Mini fan here who also owns a 2020 Cooper SE, I hit the like button as usual, as I always enjoyed your content about the car and so I did this one. Fan aside or not, I kind of agree with a number of points. For example regarding the charging port: The door isn't sealed, which means water gets inside fairly easy, while there are plastic covers for the actual ports, water again easily manages getting around them. I always hand wash my car and after pressure washing, especially the lower DC port is partly flooded with water. I also agree regarding the leather choice and general build quality, it's ok, but it's not great. Considering the price, I sometimes think build quality, especially on the higher level trims, could be better. However I enjoy you still got physical controls with buttons, switches and knobs over the mostly digital touchscreen interface on the new Minis. For me it's more intuitive to use.
Besides range, which isn't a big issue with the way or 2022 SE is driven, in 2 years we haven't been able to fault the car at all, it's been fantastic. There is a misalignment of the chrome trim on the bonnet, the same as pointed out in the video, but it's not a major issue, and I'll mention it at the next service. I'll keep an eye out for some other things mentioned, hopefully it keeps going as well as it has since we got it. Thanks for the video, and sharing your experience of the time you spent with the car.
This is good info for 2nd hand buyers. You do know that all the issues named, would be immediately fixed at the Mini garage under warranty. I got all rattles, bangs and other noises fixes on all of my cars. You do not have to put up with it.
Hey Martin, have been going crazy over the minor rattle from the sun roof/sun shade, so your observations were welcome. You did skip through this quite quickly, so I would REALLY like to see how this fix is applied, more clearly, so that I can sort this on my car!!
We previously had a Mini ICE car and would (retrospectively) say it was generally a triumph of form over function. So, no disagreement there. But speaking of form over function Martin, those jeans…. maybe, don’t please?
Can I get it? Edit : just got the video recommended, and I just realised, it's a UK car. I watched other videos I knew you are not British, wires git mixed. I totally agree with you, more on the RWD part. It would have been the perfect car for me. I like de Honda e, which is what this could have been, but that's needlessly heavier, discontinued, slower... the i3 is not as stable as this, so the perfect small car is still on hold. The new one has a better interior, this one is really cluttered, all over the place style wise. The new one, simple, great, heavy, only 100 kg under a Tesla model 3 RWD. How did they manage that will remain a mystery. So the RWD M3, might be the perfect car, even if not the smallest. Keep posting, the reviews are great!
Then my question : why the mini and not the BMW I3(S)? The last has a much bigger interior, is available with bigger battery, amazing interior design, and can't rust.. no brainer in my opinion... Besides that, your videos are great! You're one of the best out there. It's a relief to see someone with knowledge of the cars you're reviewing! Compliments .
I think Martin was given the Mini as a company car. It wasn't a choice. If I was choosing between an I3s and a Mini, it would take me significantly less than a second. The I3s. In fact even an I3 non s. But not the Mini.
@@Ben-gm9loi know the problem. My wife drives the Mini clubman. (F54). I've never experienced so many problems, as with that car. I'm driving a last edition BMW I3s myself. And..I've never had an issue with the I3. It actually only had to visit the workshop once, because it had to for warranty after 2 years. Love the I3s!
I’ve wanted an i3 since 2014 and bought an i3S earlier this year to avoid using my van over our three day weekends and my wife uses it to commute four days a week; she loves it, so spacious, innovative, lightweight, 4/5 miles per kWh and it charges flat out to 85%. Amazing car
Another thing to consider: as BMW upgraded i3 from 94Ah (33kWh) to the 120Ah (42kWh), I was considering if it was worth the upgrading. But I came to a conclusion, that: a) the consumption; and b) the charging speed define your travel pace. Yes, with a small battery you will need to stop more often - but for a shorter time, because the smaller battery fills up quicker. So at the end, the only thing that you gain is a bit more flexibility: with larger you could start charging earlier, or later, or much later. With a smaller battery, it's more or less down to a specific charging station that you've preselected before. If it's busy, or broken, or you don't feel like making a break just yet - well, not too many options with the smaller battery. But other than that, it's actually identical...
