Signature or Signature Plus

I have just about finished my first South Carolina summer with the SE, and the moonroof cover was not a problem with letting in too much heat. But, we only got up in the 90s, which is not as bad as the desert SW heat. I also liberally used the Mini app to cool the car down when it was sitting in the sun for a while. That feature works great!

 

I was worried about the stock stereo not being all that great, and it was a wasted worry...it sounds fine. And we were told the speakers are still hk speakers, just not as many (don't know if that's true or not). But the main rational is price, with the tax credit it's a cheap EV, otherwise with the added price might as well go up to model 3, etc.

 

I think the main reason to buy a MINI Cooper SE is fun. Any trim-level of SE is more fun to drive than a Model 3, unless acceleration is the only thing you call fun. And as far as price goes, even an Iconic SE is a lot cheaper than a Model 3 for those who can take advantage of the $7,500 tax credit.

 

Yeah the Sig+ is kinda big jump for the money. For the price I think you get a broader selection of wheels, Power-Folding mirror, Garage Door Opener, and your choice or roof color (body/white/black), Moonroof, Auto-Dimming rear view mirror, Touchscreen Nav and 8.8 display and cloth/leatherette seating. The very nice cross punch carbon black leather seating is an available option.

 

Just to clarify, the larger touch screen with Nav is now standard across the SE line in the 22s and choice of roof color has always been standard.

 

I'm looking forward to that pre-cooling feature in Texas!! I will use that all the time!

 

All I really cared about was the moonroof too. But I sure enjoy some of those other benefits. On my '21, it gave me the better sound system, the option for cross-punch leather (which I love), Auto-Dimming mirrors (which helps a ton in a small car, where your mirrors are the same level as most truck/SUV headlights), Garage Door opener... Again, I didn't upgrade for those features, but they make the steep $4k premium so worth it.

 

Have had a convertible for the last 20 years. Had to have a sunroof to make the switch to the SE. Feels more open, even if you do not open it. I started thinking about the base model. Cheap and functional. Then thought about the moonroof so moved up to the Sig+. Then thought about this car could be my last and moved to the Iconic. In retrospect, any of those choices would have been great. In the end, the Iconic model seems like a small increase over the Sig+. I think the real decision is between Sig base and Iconic. Once you pay $4K, might as well go to $7K. Should get mine in the next two weeks! And my push to the SE, trying to act locally to save the global issue with carbon emissions…

 

I, too, like the moon roof and am glad I didn't delete it. But there's another standard Iconic-trim feature I never knew I'd like so much.

Am I the only one who loves the front parking distance sensors that come standard with the Iconic trim (optional on other trim levels)? I could live without the rear sensors because of the rear-view camera, but I like how the front sensors help me avoid scraping the front end on curbs when parking. I know some forum members wish there was a way to turn off the PDC alert sound, but I'm a big fan of this system. I will admit I find the robot-parking feature that requires the front sensors too spooky--I've tried it only once.

 

Thats pretty much how I ended up with the Iconic trim. The wheel selection and the interior color scheme pushed me into it, just couldn't configure a Sig+ they way I'd like. The blackout trim can be added as a dealer installed option.

 

I ordered the iconic- I needed to have that enigmatic black. I don’t remember what the other stand out feature was for me. Some notes- The adaptive cruise has been a fun time in Houston traffic. The lane assist rumble is a waste for me, it doesn’t auto correct and half the time it’s rumbling because there are cracks in the road. My leather seats have lumbar. My mirrors power fold. Wireless CarPlay sometimes struggles to connect. The built in map doesn’t have my house address built 5+ years ago. It’s super fun to drive, and I hate money. Ceramic tint, and it’s not that hot in there. Pre-condition for 10/10 experiences, and maximum smiles per mile.

 

Unless the HK system is available again, the standard system is the only available system.

 

You are not alone! I'm used to driving smaller hatchbacks, but the bulbous hood shape makes it a bit difficult to gauge exactly where my boundaries are. I found the front sensors very helpful in getting myself calibrated to the MINI's dimensions; especially navigating drive-through lanes with awkward entry angles.

 

We ended up getting the base sig model. (We had originally intended to get a sig-plus.) The biggest practical advantage of the sig-plus is the availability of a lighter interior. And I have to second everything "Allevs" posted and other commenters on the long term issues with moon roofs.

 

I went with the signature plus for my order. I like to open the moon roof after I run or if I have my dogs in the car. I also believe the stereo is quite a bit better, not sure if that’s worth it to you. I also prefer cloth style seats and I liked the black check pattern cloth. I had buyers remorse and was going to change it, but my order already has a production number so I would be starting over. I will be without a car in a couple weeks and I don’t want to start the process over as it would push me into next year.

 

It, too, love the front sensors for helping me park in the garage. I just wait for the '2nd' distance area on the display to fill up and then it starts beeping at me - so I know I'm in a good spot in the garage. I was able to remove the hanging tennis ball I used for years with my previous vehicle.

 

I went Iconic for the Power Spoke wheels and the 8.8" display. Of course the 8.8" display is standard at all levels now. But the big surprise was the head up display. I wasn't interested in it but I've come to really like having it. It has a lot of dynamic information on it.

 

My Volvo sedan has the front sensors. They are nice when I nose up against a coworkers Tesla so my boss has the most room to turn when pulling out. Otherwise useless to me, and if i didnt have them, my boss would have 3" less to swing his caddy around.

 

Both of my current BMWs have front parking sensors. I do find them useful. On the X5 they turn on automatically when moving forward slowly. On my 4 series, I have to turn them on manually when moving forward. Interestingly the forward sensors turn on automatically when in reverse? Curious as to how the Mini Iconic turns on automatically? (or if it even does, maybe manual turn on only.)