The entire Mini brand has been renewed in the last couple of years, and not in a simple way. So to understand what an “Aceman” is, we’re gonna need a little recap.
The latest Mini Countryman SUV is a thing unto itself, available in both petrol and pure-electric (BEV) models. So we can put that to one side, except to say it’s interesting because the current-generation Countryman was the first Mini to be built outside the UK (Germany for our cars). That’s relevant because of where the journey to Aceman is taking us.
The smaller Mini Coopers are now split into two very different model lines… which seem very much the same to the non-car-nerd eye.
The petrol Cooper 3-door and petrol Cooper 5dr are both still built in the UK. The Cooper 3dr BEV is a totally separate thing, built on a different platform in China by a joint venture between Mini and Great Wall Motors called Spotlight Automotive.
Despite the different platforms, the 3dr ICE and EV Minis share most of their body panels; you can tell them apart because the BEV is slightly taller, comes sans black wheelarch trims and has flush doorhandles. Spot one, it’s fun!
There’s no such thing as an AWD Aceman (not that an SUV needs it these days) and the ground clearance is an extremely modest 143mm.
Why is any of this relevant to the Aceman? Because it’s essentially a 5dr version of the Cooper 3dr BEV, albeit with a lot of styling inspiration from the larger Countryman… and it’s also an electric alternative to the Cooper 5dr petrol, although Spotlight obviously wanted Aceman to have more of an SUV styling vibe.
Is it actually an SUV though? It’s got the hex(ish)-shaped headlights, angular wheelarch shapes and roof rails of the Countryman. It even has a Trail drive-mode that shows you a giant compass on the instrument panel.
Aceman is still just 4097mm long, or 250mm shorter than a Toyota C-HR (the universal benchmark for strange-looking city SUVs, obviously).
But there’s no such thing as an AWD Aceman (not that an SUV needs it these days) and the ground clearance is an extremely modest 143mm; a Countryman has 165mm. Nonetheless, it’s taller than the Cooper 5dr by 90mm and that means a more commanding driving position. Let’s just say it’s half-way between a compact-hatchback and urban SUV.
And it is compact: still just 4097m long, or 250mm shorter than a Toyota C-HR (the universal benchmark for strange-looking city SUVs, obviously).
Yes, it's expensive for a small EV-hatch/SUV with a smallish battery. But it’s a Mini, so you kind of expect that.
You can have an Aceman in entry E or mid-range SE specification, with a performance-oriented JCW at the top of the range. Our test car is the SE, which is the one you’d go for if you’re planning to go further than the local supermarket on a regular basis, because it ups the battery capacity from 38.5kWh to 49.2kWh.
That’s still not a lot, but at least this pair move the game on from the original Mini Electric, which offered a claimed 233km but in reality did more like 160km.
The SE is rated for 406km (Aceman E 310km). The maximum charge rate of 95kW is a bit of a downer, though; having a smaller battery, it’d be an advantage to be able to charge it super-quick, because you have to do it more often. Or maybe it’s just a sore point with us, because our test Aceman SE was on 1% charge when we picked it up, so we had to go straight to a DC station… and wait. The E only charges at 75kW, by the way; another reason to stump up the extra $7k for the $69,990 SE.
Yes, that is expensive for a small EV-hatch/SUV with a smallish battery. But it’s a Mini, so you kind of expect that. You also expect high style. The Aceman exterior is an odd mix of genres but it certainly doesn’t skimp on the detailing. Same for the interior, which is quite similar to other new-gen Minis, with a massive 240mm-diameter circular instrumentation/infotainment touch-screen and some very colourful fabric on the dashtop, which is also illuminated at night; it’s bold and acts as a handy distraction from some of the cheaper plastics around the place… door trims for example.
Those door trims feature a “floating” handle that makes you feel a bit like you’re flying a helicopter. Novel, but the actual release buried underneath is a fail; it doesn’t fall to hand easily at all and several passengers really struggled with it.