But if you see charging more quickly as some kind of benefit in this comparison, you could have the 42.2 and choose to stop charging sooner. You’d have the extra capacity if you specifically wanted it. I can’t make sense of why you’d not want the extra capacity though.
@@kellypaws Well, that's exactly what I'm saying: with a larger battery you have more flexibility. But you are not really quicker - if your consumption and the charging speed remain unchanged, then you will need to spend, for example, 1 hour to charge 50kWh, if you're charging at 50kW. With a smaller battery you will stop twice, with a larger (60kWh) battery you'd be able to charge 50kWh at once. This gives you more flexibility, as you can also charge in two smaller sessions - if it better fits your schedule. With a smaller battery, you just physically can't charge more than it fits. Why wouldn't you want a larger battery? I'll take a larger battery any day, for free. But unfortunately, the battery is the most expensive part of an EV, and the premium to pay for a larger battery is very significant. What I wanted to say: many people just hear "140 miles of range" and say "no, that's not enough for me". Without even trying. In fact though, they only have a few trips per year when they need the range, and it's easily doable. They could save a few thousand $$$, or start enjoying an EV before waiting for the futurist "solid state battery with 1000 miles of range".
@@pqvid Well the i3 certainly seems to have far more intelligent battery management than most, from my limited understanding. The Renault Zoe and Leaf seem guilty of losing battery capacity over mileage, whereas the BMW appears to be much more resilient. Even taking an option with a comparatively low range, it's definitely an attractive car to own.
@@kellypaws Agree. Its battery management system (BMS) with liquid cooling and heating was really advanced for 2013, back in the day only Tesla was doing it on the same level. The first gen of i3 (60Ah) was not too good though, as the battery chemistry was not perfect. The 94Ah and 120Ah versions both are pretty great! I believe when the current leasing returns sell off, the prices for used i3 will start to go higher. There's nothing even nearly comparable on the market. Mini is a different thing. Although the new version seems to be quite a step down in materials quality, the value proposition is the same, the battery is significantly larger, and this can push down the used prices. We will see...
Not surprised my 2014 April F56 Cooper was on of the first on the U.K. roads was in 18 times for work to fix stuff. It was delivered with loose wires, a fuse box that wasn’t screwed in, well it didn’t have any screws. The roof console had loose screws in it so sounded like a child’s rattle when driving. The passenger seatbelt had a rattle that they could identify but never fully sort. It had electrical failure that needed a new rev counter and had to wait as there was no spare parts so it sat at the dealer for a month. The door jams I knew would and did scratch the paint from day one and the frameless windows get dirt in the runners and scratch the edge. The front bumper plastic where the number plate goes in the middle has a paint UV problem in that they faded, just look at any F56 MINI Cooper and you’ll soon spot the marbling or streaking. I got a apology from MINI and a whole £200 voucher - Wow for a Car that had been a problem from day one. Lesson learned I would never order and buy a early MINI ever. I good friend sadly passed away used to always buy the best in a JCW and always told me never by a new generation of MINI till they bring out the JCW because they had actually learned to build them by that time and he was right. I bet the Chinese cars are actually better which is embarrassing to the Oxford plant.
I have a question. Are you going to test out the new Mini ....with the bigger battery? I live in the States, and am curious of your opinion of the car.
Great video! We have a 2023 facelifted Iconic (Level 3), and have solid door thunk slams and not noticed any rattling. We also haven't had the problem with the charger door (but we do live in sunny Cali). The air conditioner is kind of squeeky when it first turns on, but our local dealership told us that so far it was "normal wear" and to let us know if it gets louder. I'm kind of curious though, because the air conditioning unit often has problems on the I3, right? Also, lots of damaged tires. :( although this is mostly from potholes and other unfortunate driving events.) We love our mini though. I do feel like it's going to be kind of a unique car in the history of cars. It's like a factory made EV conversion, with all the faults and advantages that has. It's very comfortable, and more importantly way more fun than it had to be though, and so, for me, it's more than special...it's cool.
