The CHEAPEST EV Is Also The BEST - Here's What It's Like To Live With The New Mini SE For a Year!

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#Mini #MiniSE #MIniEV

[paulschneider]

I ordered our SE in March of 2020 just before UK lockdowns. After rebates it was cheaper than the same gas Mini. Took delivery in August 2020, and was told it was the second SE registered in the state of Iowa. My wife and I love this car and have zero regrets. It is so fun to drive! I regularly get 125 to 135 miles a charge if I stay off the interstates, and have a personal best of over 160 miles. In the past 2 years I have had NO service done to the car. We have saved over $2000 in fuel cost after subtracting out the costs of charging (compared to gas Mini). The longest road trip I've taken is about 500 miles.

[marthareyes]

After watching Tommy and his Dad talk about this vehicle I ordered the same car in Aug 2021 and received it on Dec 2021. It’s my first electric car for our family of 3. We only charge at the moment on level 1 due to our home needing an electrical panel upgrade, but we have not had really any issues regarding range. My 11 yr old only complaint is probably having an AC vent in the back since she is normal in the back. Otherwise my family and I love it!!! Thanks for the videos otherwise I don’t think I would have jumped to buy it.

[spencerc.]

I was sadly selling my cooper s 4door back to the dealership last year cause of financial reasons, but as I was waiting I watched some guy buy an SE and drive off with it. I wanted it ever since and can’t wait to get one someday. No complicated gas engine to rattle itself apart sounds like an absolute dream!

[alfonsodam]

My SE is also a year old now, got it for 23k (euros mind u) after government grants here in Spain. What a treat! BTW, it’s one of the - if not THE- most efficient EV’s out there. It’s also incredibly well built. It’s my third MINI, and the first one without an issue in its first year. It’s better built than my father’s 335i f30 for god sake! Definitely a sleeper in this fat SUV EV world we live in.

[lisachappell]

Ordered mine in November 21 and just got it last month. I love her! Such a fantastic car and an added benefit being an EV. fun to drive.

[fairwayfinder]

Top tip. Don't floor it like you did by tramping the pedal to the board. A gradual squeeze yields a faster time ! The Michelin cross climates would also create some resistance.

[WW-wftu]

IF I were forced to get a cheap EV or forced to get a Mini, this is what I would go for! :) One of the best deals that TFL has had in years. lol

[mikeg]

We love our 2022 Mini Cooper SE and our only 'complaint' is the drop in range in the very cold but here in MD that is really not a frequent issue. This is a fourth vehicle for us in a family of four drivers and since I have the longest commute (70 miles round trip) I often drive the Mini. I drive mostly highway and average above 70mph so my warm weather range is more like 100 miles and will fall to 80ish miles below 20 degrees. Again, not a big deal for me and the car is a blast to drive with the power between 30-60 very strong and instant. Overall rivals our 2018 GTI in overall enjoyment to drive...almost ;-).

[whatchuwant]

Thanks for the review. Only thing is you can't find a new one under $35k & used ones are close to that. They were suppose to be under $30k new. This market sucks!

[adamchoi]

Gotta love the snow brush in the car in May. I still got mine in Boston. It was 30 degrees last week.

[torreyrad]

The 2023’s do come with both the old level 1 charger and a new level 2 charger, so that takes care of one of Tommy’s issues. No change in the MSRP from the 2022’s even with the addition. But MINI has restricted the sales of the cheapest trim.

[AnonymousFreakYT]

The only thing I think is annoying about the latest Minis is the Union Jack taillights - when the turn signals are on, they light up the "stripes" of the Union Jack - which since each side is half a Jack, means the left turn signal is a *RIGHT POINTING ARROW*.

I had a first-gen i3, and loved it. I was sad that they retired the model without coming out with one more "battery increase" version. I really wanted a 200 mile i3. Hopefully they'll do it with the mini.

