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By Jonathan Crouch

Jonathan Crouch looks at the bigger-battery SE version of MINI's smallest EV crossover, the Aceman.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 33

The MINI Aceman is the first premium full electric compact crossover - or the first one this small anyway. And of the two battery sizes available, you'll probably prefer this 54.2kWh SE version.

Backgroundword count: 167

The idea of an electric MINI for secondary family duties has always been quite an appealing one but recently when many customers have drilled down into the detail, they've ended up choosing something else. You can see why. The ordinary MINI Cooper Electric can only be had with three doors. And the MINI Countryman Electric crossover is rather too expensive for most to choose as a second family car. That was why in mid-2024, MINI introduced the Aceman, a small Chinese-built crossover based on the same J01 platform and running gear as the MINI Cooper Electric. But with a more accommodating five-door faux-crossover body. And of the two main Aceman powertrains available, you're properly ideally going to want the bigger-battery SE version we look at here. There's quite a plump price to pay for this mind you, so to want an Aceman SE, you're going to have to buy into MINI's claims of 'premium-ness' for this car. Can the recipe add up? Let's take a closer look.

Driving Experienceword count: 208

Opting for this Aceman SE gets you not only a bigger 54.2kWh battery but also a much perkier 218hp motor which makes 62mph in 7.1s en route to 106mph. For reference, the base Aceman E has a 42.5kWh battery and a 184hp motor. Its performance stats are 7.9s and 99mph. Either way, the drive motor's front-mounted (unlike Countryman Electric, there's no twin motor AWD version). But you can have a faster motor tune - that's with the pricey top John Cooper Works version, where the motor develops 258hp, propelling the car to 62mph in just 6.4s on the way to 124mph. Like all MINIs, the Aceman's quite fun to punt around and as with the brand's other current models, there's a choice of 'Experience' drive modes, not many of which have much to do with driving. Select from 'Core', 'Green', 'Go-Kart', 'Personal', 'Vibrant', 'Timeless', 'Balance' and 'Trail'. 'Go-Kart' is obviously the setting for speed and comes with a rather unnecessary 'woohoo' when you select it, then introducing a fake rocketship thruster noise under acceleration; you might think that fun - or irritating; take your pick. Selecting the eco 'Green' mode affects acceleration quite a lot. And 'Balance' sounds like you're in some sort of new age mediation session.

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