MINI Aceman review – a sporty small EV with an upmarket cabin

Verdict – is the MINI Aceman a good car?

The MINI Aceman does a lot of things right: it’s fun to drive, looks unique and has a special-feeling interior. Its rear doors will also appeal to MINI drivers who need to carry passengers or child seats in the back. For many, that will win them over, but it’s also important to point out that most rivals offer more rear space and it’s a shame the Aceman doesn’t recharge faster on trips further afield.

MINI Aceman models, specs and alternatives

The MINI Aceman is a new arrival into MINI’s electric lineup, slotting in between the three-door MINI Cooper supermini and larger MINI Countryman SUV. While it has SUV styling, it’s best to think of the Aceman as a five-door electric hatchback-sized rival to the likes of the Volvo EX30, Jeep Avenger and Alfa Romeo Junior. 

Prices start from around £31,000, and while the Aceman isn’t exactly a cheap car, the fact it only costs around £1,800 more than the equivalent MINI Cooper means we can imagine lots of Cooper buyers going for the Aceman instead – even if it’s just for the rear doors and extra space it offers. Don’t mistake the Aceman for a practical family car, though, space in all but the front seats is tight and its boot is quite a bit smaller than a Skoda Fabia’s. 

Choosing which version of Aceman you want should be fairly straightforward, as there are just two battery sizes on offer. The range kicks off with a 43kWh battery, which can get the Aceman up to 192 miles between charges. Then there’s a 54kWh battery that means you can go for up to 251 miles. 

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Trim levels are a bit more confusing, with Classic the most basic, but still coming with LED exterior lights, 17-inch alloy wheels and a large circular touchscreen that dominates the dashboard. Exclusive brings some styling upgrades, bigger wheels and even a different ‘Vibrant Silver’ front grille for just over £2,000 above Classic. Then there’s Sport, which adds a more aggressive appearance that even extends to stripes and a red roof and boot spoiler.

MINI owners will also be familiar with the extra options that get bundled into packs, and there’s now ‘Level 1’ with features like heated seats, a head-up display and wireless phone charging, ‘Level 2’ with a panoramic roof and Harman Kardon stereo and ‘Level 3’ that boosts the spec of Exclusive and Sport trims with massaging front seats, virtual reality navigation and more safety tech.

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While there’s a war raging between manufacturers to offer EVs with the best range figure, we’re glad MINI has still chosen to offer the Aceman with the option of a smaller 43kWh battery in the ‘E’. If your average weekly mileage is well below 200 miles and you own another car or rarely take long motorway trips, this will save you a lot of money upfront.

The ‘SE’ version gets a bigger 54kWh capacity, so while its range of up to 252 miles still won’t break any records, it does at least make longer trips more manageable. It’s also fairly competitive with rivals, with the entry-level Alfa Romeo Junior managing 255 miles and the Volvo EX30 spanning from 214 to 296 miles of range depending on the version.

Perhaps another sign that MINI expects most Aceman drivers to charge at home, is its mediocre peak charging speed of 95kW at public charge points. This is just behind the 100kW of the Jeep Avenger, but the Volvo has a peak speed of 153kW. Still, neither Aceman has a huge battery, so a 10-80% top-up should still only take around half an hour.
 

How efficient is the MINI Aceman in the real world?

During our first test drive of the MINI Aceman SE, we managed an average of 3.8 miles/kWh. This took in a mixture of roads, in autumn temperatures of around 10-12 degrees Celsius. 

What will the MINI Aceman cost to insure?

While the Aceman is an all-new model, it’s unlikely to cost much more to insure than the MINI Cooper that it’s based on. That should mean insurance groups in the 20-30 range out of 50, matching the Alfa Romeo Junior in groups 23 to 34.

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MINI has a reputation for serving up a keen driving experience, and the British brand certainly hasn’t shied away from this character trait for the Aceman. Within seconds of pulling away you’ll be conscious of how direct and connected it feels, and it handles as sharply as the petrol-powered Ford Puma – our class favourite for a long time. We’re also keen to drive the Aceman back to back with the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce on British roads, to see which is the most fun electric small SUV on sale right now.

