► New Mini Aceman crossover driven
► Electric only; same interior tech as Cooper
► Priced from £31,800; £36,300 for Aceman SE
Awwww, don’t you want to just pinch the Aceman’s chubby cheeks? Even by Mini standards, it already looks like a car that’ll charm the pants off plenty of us.
And Mini will need that, given there are so many small electric crossovers you could be buying instead. So, where does the new Acaman fit in?
At a glance
Pros: Great handling, impressive ride balance, funky interior, charming
Cons: Performance and range only average, boot is small, plenty of good (sometimes better) competition for the money
What’s new?
Given the Countryman has had what looks like some sort of pubescent growth spurt, Mini’s product line-up has had a small crossover-shaped gap in it. And that’s a gap that quickly needs filling, given there are plenty of other car makers out there that are raking in the sales numbers. Enter the Aceman – an all-new product from Mini designed to fit that gap.
A lot of the recipe is much the same as the electric Mini Cooper. The Aceman also uses the BMW Group/Great Wall joint venture platform, includes Mini’s latest (and entirely circular) infotainment system and is about as customisable as a Mini can be. The new bits for the Aceman are five doors and a slightly boxier silhouette than the Cooper and a bigger boot. What results is a Mini Cooper that looks like it’s eaten all the Minecraft pies; Mini calls it ‘plump,’ but it’s also rather blocky.
What are the specs?
There are two powertrains: Aceman E and Aceman SE. Aceman E (the entry-level one, priced from £31,800) has a 42.5kWh battery pack and 181bhp e-motor. Mini claims a 192-mile range and a 7.9sec 0-62mph. For the Aceman E, charging capabilities are either 11kW AC or 75kW DC.
Aceman SE, meanwhile, benefits from a 54.2kWh battery pack and more potent 215bhp electric motor. Mini says the SE is capable of up to 252 miles of charge, and manages a 0-62mph sprint in a slightly shorter time of 7.1sec.
Both powertrain models can then be had in either Classic, Exclusive or Sport trim versions. Classic is the basic trim with small wheels and cloth upholstery that features a rather kitsch houndstooth pattern. Exclusive throws in some additional colour and leather seats. Sport trims your Aceman in a John Cooper Works-inspired bodykit with a lot of red and black colouring.
On top of that, Mini has announced a proper Aceman JCW model that’ll join the range in 2025.
And then, just to add even more complication, there are option packs named Level 1 and Level 2 that throw in more equipment. Level 1 (which is standard on Aceman SE models) adds adaptive headlights, keyless entry, auto-folding and heated mirrors, heated front seats, a head-up display (meaning you don’t have to just rely on the central infotainment screen’s speedo) and a wireless charger. Level 2 also includes a Harman Kardon audio system, panoramic glass roof, rear privacy glass and ‘preparation’ (i.e.: the physical equipment, just not activated – you’d need to pay for that digitally) for the Driving Assistant Plus suite of driver aids.
Go ham with the options, then, and this thing starts to get pricey.
How does it drive?
What will please many Mini owners who are looking to upgrade is that the Aceman still drives very sweetly – there’s still plenty of that Mini-ness in the way the Aceman zips about. The steering, for example, is alert and smooth giving the Aceman an eagerness to carve up the city streets that you don’t really get from competitors.
The most interesting part, though, is the ride. It’s a really neat balance – often a rare compliment in Minis of old that are usually too firmly sprung. It’s composed and neat on the move, but without feeling like it jolts and jiggles over road imperfections. At a few points, I actively sought out potholes and rough surfacing and the Aceman tackles it all well. Perfect for suburban life, then.
We drove the Aceman SE and it’s quick enough. There’s not a big jump in performance between the versions anyway, but the SE felt like it was adequate. But a seven-second 0-62mph time? We’d like to check the tests ourselves; it feels slower in reality, with a very damped 0-30mph acceleration feel compared to so many other EVs.
