MINI Cooper SE road tests

GetOffYourGas said:
FWIW, the author of an article rarely writes their own headlines. In fact, most publications (online or otherwise) hire people specifically for the purpose of writing attention-grabbing (i.e. "click-bait") headlines. So blame Auto Guide, not Sebastien.
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Then I blame Auto Guide for that headline! :-)
 
Puppethead said:
This MotorBiscuit review takes a pragmatic view of the range, calling our car the "The marvelous Mini Cooper SE." While not a recent review, I don't recall seeing it before. The review really emphasizes the easier charging with the smaller battery, even though it refers to the mythical TurboCord.

The 2020 Mini Cooper SE Hardtop’s Poor Range Might Not Be a Bad Thing
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And I found this statement interesting: "Inside the Mini Cooper SE, the ride is exceptionally quiet." I have seen a mix of reviews on the cabin noise - how do you find the noise in yours?
 
GvilleGuy said:
how do you find the noise in yours?
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The SE is very quiet. I personally don't hear any road noise from the tires (I have the Goodyear Eagle F1s), but because the car makes no noise I do hear quite clearly any loud noises from other vehicles. In many ways driving the SE lets you stay in tune with your surroundings, similar to riding a bicycle. I could not believe the noise coming from my ICE Clubman when I drove it the other day, compared to the serenity I'm now used to in the SE.

I think some reviewers who complain about noise really mean they feel there's not enough sound insulation to prevent outside noise from being heard, but I don't agree since a driver should be able to hear emergency vehicles. There is no sound coming from the car itself.
 
In Autoblog's 2020 Editors' Picks: The Good, the Bad and the Surprising, News Editor Joel Stocksdale picks his favorite:

2020 Mini Cooper SE - I think this may actually be the best Mini you can buy. The Cooper SE does so many things surprisingly well. It looks and feels just like a regular Mini, by which I mean, it's cool and fun. It has quick, excited handling, a low, sporty driving position, and loads of style. And it's enhanced by loads of instant torque, sharp throttle response, and an even more balanced feel thanks to the more even weight distribution. The range is a tad short, but it comes with standard DC fast charging and it's rather efficient and hits its range targets reliably. It's even quite affordable. It's all the Mini fun, but slightly better and guilt-free. I even found myself seriously figuring out if I could and should buy one. That's mighty high praise.
 
Good review. Though whether he knows that or not, Mini is now considered more reliable than Hondas on average. Dropping Peugeot engines really helped.

Note to self, my kid will not be driving mine if the 17yo is in love lol. Though I agree, I'm not a fan of Tesla dashes.
 
GvilleGuy said:
A good 10K mile update from Matt Shumaker (@Matt Shumaker). I enjoyed listening to him relate his family's experiences with the SE.
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I was holding my breath to learn why he was saying the honeymoon was over with his SE. Then the only things he complains about are the summer tires he should have switched to winter tires and the well-known range limitations. Then he goes on to say that the range is actually much better than the EPA's 110-mile estimate. I'm not surprised his son wants to buy the car.
 
I think what Matt meant by "the honeymoon is over" is not negative, just that he's had it long enough that his assessment is no longer colored by the thrill of having it. I will say I've got over 7000 miles on mine and I'm still in my "honeymoon".

Matt seems to love the car still, saying nothing but positive things about it. He makes a fair point about the summer performance tires, I think every other MINI model comes standard with all-seasons. No way would I personally be driving in those road conditions on summer tires. If you're not experienced with summer tires you may not realize how bad the handling gets in winter conditions.

I also am surprised to learn that DC fast charging is such a unique feature in an EV (at least for base models), it makes me appreciate the SE even more. And the way MINI makes charging so straightforward makes owning an EV so accessible. No messing with percentage charge – just plug it in and let it be until done.
 
The plug it and forget it is a big bonus to me. All those worrying about over charging and whatever really doesn't appeal.

Something he didn't touch on that is important is how well loaded the car is for the price. I know he spoke of it being a hidden gem, but it's a fantastic deal. As one looking for a BEV there is only one other at this price point and it's a Chinese car not quite out yet.
 
Tommy Electric said:
Good review. It's always valuable to hear the thoughts of someone that's had the car for the long-term vs. a reviewer who's just taken the car for a day.
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Honestly, it's even more important in the EV era. Traditional reviewers who don't actually own EVs tend to miss so many important details about range, charge time, etc. I love C&D, for one but it's clear EVs are still this weird new thing to them.
 
Sorry, I was watching the last one on my phone with no sound, so didn't realize that it was in Italian.

Anyway, I was going to ask how the Honda E seemed to get the jump off the line on the Mini SE, then saw the torque specs...350 vs. 270 nM is a big difference. You have to wonder why EV makers do things like that - wouldn't it be better to have a bit less maximum torque and a bit more power at higher speeds? That way traction control wouldn't have to be so intrusive to avoid overcoming the grip of the tires, and you wouldn't "run out of gas" as much at higher speeds.

ETA: Only in Italian
 
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MINI made a big deal out of avoiding wheel slippage when accelerating, which apparently is not an uncommon issue with other EVs.
 
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