The Aceman’s steering is heavier than you’ll find in most rivals, responds quickly to your inputs and you quickly get the sense there’s an impressive amount of grip on offer. There’s also enough instant pulling power in the Aceman SE to induce a bit of tugging from the steering wheel if you accelerate hard out of corners.

Of course, all this fun can’t come without any downsides. In the MINI’s case, it’s a rather firm ride from its suspension. Even on smooth European roads the Aceman felt quite bouncy, so we’ll be interested to see how it copes with broken British tarmac. You can adjust the Aceman’s feel with its Core, Green and Go Kart driving modes, switching up how its motor, steering and fake engine sounds behave.

Is the MINI Aceman good to drive in town?

The Aceman’s small dimensions and brisk acceleration are its biggest assets in town driving, making it easy to nip in and out of gaps in traffic and park. However, this will also be where its firm ride frustrates the most, picking out potholes and bumps.

Is the MINI Aceman good to drive on long journeys?

With plenty of power, the Aceman shouldn’t have any trouble passing slower traffic on the motorway or maintaining the national speed limit. There’s a bit of wind noise at higher speeds, but it’s not any worse than rivals and its ride is a bit more settled once up to pace.

Is the MINI Aceman good to drive on B-roads?

B-roads are arguably where the Aceman makes the most sense, because its chassis feels designed to slice through corners with lots of precision and almost no body lean. If you prefer a car that’s agile and engaging to drive, you shouldn’t be disappointed with the Aceman. 

Carbuyer notes

“The almost sci-fi-like sound crescendos in a pleasing enough way, and changes tone if you push the accelerator pedal past a certain point. It doesn’t attempt to replicate an old-school petrol engine like the Abarth 500e does, but it still offers a level of engagement missing in many rivals.” Richard Ingram, Deputy Editor

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Very much from the same mould as the MINI Cooper and Countryman, the Aceman’s interior sets the benchmark for quality in a small SUV. Materials and its design are top notch, while its circular OLED display also makes it feel really modern.  

Is the MINI Aceman’s infotainment and navigation system easy to use?

The circular infotainment screen – a nod to the old central speedometer found in classic Minis – certainly steals the show. Simply put, it looks fantastic, with a display quality that doesn’t look far behind the latest smartphones and tablets. It’s responsive, too, and comes packed with impressive graphics along with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

Our only real gripe is that it’s not always as intuitive as we’d hope, with basic tasks like setting a destination in the sat-nav or changing the radio station requiring more inputs than is ideal, and some functionality hidden unless you already know where to press. If you do decide to use your smartphone connection instead, it won’t quite fill up the circular display, but this is also an issue in many rivals with more conventional screens.

Is the MINI Aceman well equipped?

The Aceman isn’t exactly bargain basement even in entry-level Classic trim, but it does come with LED exterior lighting, roof rails and 17-inch alloy wheels that use 30% recycled material. You also get the large circular infotainment display as standard, along with dual-zone climate control.

Exclusive gives the interior and exterior a makeover, ushering in bigger wheels and a ‘Vibrant Silver’ grille. The choice of paint colours is also expanded from just three in the Classic to six, with the option of two standard wheel designs. Above this sits the Sport trim, with a more athletic appearance that includes new gloss black badges, a contrasting Chili Red roof and white or black bonnet stripes. Sport also gets a rear spoiler with ‘air blades’ and 18-inch or optional 19-inch alloy wheels. 

What options should you choose on the MINI Aceman?

MINI has mastered options over the years, and curates them into packs. Here they are called Level 1 to Level 3, with the first bringing a head-up display, Comfort Access, wireless smartphone charging and heated front seats. Level 2 brings a glass roof, tinted rear windows and a Harman Kardon stereo upgrade. For electric front seats with memory and massage functions, advanced parking assist, augmented reality sat-nav and an interior camera you’ll need Level 3.

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The Aceman’s SUV-style design and slightly raised height can trick the eye into thinking it’s a bigger vehicle, but in reality it’s best to think of it as a five-door version of the MINI Cooper supermini. Measuring just over four metres from bumper to bumper, it’s within a few millimetres of the length of a Volkswagen Polo.

This makes it easy to navigate the city with, fitting easily into parking spots where the Countryman would struggle for room. Swing open the rear doors, and a six-foot-tall adult can just about fit in the back, but the middle seat should only be thought of as a place to sit in a real pinch. Even the compact Jeep Avenger offers more space.

