A new MINI is always a big deal, it’s like the announcement of a new Mustang, a new 500, or a new 911. It’s an icon and one that will undergo a lot of scrutiny from their respective fanbase as to what has changed. So is this latest MINI successful in moving to the future without giving its fanbase the finger?

The new generation MINI was introduced as an electric MINI with a clear focus on both heritage and sustainability. Combining those is no easy feat but MINI is adamant that this is the MINI of the future and one that still retains that signature go-kart feel that they’re famous for.

Small in size, big in battery

A big complaint from people is that cars these days just become bigger and bigger every generation, but the MINI manages to keep its size very similar. It’s 10 mm wider but 20 mm shorter than the previous generation. However, where the previous one could only hold a 32 kWh battery, this one packs a massive 54 kWh battery giving you a WLTP range of just over 400 km. From our first drive, I think 350 km is realistic but it’s hard to make a clear-cut argument on that with mostly spirited mountain driving. And speaking of…

The go-kart feeling

So how does the MINI Cooper SE pack a bigger battery without growing too much? Well, MINI cleverly decided to increase the wheelbase. This will consequently create a more stable car.

Now there are a few downsides to the new generation. The main one is that it’s taken on an extra 300 kgs of weight compared to the previous electric. Bringing in the weight up to 1680 kg, that’s a big change. With most of that weight sitting low on the floor of the car it is hard to notice and it’s still very nimble on its feet. Suspension is very well dampened the perfect balance between comfort and handling.

The seats keep your upper body nicely supported in the bends. Steering is surprisingly nice and communicative. And with 218 hp, it’s great to pull you out of the corners swiftly. The thing that we’ll miss most is how hard the regeneration of the previous one was, it felt like you could trail brake into any corner which made for a lot of fun moments.

Retro with futuristic aspirations

Styling will always be a subjective thing, but there’s no denying the new MINI Cooper SE draws inspiration from its grandfather. MINI even released a cool animation to show how similar they are. The whole car is better streamlined, with a more squared-off grille and a new design in the front matrix headlights. Moving towards the back there are also matrix taillights which you can set up in 3 different patterns according to your liking. The only thing I find a bit of a shame is the change from a clamshell bonnet to a regular bonnet for cost savings. Body panel lines were much nicer with the previous car.

Sustainable Heritage

The interior further builds on its heritage but it does so with a clear aim: to become a more sustainable environment. It goes back to the single central screen with only a handful of switches, just like the original. The dashboard and armrests in the doors are dressed in knitted textiles from recycled polyester. This reduces water consumption of this process by 98% and carbon emissions by 80%. The seats are available with 100% recycled textiles which still feel very premium and not a compromise at all, however, the knitted textiles on the door cards are a bit rough if you let your arm lean onto it for a long time. All of these savings are very impressive, but MINI agrees that there’s still a long way to go.

But coming back to the centerpiece of the interior that’s the round OLED display in the car. Its UI has gotten a complete overhaul and is set up very playful. There are multiple modes from Go-Kart to Timeless and each mode changes the full design of the infotainment, every mode change is also accompanied by a cool jingle which you can turn off if you don’t like it. I’d say it’s generally a very good system to navigate with the support of a few buttons below but for some settings, you have a bit too many menus to dive into.

More MINI than ever?

The new MINI Cooper SE is a worthy successor to the previous generation, it retains the MINI DNA in both looks as well as driving. Material choices in some places are a bit odd but they all feel very premium nonetheless. And the real showstopper here is the OLED screen.

With a starting price of 38.500 € for the SE (or 34.500 € for the regular E), it’s still not a cheap car for its size. But if you’re looking at the main rival this is going up against (hint: the Italians), it does provide a lot of quality for the money.