MINI Aceman review

Is the MINI Aceman a good car?

The MINI Aceman is a talented small SUV in its own right, and has plenty of personality to set it apart from the competition. It looks funky, drives brilliantly and in Cooper SE guise, offers a usable 200-plus miles of range. The classy, uniquely styled and beautifully built cabin sets a high class benchmark, too. But it’s far from perfect. The interior packaging is poor, and the ride is typically firm – just as it is in all modern MINIs. We’d have hoped for slightly faster charging, too.

How much does the MINI Aceman cost?

MINI’s ever-expanding product line-up is almost complete. The Aceman slots into the range between the entry-level three-door Cooper and the larger Countryman SUV. Only available as an electric car, you can think of it as a zero-emissions alternative to the five-door hatch.

With prices starting at around £31,000, the MINI Aceman probably can’t be considered a bargain. But take into account a price premium of only around £1,800 versus the equivalent three-door and the small electric SUV starts to look like a better-value proposition.

For your money, you get an extra pair of doors, a more accessible cabin and slightly bigger boot. This isn’t a large car; space is at a premium anywhere but up front, so it would probably suit those looking for occasional rear seats or the ability to put small kids in the back. People may complain that the Countryman has grown beyond recognition, but the Aceman remains a MINI through and through.

That starting figure also throws it among some pretty talented rivals. The base MINI is priced on par with the cheapest Volvo EX30, and undercuts Stellantis stalwarts like the Jeep Avenger, Peugeot E-2008 and Alfa Romeo Junior. So actually, in context, the MINI is not as expensive as you might think.

There are two core models to choose from, the latter of which brings a bigger battery for more range; the basic Aceman E uses a 42.5kWh battery for up to 192 miles on a charge, while the Aceman SE ups this to 54.2kWh, boosting the official range to 251 miles.

Base models are badged Classic and get LED lights front and rear, roof rails and 17-inch wheels made from 30 per cent recycled aluminium. Inside, there’s a big circular touchscreen with sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus two-zone climate control and a long list of driver-assistance systems.

Upgrade to Exclusive and you get – as the name suggests – a slightly more exclusive look, with bigger wheels and a ‘Vibrant Silver’ grille. There are also different roof options plus a wider paint palette, and different interior trim; Exclusive costs roughly £2,200 more than Classic.

Above this sits the raciest-looking Sport trim (not including the recently announced JCW model) which boasts a subtle bodykit and badges, plus different wheels, body stripes, a red roof and rear spoiler. These versions are an additional £1,300 more than you’ll pay for the Exclusive trim.

Then, on top of this, MINI offers different equipment packs – bundling key bits of kit together for a fixed fee. All cars get the ‘Level 1’ pack with a head-up display (there is no conventional instrument cluster), wireless phone charging and heated front seats. ‘Level 2’ (+£2,000) brings a panoramic roof, tinted windows and a Harmon Kardon stereo, while ‘Level 3’ (+£4,500 – only on Exclusive/Sport) throws in electrically operated massaging front seats with a memory function, as well as virtual-reality navigation and extra safety features. 

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A MINI can’t be considered a MINI if it isn’t fun to drive, and the Aceman nails its brief right from the off. You’ll immediately notice a firm edge to the ride – even within the first few hundred yards – but the benefit of this is a deftness to the way this small SUV handles. It’s as sharp as anything in this class – even including the petrol-powered Ford Puma.

The Aceman has almost too many drive modes to mention, but you’ll rarely need to delve deeper than the usual Core, Green and Go Kart settings – the latter replicating a traditional ‘sport’ mode. Which you choose has an effect on a number of parameters – from motor response to steering weight, as well as the sound the car makes. The raciest of these isn’t what you’d call conventional; the almost sci-fi-like sound crescendos in a pleasing enough way, and changes tone if you push the accelerator pedal past a certain point. It doesn’t attempt to replicate an old-school petrol engine like the Abarth 500e does, but it still offers a level of engagement missing in many rivals.

Elsewhere, there’s a heft to the steering that you’ll not find in any of this car’s Stellantis (Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot, Vauxhall, Citroen) competitors. Turn in is sharp, and there’s loads of grip – despite a small tendency for torque steer if you ask for full power from the off. We’ve only driven the range-topping Aceman SE so far, which offers plenty of power through the ‘rev’ range. It’ll do 0-62mph in just over seven seconds – we can’t see many needing to step up to the full-fat JCW, which trims this time even further.

Comfort is the only area where we’d perhaps wish for a little more. The ride felt firm on European roads, with the car constantly bobbing around – even on seemingly smooth tarmac. It’s not a deal breaker, but we’d encourage you to try a car in the UK before signing on the dotted line. There’s a little wind noise at motorway speeds, but no worse than rivals’.

