MINI Aceman Review 2024

If you’ve spent years with a series of smaller MINI Hatch models accompanying you through life as a singleton or one half of a couple, the addition of a young family into the mix inevitably means something more practical, such as a small SUV is needed. Exclusively available with electric power, find out how good the MINI Aceman is with our comprehensive review.

Playing three roles in the British marque’s line-up means there’s a risk that the MINI Aceman isn’t as focused as it could be. As there’s no 5-door version of the MINI Cooper Electric the Aceman needs to be small enough to appeal to those who would buy such a thing — yet it’s also effectively a replacement for the estate-bodied MINI Clubman requiring it to be fairly practical.

Given how long the latest generation of MINI Countryman is, there’s now space within the range for an SUV smaller than it’s become — the Aceman’s around the same size as the first modern-era Countryman.

Small electric SUVs are one of the hottest targets right now for car manufacturers, with mainstream and upmarket brands all looking for a slice of the pie. Among the more interesting and capable alternatives to the Aceman is the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica which is also peppy to drive with a lengthy driving range.

Going even further — and faster — is the compact Volvo EX30, which is already becoming a popular sight on UK roads. Sharing that car’s underpinnings and electrical power systems is the Smart #1, illustrating how related cars can look completely different inside and out.

Of the more mainstream models on offer, the interesting styling and long-range driving abilities of the Kia EV3 could well capture the attention of many who’d otherwise be MINI shopping.

Within the core MINI Aceman range are two electric power systems labelled E and SE, with 184PS and 218PS respectively. The former has a battery range of up to 192 miles, while you can get up to 252 miles out of the latter. Topping the range is the 258PS MINI John Cooper Works Aceman — its driving range as high as 242 miles.

MINI Aceman E and SE models are all available in Classic, Exclusive and Sport trim levels, with a variety of optional equipment packages available for additional personalisation. The John Cooper Works Aceman only comes in Sport guise. All Acemans — should that be Acemen? — come with features including a heated steering wheel, a circular OLED infotainment screen and adaptive cruise control.

There is space — just — in the back for a couple of adults in the back of the MINI Aceman and it looks sufficiently quirky inside and out, it’s comfy and enjoyable to drive — plus it’s not too pricey.

So far we’ve tested the MINI Aceman in SE form which sits in the middle of the range in terms of performance but leads when it comes to driving range.

Powering the front wheels, it’s been set-up to deliver the kind of quick, engaging experience buyers so beloved of buyers of smaller MINIs yet rides sufficiently comfortably to prevent passengers of all ages from complaining. It’s certainly a firmer experience than with the Volvo EX30 but it remains on the comfier end of the sportiness scale.

The Aceman retains MINI’s signature go-kart-like handling, with nimble and agile cornering and sharp, direct steering.

A particular highlight are the interesting — gimmicky to some — features when you switch between different driving modes. Going beyond those of most other cars in which you’d expect to see altered responses under acceleration and ride comfort, in the Aceman, it changes the car’s whole vibe.

Selecting Go Kart mode, for example, and the infotainment screen switches to motorsport-inspired graphics with synthesised sounds playing what could well be spaceship noises into the cabin, tied to your inputs on the accelerator.

This could be phenomenally cheesy but we actually found it rather fun, at least for a while. It adds a sonic element to spirited driving that by and large you don’t get with electric cars. If it gets annoying you can turn it offor select a less frantic mode that’s more in keeping with the driving you want to do.

There’s a choice of three power outputs for the MINI Aceman, all of which are electric — there’s no combustion-engined alternative as you’ll find with the larger MINI Countryman range. All versions have their motor installed under the bonnet driving the front wheels via a 1-speed automatic transmission.

Entry-point to the range is the MINI Aceman E which produces 184PS and 290Nm of torque, propelling it from 0-62mph from standstill in 7.9 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 99mph. A WLTP Combined cycle range of 192 miles on a full charge is claimed from its battery pack’s 38.5kWh useable capacity.

