With your average MINI continually growing porkier with each successive generation, it’s tough to find a truly “mini” MINI anymore. But hey, there just so happens to be a new sweet spot in the range now, with the brand-new MINI Aceman. Slotting neatly, size-wise, between the (relatively) small MINI Cooper, and the much bigger MINI Countryman crossover, the Aceman is the best of both worlds. It offers you a nice equilibrium between its practicality, compactness, and performance. Additionally, combined with an all-electric powertrain, this might be the very best new MINI for most folks out there. So, is the Aceman really that big of a deal for MINI?
What Is The MINI Aceman E Classic About?
Before I go on, it’s worth breaking down the all-new MINI Aceman range, as it could get rather confusing for all of you who are new to MINIs. Within this new Aceman range, there are 3 distinct models, with different battery sizes, performance levels, and range, as well as other options and equipment. There’s the new Aceman E, SE, as well as the enthusiast’s favourite, the JCW (John Cooper Works). For the E and SE models, respectively, there are also 3 style options (aka trim levels) each that you could pick from. There’s the Classic, Exclusive, and Sport. As you’d gather by now, ours here is the entry-level model across the entire Aceman range – the Aceman E Classic.
Otherwise, from a design perspective, the new MINI Aceman does still carry that iconic, recognisable MINI look. Though it’s a bit bigger and way more square-ish, to my eyes, at least, it looks rather good. However, this silver-grey paintwork that it’s spec’d with here might not really do it justice. For me, if it’s a MINI, it has to be painted with funkier and brighter colours. Thankfully, you can easily spec the new Aceman in a plethora of vibrant hues. Aside from that, I would also argue that I prefer the Exclusive style over the Classic, with its rich, bronze-copper accents and brightwork, compared to this dull, monotone chrome and black. It’s a matter of taste, I guess.
Given that the new MINI Aceman is more of a crossover than a hatch, it does come with a slightly more rugged look and feel. There’s that bold, flat front end, and the abundance of rubber and plastic trims around the skirts, fenders, and lower fascia. It also carries some of the familial design elements we’ve seen with other MINIs, such as the high hip lines around the rear, the sharp bonnet line, and the headlights that stick out a bit. Oh, and don’t worry, as the new Aceman remains shamelessly British with its many easter eggs. For instance, the taillights still try to form a Union Jack when combined, and there are a lot of distinct motifs on the badges and plastic trim.
How Does It Drive?
Further expanding on MINI’s continued foray into electrification, the all-new MINI Aceman is all-electric. Under the bonnet, you’ll find the many electrified gubbins that propel the Aceman, with its modest 184hp and 290Nm of torque. Through the front-mounted electric motor, once you pin your foot to the floor, it will hit 0 to 62 mph within a respectable 7.9 seconds, and then onto a top speed of 99 mph. As I mentioned earlier, if you’re looking for more power, there are the SE and JCW models to satiate your need for speed. For context, the SE gets 218hp and 330Nm of torque, while the top-of-the-line John Cooper Works model gets 258hp and 350Nm of torque.
That would bring down the 0-to-62-mph times to 7.1 seconds and 6.4 seconds, while their top speeds rise to 106mph and 124mph, respectively. With that being said, however, in the real world, the regular Aceman E is more than powerful enough for basic commuting. Being an electric car, there’s the instantaneous torque that’ll handily power you through a junction or reasonably overtaking at speed on the motorway. Furthermore, it also retains that signature MINI handling that we know and love. That’s to say the steering feel is really lightweight, and in so doing, it provides you with effortlessness when you’re driving it around. EV or not, it drives well.
In addition, despite its larger size and having to lug around more weight than a MINI Cooper, the Aceman is still nimble in the hand. It darts about with far more agility and athleticism than you might expect, so prepare to be surprised. One other cool party trick is the synthesised electric motor sound that you could personalise and fine-tune. However, I didn’t mind keeping the default sound, with its awesome cyberpunk-y “exhaust” tune. It might be a fake soundtrack, but I will admit, it is rather fun and addicting to hammer the throttle every now and then just to hear it. It’s no hot hatch, but when you want to, some excitement does manage to shine through.
On the other hand, if you’d rather waft around in complete silence, the new MINI Aceman aces that one too, as you would expect out of an EV. It’s relatively quiet, with fairly minimal road and tyre noise. In addition, the MINI Aceman’s suspension is very comfortable and well-sprung for our bumpy, pothole-ridden UK roads. On that note, the form factor and dimensions of the Aceman work well for the UK and European markets too, and it definitely feels easy to drive here. It’s well-sized for our narrow country lanes or tight city streets, as well as moving in and out of car parks. With its high-res backup camera and included parking sensors, driving it is as easy as ever.
What Is It Like Inside?
If you haven’t sat inside any of the new MINIs just yet, you might be shocked to see the plethora of changes and improvements over the earlier models. No doubt the most prominent of these new upgrades is that gargantuan, circular infotainment screen. It’s not often that you see a round screen on any car, but as unorthodox as it might appear, this new display is really nice to use. The actual screen itself is vibrant and crisp, with its slick graphics and a clean user interface. Admittedly, it might take a bit of getting used to, given how much of your traditional controls – such as your climate control and heated/cooled seats – have been crammed into this one display.