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The MINI Aceman is one of the few cars in this class that offers buyers a choice of battery sizes, meaning if range isn’t all that important, you can save a bit of money and opt for the lighter, more efficient model.

All Acemans use a single electric motor mounted to the front axle, with the base ‘E’ model featuring a 42.5Wh battery for up to 192 miles of range. We’ve not tried this version, but even the punchier ‘SE’ model, with its bigger motor and larger 54.2kWh battery, managed around 3.8mi/kWh on our test route. That was over a mix of roads, as well as in cool autumn temperatures of around 10-12 degrees.

Whichever Aceman you go for, you get a mediocre peak charging speed of 95kW. While that might have been a stand-out feature five years ago, it’s nothing to write home about today; the Jeep, Peugeot etc all manage 100kW, while a Volkswagen ID.3 can do 135kW or more. Still, those speeds should allow the MINI to recharge from 10-80 per cent in around half an hour – with the bigger-battery car taking slightly longer.

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The MINI Aceman’s interior will feel familiar to anyone who has sat in the latest MINI Cooper hatchback or Countryman SUV. It really does set the benchmark for small-car cabins, with first-rate material quality, design and layout. 

Some may lament the lack of a proper instrument cluster, but at least all versions come with a head-up display – so you’re not forced to glance at the central screen to view your speed or trip information. It feels pretty natural, in fact, and gets a big thumbs-up from us.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

There’s no arguing that MINI’s latest infotainment system is a bit of a party piece. The big, circular screen in the centre of the dashboard looks great, and it’s responsive enough to not require multiple prods like you might find in some rivals’. Yet we really didn’t find it all that intuitive to operate; sure, you might get used to the layouts, but setting a destination or changing the radio station should be simpler.

That said, it’s full of functionality, and as always, the fitment of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto means you can bypass many of the tricky submenus if you’re happy to use your phone’s apps instead. It’s a shame it doesn’t fill the entire screen, but this isn’t an issue exclusive to MINI – and a challenge only made harder by the shape of the Aceman’s circular screen.

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You might look at the MINI Aceman and be attracted by its elevated ride height and superior size – at least versus the three-door Cooper – but in reality, this is still a small car. 

Measuring a fraction over four metres long, the benefit of its diminutive size is that it’s perfectly at home in the city, where it can squeeze into tight gaps and parking spots that the larger Countryman cannot. But the trade-off is a compact cabin and small 300-litre boot – we fitted two carry-on suitcases behind the rear seats, but a bulky buggy or child’s bike might be a stretch.

A six-foot-tall adult can just about squeeze into the back, but you can forget about fitting three abreast for anything more than a short hop to the shops. Think of the Aceman as an electric alternative to the five-door MINI Cooper and you’ll not be disappointed, but rivals like the Jeep Avenger or forthcoming Ford Puma Gen-E are bigger, more practical cars.

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MINI finished 20th (out of 32) in our most recent Driver Power owner satisfaction survey. That’s not a particularly pleasing result, but does place it above the likes of Mercedes (25th), Audi (27th) and Volkswagen (29th) – possibly proving that buyers of premium cars have quite high expectations.

This said, the previous-generation MINI Hatchback, including its electric alternative, came fifth in the rundown of the top 50 models – with owners praising their cars’ handling and driving pleasure. The cars were marked down for a firm ride, though – all characteristics that can also be applied to the latest Aceman.

In terms of safety, while the Aceman hasn’t yet been tested by Euro NCAP, the company has a very good reputation in this regard – despite the cars being among the smallest and most city-focused on the road. There are plenty of driver-assistance systems available – although it’s worth noting that some of these are hidden in option packs, so make sure you know what you’re getting before placing an order.

MINI Aceman alternatives 

This part of the market is awash with talented alternatives to the MINI Aceman. It’s impossible to ignore the range of Stellantis small cars, which includes the Jeep Avenger, Alfa Romeo Junior and Peugeot E-2008, as well as the less premium-feeling Vauxhall Mokka and Citroen e-C4. 

Then there’s the Volvo EX30, plus the larger Honda e:Ny1, BMW iX1 and Mercedes EQA. You’d be unwise to dismiss the Hyundai Kona and Kia EV3, too, while the Ford Puma Gen-E due soon should give the MINI a run for its money when it comes to driving thrills.

If you’d prefer petrol power, then the B-segment isn’t short of compelling cars, the best of which include the Renault Captur, as well as mild and full-hybrid versions of the Kona and Puma.