Just as our Cooper SE left the fleet, another new Mini joined, in the form of its (slightly) bigger brother – the Aceman. As with the Cooper, Mini kindly offered us the choice of E, or SE versions, plus a variety of different equipment grade options.
Having tried both models, maximum range was a priority, so an SE was a no-brainer. Then, after having what we thought was a ‘classic’ New Mini look with the Cooper, and all the previous Aceman test cars we’ve tried in Exclusive spec, we’ve gone for the more aggressive Sport, in attractive Legend Grey (£550), with all its ‘John Cooper Works’ branding, body kit, wheels, and chunky £42,900 price.
However, it is a bit of a sheep in wolf’s clothing, as apart from the badging, body kit, and wheels, mechanically it’s the same as any other Aceman SE. However, in my opinion, the sporty additions work best with this Mini’s more angular shape. Inside, my kids have welcomed the extra pair of doors, and slightly more rear room. The OLED infotainment system, so far, seems far quicker, and because it’s a Level 3 spec, we get welcome additional Parking Assistant Plus functionality.
With just 450 miles on the clock, its first job was a trip to Gatwick. The Aceman’s efficiency was my only worry for this long-term loan, from previous experience, and its first charge on my Ohme charger gave just a 180-mile range – in temperatures barely above the minus. A careful late-night trip meant a range of 105 miles when we pulled into the airport car park. Not a problem I thought, as home was roughly 80 miles away, so the Mini should make it back without another charge.
Two nights later, plus one delayed flight, resulted in a very late-night drive. It was still cold but sheeting it down with rain as I joined the motorway. So, I stuck to a 60mph limit and just enjoyed my music coming through the punchy standard Harman Kardon system.
I knew things weren’t right when we came to the Dartford Tunnel, as the range had dropped to just over 50 miles, with my home still 42 miles away! Eight miles is no cushion, and sure enough the infotainment introduced the first of its charging stop suggestions just the other side. I should have stopped, but the weather, and time of night saw me reduce my speed further and press on. When I left the M25, I still had 15 miles still to go, but just 19 miles range. This was fast turning into my most stressful EV trip ever. But with my lack of local knowledge of the charging network the car was trying to direct me to, I carried on – just even more slowly.
I eventually pulled off the motorway, a mile from my home just after midnight, with three miles of range left! In the car’s defence, the weather was very cold and wet, and the motorway route was hilly in places. But, getting over 200 miles is a current challenge.
Just after this, I had the chance to compare the Aceman with one of its closest EV rivals – the Alfa Romeo Junior. I liked the Alfa’s exterior styling, and range. But, the Aceman’s interior feels notably more special, and despite the stiffer ride, the Mini is more fun.
After a cold, but busy month, it was time to return the Aceman’s road salt-streaked bodywork to its best, thanks to Autoglym’s new pump sprayer and Polar Blast products. I was very pleased with the results.
I just hope efficiency issues aren’t going to be an ongoing problem with the Mini Aceman, as I’m looking forward to my time with it.
| Model | Mini Aceman Sport SE |
| P11D price | £39,745 |
| As tested | £42,900 |
| Official range | 244 miles |
| Test consumption | 2.2 miles per/kWh |
| Mileage | 910 |
Standard equipment: LED head and tail lights, gloss black roof rails, 18in alloy wheels, MINI OLED display, DAB radio, MINI Driving Modes, two-zone automatic climate control, dynamic cruise control, parking assistant and rear camera, Apple Carplay and Android Auto integration.
Options: Legend Grey metallic paint (£550), 19in John Cooper Works Lap Spoke wheels (£550)
