Real world use: Back seats up or down?

Upright mostly but down when we have a dog cage in.
Very rare we have anyone in the back.

 

I have yet to have more than two people in the car, but I still keep the seats up. I have no need for the storage area and prefer the cleaner look.


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Because you can see the rear headrests in the rearview mirror when the rear seats are up, there is no doubt that visibility is marginally improved by folding the rear seats. I'm glad the headrests fold to minimize their profile.

I like having access to the floor space behind the front seats to hold upright bags of returnable bottles and bags holding open containers of birdseed I'm taking to fill my Dad's birdfeeder. If I placed those bags in the trunk area, I'd worry about them falling over and disgorging their contents during spirited cornering.

Do people who like to leave the seats folded streamline the look by raising the storage-compartment lid to make it flush with the folded seatbacks?

 

The Mini's head rests are visible, but are probably the least intrusive of any car I have owned.

I also own a Bolt, which I use to carry stuff and/or the family. The Mini is just a fun run about that I drive when alone or with one other person (which, frankly, is most of the time).

 

"Who needs a seed spreader? I've got a Mini SE!" LOL

 

How would you compare the handling of your Mini and your Bolt? Not even in the same league, Mini is hand's down better, Mini is somewhat better, etc.

 

Up, since the storage hatch has plenty of space for my day-to-day use. It also looks a little nicer, IMO. I wonder if either configurations makes a difference on road noise.

 

I mostly keep mine up, but without the headrests. That way I can easily fold them down when it's time to take the dogs somewhere. If down, though, I don't find an urgency to put them back up. And I've had adults in the back (seats up with headrests ). It's a snug fit but works pretty well, they can even use the rear seatbelts.

 

Handling? The Bolt is heavier and sits higher, with an inferior suspension. I mean, the Bolt is good for what it is, but it is nothing compared to the Mini.

Here's a quick comparison I left on facebook for general performance of the Bolt against the SE:
Driving - the SE is a sports car with go-kart handling. Acceleration is similar between it and the Bolt but the SE has almost no body roll and tight steering. The Bolt is sloppy by comparison.
Acceleration - similar in both. Similar power/torque although the SE applies it much more smoothly. The Bolt has more wheel spin from a jackrabbit start and is a bit touchier on the acceleration.
Regen - both have true one pedal driving although the Bolt’s Max regen is stronger. You don’t need to use the brake pedal on either with proper planning.
Technology - the Bolt wins here. It has a much larger screen and better features overall. The SE is more about the drive.
Navigation - not an option on the Bolt. I use CarPlay. Comes standard on the SE, complete with “green” routing options and the ability to locate and plan charging stops along the way. You can also find charging stations nearby in an impromptu manner, in case you find yourself unexpectedly low on charge. All easily accessible via intuitive voice commands.
Charging - bother have 7.xkW level 2 charging and ~50kW DC charging. The Bolt tapers its charge rate at 55 but the SE maintains full rate to 80%. This actually makes traveling with them similar, except for the first leg.
Range - Bolt is 238 and SE is 110 on the EPA scale. However, the SE has a heat pump and the Bolt does not. So lately I have been getting about 150 miles from the Bolt and 95 miles from the SE. the winter range drop really is that small at least at the moderate temps we’ve been having.

 

Now I feel comfortable not having test driven the Bolt before deciding to buy the Mini SE.

One part that that you didn't include is a comparison of styling (exterior/interior), which I imaging most people would consider subjective. Styling, in fact, was a key differentiator that made my wife and I choose the SE over the i3, FWIW.

 

If and when I get back in a 3 door Mini, I'll take out the rear seats and build a platform in its place. I did that in my R53 and it was great. I never have anyone in the back anyway.

 

I leave the rear seats up (with headrests folded down--great feature) even though I never expect to carry passengers in the rear. Sometimes the rear seats are a good place to stow stuff, and folding them down when needed is not a hassle.

I have used those flip-up brackets to lock them in the more upright position more often than I expected. Sometimes that little more room is all you need, and having the seat back to help hold cargo in place is a boon for those of us who enjoy the MINI's snappy handling. Speaking of which, I also keep a couple bungee cords back there and take advantage of the lashing eyes to help secure cargo.

 

Yeah, styling is very subjective.

IMO, the Bolt looks an awful lot like a Honda Fit. The entire outline of the car is very similar. Which is fine with me. It's "normal" looking for a tall hatchback. Although I find tall hatchbacks as a group to be awkward looking. I didn't buy the Bolt for its style.

The Mini is a mini. It has that classic look. Some people hate it, some people love it. I love it, especially with the bonnet stripe; I know it's silly, but they add something special and uniquely "Mini".

Inside, I actually like the Bolt's design. I have a premier, and I don't find it to have "cheap" feel that many people complain about. The premier definitely has more "soft-touch" surfaces than the LT. Overall it is well laid out and thought-through. I think Chevy did a great job of integrating that large 10.8" screen into the dash; the trend from most OEMs is to slap a large tablet/monitor on the dash and it looks terrible. I think that Tesla's design is the absolute worst in the industry, yet many seem set on copying them.

All that said, while I like the Bolt's interior, I love the Mini's. It's a beautiful combination of retro- and modern styling. It is truly a work of art.

Anyway, those are my subjective opinions on the styling of the two cars.

 

I was today years old when I learned the aft headrests folded flat. Cool!

 

We took them out altogether in my wife's Clubman to help visibility out the back. They're in the boot in case we need them, but they've only been in the seats a couple times. The folding helps, but gone completely is much better

 

Seats up, but headrests folded. The back cargo up is the perfect size for paper bags from the grocery store (no reusable allowed at the moment) seats often go down when I go to Costco though.