If you require a longer range then 252 miles is quoted for the 49.2kWh useable capacity battery fitted to the MINI Aceman SE. Not only will the SE go further, it’s also more powerful with 218PS and 330Nm of torque on offer. Its top speed is capped at 106mph while the 0-62mph sprint is shaved down to 7.1 seconds.

It’s sufficiently peppy to fit with the character of the overall car and is the version we’d recommend unless you’re primarily driving around town.

Topping the range is the MINI John Cooper Works Aceman with 258PS and 350Nm of torque on offer, shrinking the 0-62mph dash to 6.4 seconds while the top speed’s needlessly increased to 124mph. Using the same battery as the Aceman SE the extra grunt sees its range dip to 242 miles.

The Aceman has yet to undergo crash-testing by the independent safety organisation Euro NCAP but MINI’s strong safety reputation inspires confidence that it would do well.

Standard safety features include MINI’s Driving Assistant with adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection and lane assist. Higher specification Acemans add Driving Assistant Plus with enhanced lane-keeping and steering inputs.

Although the MINI Aceman is available with a tow bar it can only haul up to 750kg of braked trailer weight, restricting its abilities in this regard. Look elsewhere if you were planning on caravanning with one.

There’s lots of space up front in the MINI Aceman and adults won’t want for headroom or space for their shoulders or legs. Taller adults may struggle with the headrests which are built into the seats and don’t adjust — those with a long upper body may feel the upper portion of the seat presses against their necks.

There are slim door pockets designed with a bulge to accommodate drinks bottles, plus two cupholders between the front seats as well as a separate storage cubby.

Things are tight in the back of the Aceman. Sure, it’s roomier than the three-door MINI Cooper Electric but it’s far from spacious. A couple of adults will fit but won’t be too happy on long journeys, especially if they’re tall because headroom is at a premium. Children should be okay unless their car seats are particularly chunky.

There are very small door pockets in the back pair only really usable for discarded chocolate wrappers. A single cupholder is available for the rear-seat occupants to fight over and there are pockets in the back of the front seats for magazines or tablets.

MINI Aceman boot space is also minimal. With 300 litres it’s small for a compact SUV with most rivals can offer more room. You can fold down the back seats in a 60:40 split to give up to 1005 litres of space when only two seats are required.

The interior of the MINI Aceman stands alone among other small SUVs with a genuinely unusual and innovative interior design that’s similar to other MINI models.

The dashboard and door panels are clad in a knitted fabric made from recycled polyester. It’s visually striking and said to be environmentally conscious. On a day-to-day basis we’re curious about how easy it’ll be to clean — you might have more luck with a vacuum cleaner than a cloth.

Dominating the MINI Aceman’s dashboard is a circular, high-resolution OLED touchscreen. It looks brilliant with sharp graphics. Not only is it the means for accessing the multimedia system, it’s the HQ for all the MINI’s driving information, with no separate driver display or analogue dials. More expensive models do benefit from a pop-up head-up display panel behind the steering wheel. 

Everything on the MINI Aceman is accessed through the central touchscreen. This all-in-one approach keeps the cabin clear of clutter although it does mean that there’s a lot going on with the screen and the lack of physical buttons can hinder its usability, especially if you’re trying to change a setting while on the move.

We found that the head-up display included on higher-spec models is particularly useful so that could be a factor when you decide how to spec your Aceman. Otherwise you’ll need to glance sideways to see information such as your speed.

The infotainment software looks slick and is simple to navigate. We haven’t had loads of time to delve deep into its features yet but we’re intrigued by MINI’s virtual assistant, Spike, who’ll talk to you during your journey. Think of him along the lines of Apple’s Siri, or Amazon’s Alexa but with more of a personality.

Opt for a top-spec car and you’ll get an excellent Harman-Kardon sound system. There are four USB-C sockets in the car for you and your passengers to charge your devices while on the move.

