(review) ShortCircuit: "I was IMPRESSED!!! - Electric Mini Cooper SE"

Very good review. But adaptive dampers? What? Is that a 2022 LCI feature?

He's off on the range. Unless Canada is different the official range is based on driving in mid mode. In the US it's 110 miles, and I regularly get at least 140 miles (summer) in mid mode. But I love how he points out how quickly the SE charges, that's an overlooked feature of the car.

 

All these reviewers do is look at the GoM and base their judgement on it. The ones who have actually driven it to dead have easily exceeded the rated range.

I do agree with his comments on price though, the only reason I could justify this car is because it'll end up only costing me $20k.

Also I absolutely hate the stupid piano black buttons lol what a dumb idea

 

I don't believe my SE has adaptive dampers. Are they new for 2022?

The reviewer complained about the price--is there a less-expensive EV in Canada?

The reviewer talks about the meager range, he talks about the 1,400 kg weight, he says he hopes more fun EVs come out in the future, but he's not analytical enough to comprehend the range trade-off MINI accepted to make the car so much fun. Finally, he tortures new MINI buyers by raving about the unavailable Harman Kardon sound system.

Regarding his 93-mile range claim, that's what my GOM reports after charging thanks to my unrestrained driving style. If my wife drives more than me between charges, that number goes up.

 

I put the mini in green all the time and can still overtake most ICE vehicles and accelerate with no real complaints. I actually like the lighter steering in Mid and Green modes vs Sport. MID and Green are still heavier than any Hydraulic rack I have operated.

How did Canada get the center circular light ring without the bar graph pattern? If the light ring is a North America only option I am troubled at Mini North America's decision making skills.

 

That is odd! It's the center console ring from the 2020/2021 models, but he's clearly reviewing a 2022 LCI model.

 

One of the reasons I decided to go with the Electric Collection is to minimize the amount of piano black in the interior. There's still some, but it's a lot less.

On my current countryman, I wrapped a lot of the piano black trim with carbon fiber vinyl, and while it looks good, it was a lot of work that I don't really want to do again. I really dislike the new steering wheel, but I'll probably just live with it.

 

Is it possible he mistook the regenerative braking modes for dampeners? I could almost see the icon being misinterpreted.

 

My guess is that he thought each drive mode corresponded to different dampener settings.

 

Or maybe the traction control?

 

I like the piano black trim look on my interior, but I do keep two micro fiber cloths in the car to give it a quick wipe down as needed. I do not like the piano black steering wheel buttons. They need an upgrade in look and feel.

 

I like the piano black trim just fine, but the Electric Collection trim is also nice and more interesting. I wonder how difficult it would be to swap out the trim later on. Surely the part should be available, though it might be expensive.

I actually think the SE is priced incredibly well. A MINI Cooper S in Signature trim is actually $1000 more than an SE in Signature. There's no Signature Plus, but a Cooper S that has similar specs to my Signature Plus is also about $1000 more. So, even without the Federal Tax Credit, the SE is a better deal than the Cooper S. Plus, it's an EV, which should cost more. With the Tax Credit, it's a steal! It also depends on the types of things that you value. In my opinion, the MINI is a beautiful car. In terms of design, it's a work of art. And you can't really put a price on that. There's no other car that I would want instead, unless I paid another $60,000 or more, which I'll never be able to afford anyways.

 

Please, you can't put that out there and leave us wondering. Tell us what $60K more can buy to get a better looking, better built, more nimble, and more fun EV.

 

If I had that kind of budget I would have ended up with a Taycan or Model 3 performance. The look of my 2022 is growing on me a bit but I still am not a huge fan of the redesigned front. I do love the size and shape of the MINI and it's nimble handling but I could really use the extra range.

Over my past ~month of ownership there have been 2 trips that I had to borrow my wife's ICE car for. That's an acceptable compromise for $20k but for $30k+ I would expect a car to meet all of my needs.

Hopefully trips like these will be possible in the future when there are more chargers. Right now there are only 4 chargers within ~120mi and 3 are within 20mi of my house so not terribly useful.

 

You're right! I posted my reply too quickly without really thinking about it too much. The car I was thinking of is the Porsche 911, which is, of course, not an EV. And actually, I would probably never buy that car, even if I had the money. I'm not really the type of person who would drive around in that type of car (I only think that I would like to own one, but that's more of a fantasy). It would also guzzle gas like crazy (and I am trying to do the opposite of that). I have always wanted a MINI, and when I saw they had come out with an EV, I knew immediately this would be my next car. So, what I should have said is, there is no other car I would want instead. Period.

 

The rumored Porsche Boxster EV could give the MINI Electric some stiff competition in the fun category. Like MINI, Porsche is facing the range vs. weight trade-off. The company chose range for the 2-1/2 ton Taycan; will they seek to satisfy the drivers or the cruisers with their most agile sports car? I'm certain the Boxster EVs won't suffer the SE's overheating problems when owners take them to the track.

 

I dunno, when I was shopping for a fun sporty car, awhile ago, the Boxster just seemed to be way too big. Its a different class. Now an EV Miata.... or mini convertible...

 

I agree the Boxster is larger, but other than Tesla's overdue Roadster re-do, there are no other sporty electric cars visible on the horizon. For now MINI has the compact, sporty niche all to itself.

Other EVs may be quicker, but they are heavier sedans/crossovers/SUVs that can't corner anything like a MINI. With a claimed range of 620 miles, I wonder if Tesla's Roadster will weigh 3 tons (more than double the original's 2,700 lbs.).

Motor1 published a rumor about an electric Miata, but without raising the car up many inches, I don't know where they'd pack a battery even as large as the MINI's small battery. The linked article speculates the electrified Miata will more likely be a hybrid than a BEV. Then there's the problem of rollover protection in a convertible with a heavy battery. I was hoping VW would bring their concept ID.Buggy to market to see how they implemented occupant protection, but that project was canceled.