Horizon Mini Cooper 2020: SE
Content
- Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 7/10
- Is there anything interesting about its design? 9/10
- How practical is the interior space? 6/10
- What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 7/10
- How much fuel does it consume? 10/10
- What is it like to drive? 8/10
- What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 8/10
- How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 7/10
- Verdict
Of the hundreds of models available on the Australian market, we believe the Mini Cooper hatchback is the best fit for all-electric use.
It's a premium, peppy, and more expensive passenger car option, after all, which means a turn to an emissions-free version should be less shocking compared to a more mainstream fare.
Here, to test that theory, is the Mini Cooper SE, the brand's first mass-market all-electric model offered in Australia.
Promising the brand's signature kart-like driving dynamics and city-friendly driving range, can the Mini Hatch Cooper SE appeal where other EVs look lackluster?
| Mini 3D Hatch 2020: Cooper SE Electric First Edition | |
|---|---|
| Safety Rating | |
| engine's type | - |
| fuel type | Electric guitar |
| Fuel efficiency | —L / 100km |
| Landing | 4 Places |
| Price from | $42,700 |
Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 7/10
Priced at $54,800 before travel expenses, the Cooper SE sits at the top of the Mini three-door hatchback lineup and is even more expensive than the $50,400 performance-oriented JCW.
However, among similar EVs including the Nissan Leaf ($49,990), Hyundai Ioniq Electric ($48,970), and Renault Zoe ($49,490), a premium of around $5000 is a little easier to swallow for a performance-oriented style European urban hatchback.
It gets adaptive and automatic LED headlights.
For the money, the Mini includes 17-inch wheels, adaptive and automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, electronically adjustable and heated side mirrors, multi-function leather steering wheel, heated front sports seats, leather interior, dashboard accents from carbon fiber, dual zone climate control, keyless entry and start.
An 8.8-inch media screen sits in the center console and is packed with features such as sat-nav with real-time traffic updates, 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, voice recognition, wireless smartphone charger, digital radio, and wireless Apple CarPlay support ( but without Android Auto).
The center console houses an 8.8-inch multimedia screen.
However, one of the big differences from the Cooper SE is the fully digital instrument cluster, which shows how much juice is left in the tank and how hard the electric motor is working.
Distance, speed, temperature and road sign information is also front and center for the driver, while the head-up display also shows other information such as route directions.
As with most electric vehicles available on the market today, the high price is justified by the electric powertrain and not by anything on the spec sheet.
Is there anything interesting about its design? 9/10
Let's not beat around the bush, the modern Mini has always been about style, and the all-electric Cooper SE is certainly no exception.
Modern Mini has always been distinguished by style.
There are actually four free exterior designs available, divided equally between "Future" and "Classic" styles.
Category one features 17-inch EV Power Spoke wheels, plus yellow accented mirror caps and front grille for a design that stands out from the crowd.
Our test car was equipped with the "Future 2" package, which is painted metallic black, but the "Future 1" version has a "White Silver Metallic" exterior with a contrasting black roof.
Our test car was equipped with the "Future 2" package painted in metallic black.
Sure, this version of the Cooper SE looks a little more futuristic, as the name suggests, but the two "classic" variants are much closer to the look of a combustion-powered Mini.
The wheels are still 17" but look much more traditional thanks to the twin 10-spoke design, while the mirror housings are finished in white and the paint options are the classic "British Racing Green" or "Chilli Red".
The Cooper SE even comes with a hood scoop to mirror its Cooper S counterpart, but eagle-eyed car enthusiasts should be able to highlight the former's unique badge and enclosed front grille.
Look inside the Cooper SE and you'll almost mistake it for any other Mini Hatch.
The same interior layout, including the familiar dashboard layout centered on a large glowing ring.
Installed a unique dashboard insert with yellow accents.
An 8.8-inch multimedia screen is built into the circle, and below it is a distribution mechanism for climate control, driving mode selection and an ignition lock.
Cooper SE differences? A unique dashboard insert with yellow accents is installed, while the seats are wrapped in leather and Alcantara with cross-stitch embroidery, as well as the aforementioned digital instrument cluster.
We actually think it's a good thing that the Cooper SE looks pretty much identical to the rest of the three-door hatchback lineup, and appreciate that it's not the same electric car that borrowed its looks from distant sci-fi imagery.
How practical is the interior space? 6/10
At 3845mm long, 1727mm wide and 1432mm high, the Cooper SE is actually slightly shorter and taller than its Cooper S counterpart.
However, both are the same width and wheelbase of 2495mm, meaning interior practicality is retained – both good and bad.
There is enough space in front for drivers and passengers to get comfortable.
We also like that the wireless charger/smartphone holder is located in the armrest, which leaves room for keys and wallets throughout the cabin.
However, the pockets in the front doors are small and shallow, making them almost useless for anything other than thin and small items.
The rear seats, as you'd expect from a diminutive three-door lightweight hatchback, are cramped at best for our six feet.
The rear seats, as you'd expect from a diminutive three-door lightweight hatchback, are cramped at best.
Headroom and legroom are particularly lacking, but it is surprisingly comfortable on the shoulders. We only recommend kids for the second row or those friends you may not get along with.
The trunk holds 211 liters with the seats up and expands to 731 liters with the second row folded down, effectively matching the rear of the Cooper S.
The trunk holds 211 liters with the seats up.
Charging supplies are stored in a compartment under the boot floor (no spare as it has run-flat tires) and there are luggage attachment points, but we didn't notice any bag hooks.
