MINI Cooper Electric review

Hop into the interior of the new MINI Electric and you’re greeted by one of the best (and most peculiar) dashboards of any car out right now. 

As with the rest of MINI’s range, there’s just a singular circular infotainment screen in the middle of the dash, and no dials directly in front of you. A nice 21st-century homage to Minis from the ‘60s. 

Driving position 

For an electric car, you sit surprisingly low in the MINI Electric, so finding the perfect driving position isn’t all that difficult – especially compared it to its Peugeot rival. You don’t lose out on the classic MINI ‘go-kart’ feel. 

The steering wheel itself is nice and chunky and is slightly thinner in the right points to ensure maximum hand grip where it’s needed. 

One small detail we didn't understand at first but have grown to like is the third steering wheel spoke. It’s a thin fabric strap, obviously not for weight saving in a car this heavy, but it’s something a bit different. 

Tech and features 

While the previous-generation car was well-equipped, it has nothing on the upgrades found in this latest model. 

MINI has given more standard tech to this one than ever before. All cars come from the factory with a reversing camera, parking sensors, heated wheel, cruise control and sat-nav. 

As we touched on above, the main draw when you first step into the cabin is the crisp OLED display that measures 240mm in diameter. Not only does it look stellar but a screen like this is also a world first. How do you like that, Tesla? 

On this screen, you control all the car’s features, and the more you menu dive, the more impressive graphics you find. From an animated car going up on a ramp to actual games you can play while it’s charging. 

There’s even the ability to change the car’s ‘expression’ with options including Go Kart, Core, Green, Vivid, Timeless, Personal and Balance. These change the whole vibe of the screen itself and also contribute to a small change in driving dynamics, but more on that later. 

While it’s an impressive system to look at, it’s a bit laggy and slow when you need to endlessly scroll through the various menus. And finding the air-con controls aren’t as easy as you’d think. 

Plus, if you use the car’s built-in sat-nav, it defaults to cutting off half the screen when you need to make a turn, displaying the mirror cameras instead of your directions, which can be frustrating on the go. 

It’s also got your standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but instead of making use of the ‘world-first’ circular screen, it only fills up a small rectangle within which feels like an oversight. 

While we’ve been busy driving rivalling cars and enjoying them, MINI has been hard at work creating a revised fifth-generation three-door Cooper to take the small EV throne. 

Underneath is an all-new platform that’s been designed just for this car, and there are two motor specs you need to know. 

Electric motors and power 

The entry-level spec is called the Cooper E and gets a 190-mile range, a top speed of 105mph and a 0-62mph time of 7.2 seconds. 

The car we drove was the swankier Cooper SE, which gets a range bump to 249 miles, a top speed of 112mph and a 0-62mph time down to 6.7 seconds. 

This extra range and the power bump from 184hp to 218hp makes quite a big difference when it’s your daily driver, giving you that extra bit of flexibility. 

It drives around just fine in the normal modes but switch it up into ‘Go Kart’ mode and it unleashes the car’s full potential. Not only does it make the throttle pedal more sensitive, but it also pumps out a distinctive ‘exhaust’ note from the speakers to give you that sporty feel.  

A gimmick? 100%. Does the eight-year-old car nerd inside us light up? Absolutely. 

Handling and ride comfort 

When it comes to handling, the new Mini is up there with some of the best – giving you that hot hatch feel some small cars have lost in recent years. 

The steering is direct, precise and makes this 1,680kg car feel rather nimble, or at least more than it should do considering it weighs almost three times as much as the original MINI. 

You can approach a bend at considerable speed, turn in and trust that the car will follow you round. This has a lot to do with the new platform it’s built on, which keeps it balanced, but the steering helps here, too. 

Because of its weight, the ride can feel a little stiff at times, especially on country roads, but on the motorway and around town, it’s roughly on par with the likes of the Peugeot e-208 and Vauxhall Corsa Electric. 

Boot space 

MINIs have never been known for boot space, the hint’s in the name. 

At 210 litres, there’s about as much space as in an SUV’s glovebox. Saying that, you will still be able to get a small weekly shop in there or a few softer bags, but if it’s boot space you’re after, this isn’t the car for you. 

You’d be better off with an MG4 (363 litres) or Volkswagen ID.3 (385 litres) if you need more storage. 

Rear seats 

It’s the same story with the rear seats. Cosy is a good word to use to describe the space back there. 

Again, MINI hatchbacks have never been spacious, so this comes as no surprise. Just be warned if you’re a taller person – you’ll be left wanting for both knee and headroom. 

Parents should also note that fitting a car seat in the back can be a mission in itself. Because the MINI has only three doors, you have to really bend down and lean over to click any car seats into place.  

It’s fine for an older toddler’s booster seat, but getting a baby and seat in there can be tricky. 

Storage solutions 

Storage options are limited around the MINI’s cabin, but you do still get some decent areas to put your phone while driving, as well as a small box that sits between you and the front passenger.  

It looks a bit like a fancy portable speaker but open the lid and it’s extra storage to make up for the lack of a central armrest. It would be nice if they followed Rivian’s lead there. 

In the back, there aren’t even any door bins, which is a little annoying. To make up for it you do get a single cupholder in the middle and a slot to put a phone. 

Safety 

The 2024 MINI Cooper hasn’t been safety tested by Euro NCAP yet. In fact, no Minis have been in recent years. 

But being part of the BMW group, we don’t have any doubts that it would do its best to offer them the most safety possible. 

Every Cooper comes as standard with various driver aids, lots of airbags, parking sensors, ISOFIX child seat points, alarms and ABS. 

Range and charging times 

The top-spec Cooper SE we tested gets the full 249-mile range from its 49.2kWh battery (up from 36.6kWh with the Cooper E), which is the one to have if you can fork out the extra £1,000 or so. 

But no matter which spec you opt for, you can expect an average battery efficiency of 4.4mi/kWh which is very impressive, and proof Mini’s latest battery tech is working as intended. 

All this sounds good, and it is, but the downside is in the charging speeds. The Cooper E is capped at 75kW and the Cooper SE at 95kW.  

When other electric cars can charge at up to 150kW, it’s a shame MINI doesn’t match up. There’s the argument that it saves the battery in the long run, but the option would be handy on those days where you desperately need a rapid charge. 

Reliability 

It’s too early to comment on how reliable the new electric MINI is, but from past experience, we’d say there’s very little to be worried about. 

After all, this is from the same company that brought us the BMW i3, previous-gen MINI Electric and the uber-luxurious BMW i7. 

And, of course, there’s less to go wrong with an electric car compared to more complicated petrols and diesels. 

Insurance groups 

Electric cars don’t tend to be the most affordable cars to insure, but the MINI Electric is trying to prove that stereotype wrong. 

Expect to pay for around the insurance group 20 to 26 bracket, which is about halfway up the price range. 

But of course, insurance prices vary depending on so many factors such as the driver’s history, occupation, where they live etc., so keep that in mind.