presents extra balanced dealing with traits.
I like that the SE will get precise high-performance tires. Sure, they is perhaps all-seasons, however the Goodyear Eagle F1s are by far essentially the most aggressive tire obtainable on a small electrical hatchback. In Sport mode the regenerative braking is much less aggressive, however once I really want to decelerate, the mechanical brakes are a bit squishy.
Charge it up
The Mini SE can cost a measly 2% per hour on a normal family plug, whereas a Level three DC quick charger at 50 kW provides you with 80% of a cost in 36 minutes. On my Chargepoint Level 2 house charger the Mini SE goes from 33% to 99% in a bit of over three hours.
Standard in-car tech consists of the Mini Connect infotainment system, positioned on a 6.5-inch touchscreen housed in a color-changing round ring, although my Iconic-trim tester has the bigger 8.8-inch display possibility. Mini Connect is actually a cuter model of BMW iDrive, which means it has the identical professionals and cons. It’s robust to pair a cellphone to make the most of the wi-fi Apple CarPlay, and as soon as I’m there, it is tough to change between it and the native system. Android Auto stays a no-go.
The optionally available onboard navigation is straightforward to make use of and has no hassle with voice instructions. I also can use one-box entry to seek out my native ice cream parlor, which is good. In the top, nonetheless, I discover myself simply utilizing Google Maps via Apple CarPlay. Old habits die onerous, I assume.
Cell cellphone charging duties are dealt with by two USB-A ports in addition to a 12-volt outlet within the entrance. My tester additionally has optionally available wi-fi charging. There is a head-up show of kinds, but it surely makes use of a small display that pops up in entrance of the windshield. It’s tiny and form of annoying, so I favor to simply depart it off.
Inside, the Cooper SE is as spacious as a Mini could be. It is sort of exceptional how a lot headroom is in right here for such a small automotive. At 5 toes, 9 inches tall, I’ve no downside becoming, even within the backseat the place my hindquarters slide farther again so my knees are literally fairly near the seat backside. The digital sprint is related to the steering column, and I’m a bit too tall to get a take a look at the entire thing, as the highest of the steering wheel obscures the display a bit.
Driver-assistance options are missing within the Mini SE. The little man solely has forward-collision warning, pedestrian alert and common cruise management. Meanwhile the Nissan Leaf could be had with the wonderful ProPilot Assist tech that mixes adaptive cruise management and lane-keeping help, and the Chevy Bolt could be optioned up with blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping help and rear cross-traffic alert.
Despite its diminutive exterior, the inside of the Mini SE could be very spacious.
Emme Hall/Roadshow
Despite its dimension, the Mini has extra cargo area than each the Leaf and the Bolt, with 34 cubic toes of area with the rear seats folded. As for smaller-item storage, there’s a tiny middle console, however there’s additionally a built-in cellphone holder that takes up many of the area. Lift it up and you will find some open area beneath, however not a lot. The door pockets are fairly shallow, and whereas there are two cup holders up entrance, rear seat passengers can be combating over the one area for cradling a beverage.
Priced proper
One of one of the best issues in regards to the Mini Cooper SE is its worth: $30,750, together with $850 for vacation spot, and that is earlier than any federal, state or native incentives. That’s for the bottom Signature trim, after all; the Iconic mannequin you see right here begins at $37,750, although it is the one method to get the cool Power Spoke (not Corona Spoke) wheels.
Even with its shortcomings, the 2020 Mini Cooper SE is an EV I’d purchase. No, it does not have the vary of its closest rivals, however you’ll be able to’t argue with that worth. It’s superfun to drive, too, and that is an enormous promoting level for me. Considering most folk do not use small hatchback EVs for long-range driving, I believe a number of them is perhaps keen to sacrifice some vary for an entire lot of fashion and enjoyable.