Mini’s quirkiness doesn’t escape the driving experience, for better or worse. You can customise your DRL signatures front and rear, for a start. But it’s the ‘Experiences’ – code for drive modes – that really dial up the wackiness. They’re the same as the electric Cooper and include Core (normal), Go Kart (sport), Green (eco) and plenty more besides. Balance mode feels like you’re listening to some sort of yogi self-actualisation soundtrack (“you are one with your mind…” etc.) and Go Kart activates with a corny ‘woohoo!’ and includes phoney rocketship thrusters under hard acceleration. They’re fun to play around with short term, but they might be a bit dopey for the po-faced among us.
During our drive that mixed country road zigs, urban street zags and a bit of motorway cruising, we managed around 3.6 miles per kWh. That resulted in a predicted real-world range of around 200 miles. Good enough? It won’t be for some – especially given the Aceman’s rather timid charging speeds.
What’s the interior like?
Plenty of the materials and almost all of the technology is the same as that seen in the Cooper hatchback and Countryman SUV. You sit reasonably low – likely no higher than in the Cooper hatch, and the seats offer plenty of support and adjustment regardless of the spec you go for.
Again, like the Cooper, the funky materials and quirky features inside are dialled up to the max despite there being few buttons inside. The steering wheel has an extremely thick rim, there are paddles for the drive shifter and ‘Experiences’ in the centre console and a smartly laid out centre console that has some good storage options and an armrest for the driver.
The infotainment? It’ll be rather Marmite if you’ve not seen it or been close to it. It has extremely fast-actiing response times and super crisp graphics as two massive positives, and it feels like Mini has at least taken some care to make sure some of the most used feature are quick to change or set. But the menus can be a little confusing to navigate at first and, if you mirror your phone, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto show up as a rectangle within the circle.
An adult can only just sit behind another adult in the back seat. It’ll be fine for young’uns and okay for short journeys, but those unlucky enough to be in the back of one long-term will feel like the runts of the family. Headroom, too, is acceptable; it’s dented somewhat if you specify the panoramic glass roof, mind – even if there is a moulded area that allows for taller adults to not have their head completely wedged.
As for the boot? It’s rated at 300 litres. Reasonable, yes, but not when you put it up against almost all of the Mini Aceman’s potential rivals. Hell, even the Vauxhall Mokka Electric – regularly criticised for having a small boot – is 10 litres larger than the Mini is. A Kia EV3’s is 460 litres, and has more room in the second row.
Before you buy
The pace difference between the two models isn’t that much, but what will appeal more is the additional 60-ish-mile range of the SE model. That ups the price to £36,300.
Otherwise, if you were to stick with the Aceman E model, the Level 1 option pack feels like a must to avoid having to just rely on the central screen alone for your speedo, adding £2000 to the price tag. Finance prices aren’t common yet, mind, which may make the Aceman more attractive on paper.
Which is what it’ll need if it’s going to really compete against plenty of very good small crossovers for similar money. A Kia EV3, for example, is similar cash but offers much more interior and boot space and a far longer possible range. Does it drive as well as the Mini? No, but it’s simply a much more useful car that feels well built and goes further.
Other trendy electric crossovers like the Smart #1, Volvo EX30 and even more conventional electric hatchbacks like the VW ID.3 and Cupra Born also come into play. Is the Aceman competitive enough to keep up? We’re not convinced.
Verdict: Mini Aceman
The Aceman feels like a case of form over function. Mini will happily charm you with the Aceman’s baby hippo looks, colourful trim palettes, wacky drive modes and sweet driving dynamics. And this really is a little sweetie to be in and drive.
But, if you’re the kind of person Mini is chasing (i.e. small families or couples with a dog) then you’ll likely be applying a little more rational thought to your next car. Does an average amount of performance, circa-200-mile real-world range and dinky boot space appeal to you when so many £35k-ish cars offer a better combination of those useful qualities? That’s where the Aceman’s sell starts to fracture.
Specs are for Mini Aceman SE