Does the MINI Aceman have a big boot?

Not exactly, no. Measuring 300 litres, the Aceman has less boot volume than superminis like the Renault Clio and Skoda Fabia. The Vauxhall Mokka Electric, Peugeot E-2008 and Jeep Avenger all offer more space, while the Alfa Romeo Junior has an extra 100 litres behind its back seats. If you are looking at the Aceman as an alternative to the MINI Cooper, though, it does offer a handy 90 litres of extra volume.

During our test, we managed to fit two carry-on suitcases in the boot, but trying to squeeze in a child’s buggy or bicycle would likely be a stretch.

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In our latest Driver Power survey, the MINI brand as a whole came 20th out of 32 manufacturers. Not a tremendous result, but one that still places it ahead of premium marques like Mercedes (25th) and Audi in 27th spot.

Things were more positive for the outgoing MINI Hatch, which came a respectable fifth out of the top 50 models ranked by owners. They gave it high scores for handling, but noted its firm ride that’s also likely to be an issue for the Aceman.

How safe is the MINI Aceman

The Aceman hasn’t been crash-tested by Euro NCAP yet, but MINI and parent firm BMW have a good reputation when it comes to safety. Despite its small size, the Aceman comes with a host of driver-assistance systems. It’s a shame, however, that some safety features are included in optional packs, and it can be confusing to know exactly what you are getting, so it’s best to check with a salesperson before signing on the dotted line.

What are the MINI Aceman service intervals?

MINI offers a pay monthly servicing plan for electric models, costing £10 per month. This covers the cost of servicing and isn’t affected by inflation or other price rises during the contract. Owners can also take advantage of a four-year servicing deal, including health checks, fluid and filter replacements and the first MoT.

What is the warranty on the MINI Aceman?

The standard warranty lasts for three years and unlimited mileage during that period, also including MINI Roadside Assistance. The battery pack also gets its own warranty lasting for eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever arrives first.

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Should you buy a MINI Aceman?

If you are looking for a small, sporty electric car with a range of just over 200 miles, the MINI Aceman could fit the bill perfectly. We suspect a lot of buyers will in fact be people picking the Aceman over the MINI Cooper, thanks to its rear doors and bigger boot.

Buyers looking at other brands from Stellantis or models like the Volvo EX30 may well be tempted by the MINI’s interior. While its design could be polarising thanks to the circular infotainment screen, the quality on offer is first-class, and there’s no denying the Aceman has lots of character and neat touches.

Both the Aceman E and SE offer brisk acceleration, but it’s the sharp handling that really helps it stand out from the pack. MINI has a reputation for making fun cars, and the Aceman is no exception, feeling as responsive as a Ford Puma during our initial test drive. The flipside of this, is that it also has a rather firm ride, that might be off-putting if you regularly carry passengers.

One of the main reasons to avoid the Aceman is its practicality, or rather, a lack of it. While it may offer an improvement on the MINI Cooper, that’s not saying much – just about all the Aceman’s rivals have more rear legroom and a bigger boot. 

What is the best MINI Aceman for low running costs?

Every Aceman avoids VED (road tax) until 2025 and qualifies for the lowest 2% Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) band for company car choosers. So, if you want to save money, you’ll want to go for the entry-level ‘E’ motor and Classic trim fitted with the smallest 17-inch alloy wheels for the maximum efficiency.  

What is the best MINI Aceman for keen drivers?

Driving enthusiasts will want to order the MINI Aceman John Cooper Works, which gets a power increase to 254bhp for a 0-62mph time of 6.4 seconds. We haven’t driven this version yet, however, so we’ll report back as soon as we do.

What is the Carbuyer pick of the MINI Aceman range?

For most drivers, the Aceman E is likely to feel plenty quick enough, so we’d opt for this in Sport trim that reflects the Aceman’s character. The Level 1 pack is also tempting, with heated front seats, a head-up display and wireless phone charging all meaningful upgrades.

MINI Aceman alternatives

There is certainly no shortage of rivals here; the small electric SUV class is packed with contenders that all offer different levels of performance, sportiness and practicality.

• Alfa Romeo Junior
• Volvo EX30
• Jeep Avenger
• Peugeot E-2008