It's nice that the electric option doesn't limit trunk space, but the Mini Hatch has never been the most practical city hatchback on offer.
The trunk increases to 731 liters with the second row folded down.
Those who need to regularly carry more than one passenger or large items may need to look elsewhere.
What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 7/10
The Mini Hatch Cooper SE is powered by a 135kW/270Nm electric motor to the front wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission.
The Mini Hatch Cooper SE is powered by a 135 kW/270 Nm electric motor.
As a result, the all-electric Mini accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in just 7.3 seconds.
This puts the Cooper SE between the base Cooper and Cooper S in offline performance, despite gaining 150-200kg.
The 32.6kWh battery is rated for about 233km, according to Mini, although our car clocked 154km at 96 percent on a cold winter morning in Melbourne.
How much fuel does it consume? 10/10
The official data on the consumption of the Cooper SE is 14.8-16.8 kWh per 100 km, but in the morning we managed to reduce the consumption to 14.4 kWh per 100 km.
When connected at home, the Cooper SE is said to take about eight hours from 0 to 100 percent.
Our driving consisted mostly of country roads, urban suburbs, and explosive freeway driving, with the first two settings offering plenty of regenerative braking opportunities to regenerate energy.
The Cooper SE is also equipped with a CCS Combo 2 connector which also accepts Type 2 connectors.
The Cooper SE is said to take about eight hours from 0 to 100% plugged in, but a 22kW charger should cut the time down to around 3.5 hours.
What is it like to drive? 8/10
Mini has long been committed to bringing kart-like handling to all of its vehicles, especially its smallest model, the Hatch.
The Cooper SE has arguably the best power steering electric car south of the Porsche Taycan.
While the petrol-powered versions live up to that mantra, don't the electric motor and heavy battery break that characterization?
For the most part, no.
The Mini Hatch Cooper SE is still a lot of fun to corner, and the grip levels on offer inspire confidence even in the wet.
Much of that has to do with rubber: Mini opts for 1/205 Goodyear Eagle F45 tires at every turn, instead of the usual ultra-thin, low-rolling-resistance tires found on other EVs.
Even with all the torque available right away and piloting the Mini down winding back roads on a damp Melbourne morning, the Mini Cooper SE retained its stability and composure despite our best efforts.
To accommodate the weight of the battery (and protect the underbody from damage), the ground clearance on the Cooper SE is actually increased by 15mm.
However, the all-electric hatch actually has a lower center of gravity thanks to its powerful battery.
That said, there's no escaping the extra weight: the Cooper SE takes a little longer to settle after a hit, and it's a little slower to change direction.
The 32.6 kWh battery lasts for about 233 km, according to Mini.
The electric motor also means a quick, if not exactly quick, 0-100km/h time, but that 0-60km/h time of 3.9s is especially useful for such a small city hatchback.
While the Cooper SE comes with four different driving modes - Sport, Mid, Green and Green+ that adjust steering and throttle response - the two regenerative braking settings actually change the car's performance more.
Two settings are available - low and high energy regeneration mode - adjust the intensity of energy recovery from the brakes.
In low mode, the Cooper SE behaves just like a standard car, the brake pedal must be pressed to slow down, while in high energy regen mode it aggressively slows down as soon as you release the throttle.
However, even a high setting won't bring the car to a complete stop like Nissan's e-pedal feature in the Leaf.
On the descent of Mt. Dandenong we actually managed to offset about 15 km of energy using the high energy recovery mode, which reduced the range anxiety a lot.
The Green and Green+ modes will also add a few extra miles of range if you're worried you won't make it to the charger, but the standout feature for us was that using the A/C didn't affect range.
Even when the fans were turned to maximum and the temperature was set to icy cold, we didn't notice a drop in the estimated range at all.
Overall, the Mini delivered drivers with the Cooper SE an ultimately rewarding and fun driving experience, certainly more compelling than some of the other popular alternatives, and arguably the best-drivable electric car south of the Porsche Taycan.
Warranty and safety rating
Basic Warranty
3 years / unlimited mileage
guarantee
ANCAP Safety Rating
What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 8/10
The Mini Hatch Cooper SE has not been crash tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, although the rest of the three-door line-up has a four-star rating in 2014 testing.
However, such a rating is not easily applied to the Cooper SE due to differences in weight, battery placement, electric motors, and engine placement.
The Cooper SE comes standard with a range of safety equipment including adaptive cruise control, City Crash Mitigation (CCM), also known as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), with pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, front and rear parking sensors . self-parking function, rear view camera and traffic sign recognition.
Dual ISOFIX child seat anchorages and top harnesses are also at the rear, and six airbags are fitted throughout.
How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 7/10
Like all new Mini models, the Hatch Cooper SE is backed by a three-year unlimited mileage warranty that also includes roadside assistance and 12 months of corrosion protection.
The battery warranty is often longer than the car warranty, and the Cooper SE battery warranty is set to eight years.
Service intervals were not available at the time of writing, however Mini offers a five-year/80,000km "Basic Coverage" plan starting at $800 for the Cooper SE, while the "Plus Coverage" plan starts at $3246.
The former includes an annual vehicle inspection and replacement of the microfilter, air filter, and brake fluid, while the latter adds replacement of the front and rear brakes and wiper blades.
Verdict
The Mini Hatch Cooper SE may not be a revolutionary electric vehicle like the Tesla Model S or even the first generation Nissan Leaf, but it certainly provides the brand's signature fun factor.
Of course, some will be put off by a real range of less than 200 km, low practicality and high price, but chic style is rarely without compromise.
