All EV family. Comparing Mini to others (Tesla)

PS: an updated variant of those (BMW) Rolls-Royce engines will power the B-52 until well past their centenary year in 2052.

 

We’re an all-EV family now after selling an old Subaru Outback and replacing it with an Ioniq 5. While I did longer trips with the MINI just fine, the HI5 makes the experience so much easier. Around town I greatly prefer driving the MINI, though. For us it’s been the perfect combo.

 

I love this kind of report. Our Crosstrek is five years old but has just 59,500 km on it (~37,000 miles). In another couple of years I may drag my wife out to start looking at EV replacements that are slightly larger than the MINI; she thinks even the Crosstrek is a bit large for our current use cases. Maybe we'll both like the Aceman. Or maybe Honda will have a nice, HR-V-sized EV by then (the finalist when we gave the nod to Subaru based on ride quality and interior design).

 

Test drove a Mercedes Benz EQS SUV tonight.



Apart from the fact that I don't have CA$245k to spend on this car (every option, fees, sales taxes, and $19,000 federal luxury tax), I won't be getting anything this big (and cushy) if I can forever avoid it. In every possible way, it isolates you from the road and your environment; I got to a stop sign just as a diesel Novabus LFS was pulling away in the next lane, and it was imperceptible. The cocoon–er, cabin– is incredibly luxurious and enveloping, and every possible and impossible comfort has been innovated and integrated. Do I need seats with 5600 individually-actuated massage "pixels"? That vibrate in patterns according to the chosen "environment" playing on the audio system, screens, and over-abundant accent lighting? While an aromatizing system perfumes the air with a scent to match the mood? No.

But boy, is it ever a nice car. And it was fun to see (and feel/hear/smell) how the 1% live, if only for but a few blocks.

 

Did the EQS SUV make artificial sounds inside that can't be turned off? I was disappointed when Motoring File reported the J01 MINI makes artificial interior noises without saying if they can be turned off:

"The MINI has made the brand and even Experience Mode soundscapes an integral part of the overall driving experience. From all-new driving sounds in the interior to an unmistakable MINI brand sound that aims to confirms the car’s identity from the outside"

Thank goodness the J01 will have just a regular massage seat, not a pixilated massager hooked into the entertainment system! I hope it can be turned off.

 

It does make a weird Reaver-ship growl under a heavy right foot, but I've been informed that it's switchable. There are more "experiences" than I could count, and each has more customizations than I could count.

I had to go for a ride in the 30 year old Crapolla, with crank windows and AM-only, as a palate-cleanser.

 

Our Scotland Tesla trip is up

 

Nice! My shift changes at the end of the month, I'll finally have time for that meetup, and I'll have tons of Scotland (and Tesla) questions when we meet up for a 5 à 7 – I'm planning to finally visit my one-square-foot property at Laphroaig in Islay!

 

We are too.

We had a Volvo sedan and a Hyundai SUV. Sold the Hyundai and got an Ioniq 5. This was in Sep this year. Loved it so much that within a month sold our Volvo and got the Mini SE as my wife wanted a small car and both the Ioniq and the Volvo were large. All electric now with solar panels too. Well, we have an ancient diesel Chevy Cruz that does very minimal driving by my driver for my elderly mom in law.

 

BMW own Rolls Royce cars, Rolls Royce engineering which does the jet engines, nuclear power etc etc is a completely separate company.

 

Another good comparison of Tesla with Mini:

• A recent social media post by the CEO of Mini is celebrating an investment in the Oxford plant to build the Mini Cooper SE.

 

That is awesome! But sadly not until 2026.

 

The reason the engine is the BR715 is because the BR700 family of aircraft engines was developed by the BMW-Rolls Royce joint venture (BRR). BMW pulled out of the JV in 2000, hence why I put "BMW" in parentheses.

 

We were in France on the weekend(3 days)and had a Polestar 2. I originally booked a Fiat 500e they had but the person at the counter said they were all the small battery versions and that I could take a Polestar 2, Model 3 or anything I wanted EV… I hoped the had a BYD or NIO but not at Hertz.

second experience with one and it was okay. Interior is cramped and it’s just not as fun to drive as a Model 3. There was this interference on the speakers as you would accelerate and stay on the throttle, a buzzing and the infotainment kept crashing again. But the car did feel rock solid and was nice to drive at speed. 25000km on it is the highest rental I recall ever having but was immaculate. I was impressed with the Michelin cross climate tires as they were great.

Charging was easy as there are no shortage of high speed chargers in southern France. Our hotel parking garage had 20-30 type 2 chargers on the wall as well.

 

I've only driven the Performance (though both '23s), and I found I was comfortable in the left seat; it feels like a cockpit, and getting familiarized is a piece of cake – it's simply no-nonsense, everything falls to hand. The Perf also came with upgraded HK audio, which was very good. Rear seat ingress/egress is my biggest nit to pick. It's not a small area, but the thick, sloped C-pillars and the high beltline make it feel much more cramped than it should feel.

 

New video is up
Polestar 2 in France, How did it go? We find out!

 

2024 Polestar RWD is up

 

Had an Ioniq 5 AWD on test
2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5: What an EV SHOULD BE!

 

The Ioniq 5N is better--it has a rear wiper.

 

It’s going to literally murder tires