MINI Cooper SE road tests

Then I blame Auto Guide for that headline!

 

This MotorBiscuit review takes a pragmatic view of the range, calling our car the "The marvelous Mini Cooper SE." While not a recent review, I don't recall seeing it before. The review really emphasizes the easier charging with the smaller battery, even though it refers to the mythical TurboCord.

The 2020 Mini Cooper SE Hardtop’s Poor Range Might Not Be a Bad Thing

 

And I found this statement interesting: "Inside the Mini Cooper SE, the ride is exceptionally quiet." I have seen a mix of reviews on the cabin noise - how do you find the noise in yours?

 

The SE is very quiet. I personally don't hear any road noise from the tires (I have the Goodyear Eagle F1s), but because the car makes no noise I do hear quite clearly any loud noises from other vehicles. In many ways driving the SE lets you stay in tune with your surroundings, similar to riding a bicycle. I could not believe the noise coming from my ICE Clubman when I drove it the other day, compared to the serenity I'm now used to in the SE.

I think some reviewers who complain about noise really mean they feel there's not enough sound insulation to prevent outside noise from being heard, but I don't agree since a driver should be able to hear emergency vehicles. There is no sound coming from the car itself.

 

Noise is low, and well-balanced. Better than the older Model 3, possibly better than the i3 - at least one I drove the other day.

 

A good 10K mile update from Matt Shumaker (@Matt Shumaker). I enjoyed listening to him relate his family's experiences with the SE.

 

Good review. Though whether he knows that or not, Mini is now considered more reliable than Hondas on average. Dropping Peugeot engines really helped.

Note to self, my kid will not be driving mine if the 17yo is in love lol. Though I agree, I'm not a fan of Tesla dashes.

 

I appreciate hearing the negatives, but can't help but laugh because they are so infinitesimaly trivial compared to my other EV.

 

I think what Matt meant by "the honeymoon is over" is not negative, just that he's had it long enough that his assessment is no longer colored by the thrill of having it. I will say I've got over 7000 miles on mine and I'm still in my "honeymoon".

Matt seems to love the car still, saying nothing but positive things about it. He makes a fair point about the summer performance tires, I think every other MINI model comes standard with all-seasons. No way would I personally be driving in those road conditions on summer tires. If you're not experienced with summer tires you may not realize how bad the handling gets in winter conditions.

I also am surprised to learn that DC fast charging is such a unique feature in an EV (at least for base models), it makes me appreciate the SE even more. And the way MINI makes charging so straightforward makes owning an EV so accessible. No messing with percentage charge – just plug it in and let it be until done.

 

The plug it and forget it is a big bonus to me. All those worrying about over charging and whatever really doesn't appeal.

Something he didn't touch on that is important is how well loaded the car is for the price. I know he spoke of it being a hidden gem, but it's a fantastic deal. As one looking for a BEV there is only one other at this price point and it's a Chinese car not quite out yet.

 

Good review. It's always valuable to hear the thoughts of someone that's had the car for the long-term vs. a reviewer who's just taken the car for a day.

 

Honestly, it's even more important in the EV era. Traditional reviewers who don't actually own EVs tend to miss so many important details about range, charge time, etc. I love C&D, for one but it's clear EVs are still this weird new thing to them.

 

Absolutely this!

 

https://www.thestar.com/autos/review/2021/01/19/2021-mini-cooper-se-might-be-the-best-mini-you-can-buy-right-now.html

 

Sorry, I was watching the last one on my phone with no sound, so didn't realize that it was in Italian.

Anyway, I was going to ask how the Honda E seemed to get the jump off the line on the Mini SE, then saw the torque specs...350 vs. 270 nM is a big difference. You have to wonder why EV makers do things like that - wouldn't it be better to have a bit less maximum torque and a bit more power at higher speeds? That way traction control wouldn't have to be so intrusive to avoid overcoming the grip of the tires, and you wouldn't "run out of gas" as much at higher speeds.

ETA: Only in Italian

 

MINI made a big deal out of avoiding wheel slippage when accelerating, which apparently is not an uncommon issue with other EVs.