[motorvN]

Thanks for the review - we’re coming up on 9 months ownership of our Chili Red 2021 SE. Have seen only 2 other SEs in south central Ontario in all this time. I suspect unimpressive range has kept it from selling well here. And while it don’t seem great on paper it’s worked out very well for us. It would be an unusual day for us to need to travel more than 80-100km and so getting almost 200 in the summer and about 160 indicated in the winter is just fine.
We’ve done 600km round trips with some planning.
As for fun factor - it’s terrific. Feels quick, handles great and thanks to the rather upright cabin design, it’s much more spacious inside than you’d think, what with those A pillars and windshield decently away from your face. Seats are fantastic, fit and finish seems above average and I love the fact it looks like a car not a science experiment.
As semi-empty nesters we have the rear seats down most of the time - providing two seater fun with a smidge of errand running practicality.
Annoyances include an overly long symphony of bings and bongs at power up, drive modes that need to be reset every time you get in, and a seriously disorganized driver information display that looks like a tacked on afterthought compared to the ICE Minis. Nothing a software update and mild cabin refresh wouldn’t take care of.
Best of all tho, it costs less than $10 week to charge at home for all the weekday driving we need. If the quality holds up I can’t see regretting this purchase. Suck it Suncor and friends! 😜

[schmoab]

Had mine for a month now. The biggest complaint I have is that the ranger isn’t a little longer because it’s just so nice to drive anywhere, but especially on the highway. Just put my roof rack on so I can do some biking and kayaking around town this summer. Have been steady at 4.5 kWh per mile, which is close to double the efficiency of these new EVs with giant batteries. The integration with Apple CarPlay is overly fussy compared to UConnect, but it’s workable. It’s just a great little car that feels good to drive. Makes you feel superior to all those gas hoggers (like my Jeep!)

[johnlee]

I have a 2020 Mini SE signature plus I got during the early months of the pandemic and I've been charging it on Level 1 at home and occasionally Level 2 at work and have driven 24000 miles in Socal. This car is perfect for the city and the commute. I have a 60 mile round trip commute and routinely drive 80 to 90 mph on the fwy for half the commute distance. The real world range is actually improving, now easily 120 miles on my commute and 140 miles if i stay off the fwy. The $7500 tax credit got extended this year as the Biden BBB plan got blocked so I decided to get a new one in British racing green and all new ones come with the 8.5" infotainment screen. I am going to sell my old one after I take delivery of the new one in July, for almost the same price as it cost me, minus the tax credit. A no brainer move since I get a new car with a new battery in the color I wan't with a new 4 year warranty and free maintenance. This is the perfect second car if you have another ICE or long range EV.

[wpopelier]

We don't have a ICE car anymore (kinda). The husband drives a Mini Cooper SE, I drive a BMW i3s REX. Same drive train, same performance but the mini (due to his go cart feeling) is absolutely so much more fun to drive, and because of his heat pump much more efficient in the Winter. Same traject in the Summer gives the Mini about 5 kWh/mile, the BMW will get 4.2 KWh/mile. In the winter I drop down to about 2.3 KWh/mile while the mini keeps around 3.5 KWh/mile. Because of the limited range, I wish they made a REX version of the Mini, that would be right now be the ultimate Mini they could make.

[Goliath]

We love our mini se. I watched your video when y’all bought it. We are about to take a 1200 mile round trip in ours. It’s very efficient and charges quick. Hopefully all of electrify America will be working well. It really is a great value. Well built, good price and most people don’t really need more range on a daily basis than this has. We have gotten over 140 miles on a charge and still had range left. I charge once a week.

[aericklondon]

Drove this to Vegas in the summer heat June 2024 and it did well. The range jumped all over the place. The last charging station in Cali was 84 miles out from LV and that was very stressful but solid car none the less. Best for commute in the city. Quick charge

[tarfeef]

Can confirm have those tires on my vehicle, driving in 25C+ in California during my last big road trip, they did admirably (did have V-rated ones tho, so fairly overkill vs what most ppl buy tbf). But for me, who lives on the west coast of Canada where it could be 10 and raining and -20 in snow on the same day, all weathers are a godsend. I don't feel the need to put my blizzaks on for the winter, honestly

[Chrisbs]

how cool.. I love it.. yes I drive a model Y, but ordered one of these for around town since both my wife and I work. and for long trips or lots of stuff we have they Y. can't wait to get our Mini Cooper SE!