There’s plenty to play with. The screen has a plethora of menus, some of which you can shortcut to with the drive-mode toggle. You get a different layout for each drive-setting and more to boot, including a “Timeless” display which echoes the analogue speedo of the OG Mini. Which is quite sweet.
If you’re using wireless phone projection, it’s displayed in a box in the centre of the display, which spoils the circular effect a bit; but the Mini display has to do what it can with the third-party stuff.
There are annoying sounds when you change modes (a “whoo-hoo!” for Go-Kart) and annoying sounds for different modes when you’re actually driving, but you can turn all of it off. We did.
There’s lots of unnecessary detail (check out the mystery strap that’s just stuck to the driver’s-side dashboard) but again… it’s a Mini. Still, you can have a sustainability brag about the fact that this car is chrome-free and leather-free: the vegan seats are upholstered in Mini’s own-brand “Vescin” and actually very soft. Also very blue in our car.
The $70k Aceman SE is suitably loaded, with power everything, a thumping Harman Kardon sound system and panoramic roof. It also gets BMW’s Reversing Assistant, which can automatically steer the car backwards over the last 50m it just travelled; a truly excellent piece of tech for a city car.
The Aceman can indeed play little luxury car if that’s what you’re looking for; well, a little luxury car with a lot of loud colours.
But Minis are also supposed to be fun-to-drive, right? The Aceman gets some fundamentals right, but there are a few things holding it back, too.
On the plus side, the steering is quite weighty and quite quick (less than 2.5 turns lock-to-lock). On the subject of steering, the fixed armrest to the left of the driver is infuriating in spirited driving.
That responsive steering and a small exterior footprint help the Aceman feel quite lively in tight corners. While you’re sitting higher than a Cooper 5dr, you’re still relatively low within the car, like a hatch. Yes, it does feel like you’re having fun… in the right environment. All of that might help you forgive a fussy ride on urban roads at low speeds; quite fidgety, even.
Some of the driver-focused detail is quite contrived (okay, you’re not surprised). You start the car by twisting a faux-key on the centre console, which is no doubt supposed to elicit an old-school wry smile. But it just seems silly in an EV.
The Aceman is not super-fast: 0-100km/h in 7.1 seconds is brisk, but won’t wow you. That’s a bit disappointing because the SE has 160kW and is quite small; but the thing is, it’s also quite heavy, despite the small battery, at 1710kg. So ultimately it’s not as agile as that snappy steering would have you believe. Still quite perky off the line though, thanks to the instant torque of the electric motor.
The Aceman has enough character to carry off the Mini badge, but for a vehicle heralded as the brand’s first bespoke EV (it’s the only model in the range with no direct ICE alternative), we’re surprised it’s not a bit more confident about what it’s trying to achieve. The good news is that if you find that disconcerting, there are now a lot of other Minis to choose from.
How much is the Mini Aceman SE?
The SE is $69,990, an extra $7k over the E (which has a smaller battery).
What are the key statistics for the Mini Aceman SE?
The 49.2kWh battery is paired with a 160kW/330Nm electric motor. The Aceman is FWD only.
Is the Mini Aceman SE efficient?
The battery is modest but the official range of 406km is not bad at all. We'd like it to charge a bit faster than 95kW, though.
Is the Mini Aceman SE good to drive?
It's quite spirited, with characteristic EV off-the-line torque and quick steering. Yes, it does feel sufficiently Mini-like.
Is the Mini Aceman SE practical?
In terms of its small exterior dimensions, yes. You wouldn't want to spend too much time in the rear seat, but then that's not what you expect of a supermini-sized vehicle.
What do we like about the Mini Aceman SE?
It has sufficient Mini performance and character, the infotainment system offers lot of personalisation (and some of it is quite cute), lots of sustainable-materials appeal.
What don’t we like about the Mini Aceman SE?
It's surprisingly heavy for one so small, modest battery charge-rate, does it want to be a hatch or SUV?
What kind of person would the Mini Aceman SE suit?
A Mini fan who absolutely wants to go electric and wants the extra space the Aceman offers over the Cooper 3dr (but doesn't want to step up to the much larger Countryman).