Get the 2023 or wait until the next gen?

Trust me. They are selling. A nearby neighbor of mine bought a used 2021 Iconic recently and paid just shy of original MSRP and without regard to tax & other incentives to buy new.

 

Or, you could look at most of the other EVs on or about to come on the market in the US -- in general quite expensive and not very affordable for the average Joe.
The MINI is what it is -- a great city car. If you want a highway cruiser because of the long trips you will actually take on a frequent basis (or actually need more room for more passengers), go for it with one of the bigger, much more expensive choices. Otherwise, (and IMHO) go for a MINI Cooper SE from Oxford. You will have fun driving it and save $ at the same time.

 

We had the same dilemma and we decided for the 2022. I think the uncertainty of the pricing specs look of the new remodel was the biggest reason.

For 2022, I like the styling, but it has shorter range which isn't a big deal to us since our average drive is 2 to 5 km each way. It also lacks Android auto but we can live with the default system. Rebates was also a concern, likely to continue but I'd rather take certainty today. I also wish it came with rear parking sensors in the base model. Biggest reason is likely cost increases in the future , but who knows.

 

I swore off black cars a few black cars ago. You don't get a choice when buying used. We walked the lot full of countrymen and she picked moonwalk. There was a moonwalk F56 S in the shop and she decided moonwalk with a moonwalk roof (I prefer the black roof). Then she saw the blackout trim on the countryman. That's the push for Iconic. If Iconic came with a different color leather i could justify 2500. I dont feel like spending 7500 more than the signature for something that is mechanically the same, and the vinyl seats are nice.

 

This Slashgear article has some more details. It's crazy it has 99 miles of range, getting close to the SE. No details on batteries that I can find, such as where they are stored or weight, but 6.6 kW charging. Price supposedly is going to be about £25,000 (around $34,000?), you provide the actual car.

The 0-60 mph in 9 seconds would frighten me on those tiny wheels.

 

My approach to my first two car purchases was to get the newest of the new, because I was bought into the idea of having the latest-and-greatest. I'm just a sample of one, but that resulted in many service visits and a generally unsatisfactory ownership experience.

So, for my last three car purchases, my approach has been to go with a car at or near its final model year of production, my theory being that, by that time, nearly all of the bugs will have been worked out. And, knock-on-wood, this has proven to be a great approach—far fewer unscheduled service visits and more time getting value out of the cars.

With the next-gen Mini Cooper SE being not only an entirely new car, but the first car built for Mini by a new partner, and the first car built by Mini in China, I would be really, really hesitant to purchase it in its first year of production.

 

My thoughts exactly. Second year maybe, but the first model year is always the most problematic.

 

Yes and no.
The mini will be an all new Mini, but it will be based on the Great Wall car currently on sale, so other than little things like switches which one hopes are BMW tried and true it is new, but not new.

Still may be weary of a first year.

Parts, and the supply network may be a different story.

 

I stay away from first model year cars as a rule, although I have broken that from time to time. I like to get the 3rd year, by then the kinks are mostly ironed out.
I never buy a car generation that is what the end, like the current Mini is. But I made the exception because:
1) we got an insane amount of money selling the previous car, more than we paid for it new 2.5 years ago
2) I didn’t want to miss the $7.5k federal rebate or the $2.5k Texas one
3) my wife likes the look of the current car but who knows if she would the replacement
4) the next car is a big unknown in range and price
5) the current one is made in the uk, not potentially China. I have nothing against Chinese EVs, quite the contrary in fact, but having an iconic British car made in the uk when I myself am British just adds a cherry on top.

 

LOL!

Something tells me that didn't turn out quite as planned...

 

I ordered an Island Blue Electric Collection and just received notice that it will be an 08/2022 build. Being built in the 8th week between Feb 21-28, all the new info is pointing to it being on the last week of the 2022 model. I'm quite interested in the malt brown Chester leather seats and was not a fan of the white interior dash of the Electric Collection.

So since Island Blue is going to exist outside of the Electric Collection, I'm really wondering if I should make a switch to 2023. If I did so, the additional wait time would be negligible being a week 8 build.. Not sure if 2023's are available in Canada just yet though as it's not on the website, unlike the US site.

Island Blue + Malt Brown..

 

I gotta say I kind of dig that color combo!

 

The Harman Kardon delete makes it extra rare!

 

The 2023 SE is on the UK website now. Over here Island Blue is available on the Level 3 only and here the interior choice is black lounge or satellite grey leather on L3 spec. No malt brown for the SE in the UK at least; unless they’re going to update the configurator again.

 

At $61,000 USD for a base RWD Model 3 in the UK, that is a lot to save up for!

 

Someone feel free to correct me but as far as I’m aware the UK L1 has never had comfort access, heated seats, driving assistant or park assist. It may have had the rear view camera on its own, but not the full on park assist. You get the same motor, battery and design on all levels, but few of the bells and whistles of the other trim levels. I thought the Signature was spec’d the same as the L1 but it sounds like you guys got more for your money.
I believe they’ve also increased the L1 from “from £27k” for the 22 to “from £28.5k” for the 23. The L3 remains the same price it was last year.

 

One could own two SEs for that money, and have a nice amount leftover from the EV rebate.

 

The Model 3 is so practical. More space, more acceleration, more range, more charging stations, faster charging, no confusing instrumentation in front of the driver. There must be some reason the MINI Cooper SE keeps selling despite the easier availability of the Model 3. Hint: It's not practicality.