With a starting price of £31,800 for the MINI Aceman E Classic it undercuts many direct rivals. That’s £2100 less than the least-expensive Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica, although its range of 255 miles outstrips the MINI’s 192-mile tally.

The longer-range MINI Aceman SE Classic has a claimed range of 252 miles although its price is jacked-up to £36,300, some £2400 pricier than the Alfa Romeo.

You’ll need to spend just shy of £33,000 to get behind the wheel of a Kia EV3 although the entry-level’s range is 267 miles.

Meanwhile the least-pricey Volvo EX30 costs £32,900 and only has a 209-mile range but compensates with 272PS compared with the Aceman E’s 184PS output.

Dearest of the range, the MINI John Cooper Works Aceman Sport with its 258PS output and 242-mile range, weighs in at £40,800.

Being an all-electric model, running costs for the MINI Aceman should be very affordable, although it’ll depend on where you get your electricity. Charge at home on an overnight tariff and you’ll pay relatively little but if you’re a regular at the public fast chargers than the cost will be considerably higher.

Using a domestic wallbox charger with a flow rate of 7.4kW, a 0-100% recharge will take around 4 hours 15 minutes with an Aceman E and 5 hours 45 minutes for the SE and John Cooper Works models.

Aceman Es have a 70kW on-board DC charger that’s sufficient to permit a 10-80% recharge in 28 minutes. That’s upped to 85kW for SE and John Cooper Works models requiring 31 minutes for the same state-of-charge replenishment.

On the WLTP Combined cycle, MINI Aceman E models have a claimed return of 4.2-4.4mi/kWh, while the SE versions are slightly better at 4.2-4.5mi/kWh. Higher power sees the John Cooper Works Aceman’s figures dip to 3.8-4.3mi/kWh.

Both the MINI Aceman E and SE are available in a trio of trim levels — Classic, Exclusive and Sport. The standalone MINI John Cooper Works Aceman only comes in Sport guise.

Choose a MINI Aceman Classic and your car will come with LED front and rear lights, automatic wipers, 17-inch X-Spoke alloy wheels, roof rails, black and blue knitted fabric on the dashboard and door panels, Vescin leather upholstery, a 24cm central touchscreen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration, dual-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot detection, automatic emergency braking and cruise control.

Upgrade to a MINI Aceman Exclusive and changes include two-tone 18-inch Night Flash alloy wheels, a Vibrant Silver grille surround and skid plates, two-colour fabric on the dash and doors, perforated Vescin leather upholstery in a wide range of colours with contrast piping and John Cooper Works sports seats in the front.

Opt for a MINI Aceman Sport and the vibe’s different again with a beefed-up body kit accented in gloss black, 18-inch John Cooper Works Slide-spoke alloy wheels, black finishes for the cord textile and Vescin leather sports seats and dashboard fabric and a perforated leather finish for the steering wheel.

A very similar look features on the MINI John Cooper Works Aceman Sport with the key differences being 19-inch John Cooper Works Lap-spoke alloy wheels and a smattering of JCW logos inside and out.

After that, there are bundles of extra equipment that you can add handily called Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3.

Level 1 is a £2000 option on MINI Aceman E models but standard on SE and John Cooper Works versions and includes adaptive LED headlights, keyless entry, electrically folding door mirrors, heated front seats, a head-up display and a wireless phone charger.

Pay an £4000 on Aceman E versions — and £2000 for SE and £1300 for John Cooper Works — for Level 2 to add the Level 1 pack plus a panoramic glass sunroof, darkened rear privacy glass, a Harman-Kardon sound system, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and automatic high beam headlights.

Level 3 isn’t available on the Aceman E or any Classic trimmed SE and costs £4500 — £3800 on John Cooper Works versions — adding to the Level 2 pack’s roster with electrical adjustment and memory function for the front seats, lumbar adjustment and massage function for the driver’s seat, adaptive cruise control, augmented reality for the integral navigation system, automatic parking and an interior camera that lets you check in on the car remotely… or take selfies.