Mini Aceman review

We’ve only driven the Aceman in SE form so far, so we’ll reserve judgement on the entry-level E and the range-topping JCW.

As mentioned, the SE gets a single electric motor that powers the front wheels with 218bhp and 243lb ft of torque. That results in a 0-62mph time of 7.1 seconds and a top speed of 105mph.

Does it feel quick?

Strangely the 0-30mph burst off the line doesn’t actually feel as sprightly as some other EVs, and that’s even with the SE’s 37bhp advantage over the E. Even in the Aceman’s sportiest ‘Go-Kart’ experience mode (there are seven as with the other new Minis, but only Core, Green and Go-Kart affect the driving dynamics) it won’t pin you back in your seat and feels a little sluggish joining a motorway. It’s a chunky little car with a kerb weight of 1,785kg.

All Minis handle well though, don’t they?

The Aceman does cope with corners rather well. You can chuck it into a bend and it won’t protest too much, although the steering is a little weighty in Go-Kart mode. Still, it resists understeer well and stays flat with most of that weight low-down thanks to the battery’s positioning under the floor.

In that sense it feels very much like its Mini siblings, although like in the Cooper and Countryman the ride is also on the firm side.

Is it uncomfortable then?

If you’re looking for something soft and pillowy, we’d advise seeking out a Volvo EX30 or an ID.3 on the smallest possible wheels. The Aceman’s ride is fidgety and the car struggles to settle when the road surface is anything but perfect.

Thankfully the brake feel is well judged despite the need to balance regen and actual pad-on-disc friction, although having to dive into menus in order to change the level of regenerative braking (the Aceman gets low, medium, high and adaptive options) is a pain in the backside. We’d prefer wheel-mounted paddles.

Anything else I need to know? 

Mini’s experience modes don’t just make visual changes to the central screen. Green mode is similar to Eco in other EVs and limits the amount of power being sent to the wheels for maximum efficiency, while Go-Kart is essentially a sport mode and is accompanied by some funky sound-effects. We particularly liked the afterburner sound that’s played over the speakers when you use full throttle.

And if you’re not worried about your range, you can use full throttle quite a bit because the Aceman won’t be breaking any speed records any time soon.

Oh yeah, what’s the range like?

Mini reckons on a decent 252 miles of range on a single charge, but over a 100-mile trip in Europe we managed an efficiency of just 3.6mi/kWh. Our second go in the UK – on a bitterly cold January day, we should add – resulted in 3.3mi/kWh. So if you were able to use every last drop of the SE’s 49.2kWh battery that would give you a real-world range of just 160 miles. Not great. But that should be your absolute baseline.