Nevertheless, that represents one huge leap forward compared to the old infotainment systems that MINI used in the past. Elsewhere in the cabin, the new MINI Aceman oozes with quirks, and there’s no better place to start than the handful of physical switches that you’ll actually get in the Aceman. On the centre console is where you’ll find the faux key for the ignition, as well as the drive selector (just move the toggle up and down to change drive direction), the mode selector, and a few other controls for all your crucial car functions. Oh, and the mode selector which MINI calls “Experiences” – from earlier would be used to change up the interior in more ways than one.
It’s an interesting way to orchestrate all the interior ambient lighting, sounds, and patterns, and it’ll even change the colours and layout of both the infotainment screen and your heads-up display. It would further change the MINI Aceman’s “exhaust” note, altering between all the different synthetic motor sounds. It’s not something I usually see in other cars, but it’s a unique way of personalising the vibe of your Aceman’s cabin, based on your mood. As far as upholstery goes, the MINI Aceman gets an A+ in my books. In this Classic style, there is a bevvy of nice, soft fabrics and cloth trim, which I tend to prefer over leather or suede for its durability and hard-wearing nature.
Besides this, you might’ve noticed some bronze-copper highlights on some of the plastic bits, such as those door handles and the cupholders, as well as around your steering wheel. These do help to add a touch more colour to the cabin, as do some of the unique motifs and the colourful stitching on the seats, too. You may also be able to tell right away that this new MINI Aceman doesn’t come with a gauge cluster. In its place, there is a very nice heads-up display, and in lieu of a dash, there’s more of that colourful, rainbow-like stitching below that. I do like how well-put-together and well-designed the cabin of the Aceman is, and it’s a really nice place to be.
For more practical stuff, the new MINI Aceman still requires some compromise when it comes to packaging. For your rear passengers, legroom and kneeroom are quite tight, and with the front seats moved to my ideal position, as a taller fellow, it’s just about adequate back there for a short drive. I definitely won’t want to spend too much time back there, though. Given the Aceman’s form factor, it’s surprisingly doable, but I will nevertheless suggest moving up to the larger MINI Countryman if you’re seeking more passenger space. The same goes for that boot too, which is expectedly bigger than a MINI Cooper. Yet, it’s still not as big as the MINI Countryman.
The Experience
On the subject of range, the all-new MINI Aceman comes with two battery sizes – 38.5 kWh and 49.2 kWh. Ours here, the Aceman E, is paired with that smaller 38.5 kWh battery pack. According to MINI, it features a claimed range of up to 192 miles. Realistically, of course, you’d be hard-pressed to get anywhere near that, but it should be adequate enough for most regular commutes. If you’re thinking of going on a long road trip or if you drive a lot, though, no doubt sub-200 miles is considered somewhat disappointing by today’s standards. At least having a smaller battery does mean that it charges rather quickly. So, that’s one handy consolation, nonetheless.
If you plug the Aceman E Classic into an 11kW AC charger, a complete charge from empty to 100% will take you just over 4 hours. Should you need to get going quickly, the MINI Aceman supports DC fast-charging as well, but only up to 70kW. Still, a 10% to 80% charge will take you around 30 minutes, so at least you won’t have to wait long for a fill-up. If range is a limiting factor for you, then you could always opt for the MINI SE or the JCW, with their bigger 49.2kWh batteries. The SE, in particular, since it’s not performance-focused, has a claimed range of up to 251 miles. Hopefully, that gives you a tad more flexibility and driving range, should you need it.
MINI Aceman E Classic Cost
The new MINI Aceman E Classic starts from £31,800, though ours here came out to £34,350, including a handful of options. This includes £550 for this fairly classy Night Flash grey paint. On top of that, our car here was spec’d with the Level 1 pack from MINI for an extra £2,000. That pack adds some nice-to-haves and a few quality-of-life features, such as keyless entry, heated front seats, adaptive LED headlights, an automated high beam assist feature, a heads-up display, as well as a wireless charging pad for your phone, among others. MINI also offers a Level 2 pack that you could add to your Aceman E Classic in addition to the Level 1 pack, with more goodies.
This includes a panoramic glass roof, UV-resistant windows, and a Harman-Kardon surround sound system. For what you’re getting, the Level 1 and 2 packs do offer a lot of creature comforts for the money. And, if you need more, you could still go even further from there. The ‘Classic’ trim is the entry-level model in the new Aceman E line-up, not forgetting to mention the posher Exclusive and Sport trims. What’s more, if you’re looking for a bit more performance, the Aceman SE has even more power under the bonnet, a bigger battery, and more range. Then, there’s the JCW-treated Aceman, with compromised range, but with a lot, lot more speed to go with it.
Verdict
In short, the all-new MINI Aceman is a really nice electric car-slash-crossover, and especially here in the UK and throughout Europe, where the MINI brand has strong recognition. The MINI Aceman could be an ace up MINI’s sleeve, as they break further into the hugely competitive and saturated EV market. For its price, it’s hard for me to find a better electric crossover that exudes this much style and substance. Its chic design, vibrant personality, as well as its great all-around liveability and performance are massively appealing. It remains to be seen just how well MINI can compete with the other top EV brands, but I’d say this is a really good place to start.
Specification
MINI Aceman E Classic Specs
- Price: £31,800
- Engine: Single motor, 38.5 kWh battery
- Power: 184hp
- Torque: 290Nm
- 0-62mph: 7.9 seconds
- Top speed: 99mph
- Weight: 1,720kg
- Economy combined: 186 to 192 miles (WLTP)
- CO2: 0g/km