Hi , The only comment I would make is that Mini jumped in to a small EV utilising the existing ICE configuration which is why the battery size is limited and remains a front wheel drive. However , the 2025 version has a redesigned floorpan and thus was the ideal opportunity to go rear wheel drive , and yet ....they didn't ?
I've a 2022 L3 Cooper SE.Picked it up with 2k on the clock and put another 3k on it since. I've had a few issues with it also in those 6 months. It had a factory recall within weeks of me having it which meant it was off the road for a couple of days.Then it developed a rattle from the armrest which took the dealer two attempts to fix and now in the last few weeks I've the charger port open warning which again I need to take it back into the dealers..Makes me wonder what's it going to be like in another couple of years time. The build quality definitely looks to be inferior to my 12 years old previous car a Volvo C30 which never rattled once in the 6 years of ownership.
We have the face lifted 2021 SE L3, it’s been faultless, no rattles or charge port water ingress, but see what you mean about the bonnet alignment and we’d much prefer no leather too. Our other car is a Tesla and they are a fabulous contrasting combo. We 24hr tested an i3S and it was great, but we thought the Mini was much more fun and the sound system way better.
Good review, but a little bit nitpicking on the build quality issues of the hood and fit. A bigger issue is if you charge at home with Time Of Use power plans, the Mini works by a finish charging time vs a simple exclusion time option. This often results in the car charging during peak prices and often fails to have the car charged when you need it. BMW needs to get its act together and provide the option of a simple exclusion time whereas the car will charge immediately when plugged in, stop charging during the exclusion time, then resume afterwards. So simple a smart outlet does this perfectly, yet there are no 220v smart outlets. Shame BMW does not listen to customers or customers are clueless thinking electricity is free.
Hey, I just got a 2022 SE Level 2, but I'm having some problems. When I try charging at public stations, it only charges for 4-5 minutes before saying that charging isn't available. Have you experienced the same issue or have any solutions?
Have a later level 2 (with the smaller gear selector!), don't disagree with most of your comments, couple of other negatives, 1) no Android Auto!, 2) inbuilt Sat Nav shows all the petrol stations but is missing a lot of charging points (even though they are on map in the app). Sat Nav instructions are identical in timing to my BMW 320D. Can't agree with you about the front wheel drive, minis have always been front wheel drive and this does give it it's distinctive driving characteristics.
Great video! My 2021 iX3 was made in China and I'm pretty happy with the build. Panel gaps are perfect. Few very minor rattles inside and it's going in to the main dealer with some seat play. Paint prep was terrible but I blame the supplying dealer for that. My most rattly BMW was my 2007 E60! In the cold weather it was terrible.
We’ve had an R56 Cooper S from new in 2009 so 15 years in October. The sunroof shade is just the same. Has always rattled. I’ll look up the fix; perhaps it will work for us, too. But the whole interior creaks like a galleon. And the very feeble standard stereo that was fitted in France couldn’t drown out a whisper…
one last point. Mini sell for a premium over many small cars due to its character. So if you make it into a little TESLA you destroy much of the reason for buying. Character is something many electric cars lack so this is a challenge for MINI going forward
lol my mini convertible 2014 is exactly the same build wise the bonnet is just like that with the gaps obviously the charge flap is a major issue the dealer will only sort out things under warranty after that they won’t want to know about it like any other car dealer I’m glad you mentioned about the sunroof we will just get a level 2. Great video 👍
I handed my 2021 facelift L3 back to Mini in April. It was my 1st EV and I loved it. The sunroof blind in the facelift cars is different being a sliding panel that appears to be made of papier-mâché and the front panel on mine didn’t rattle but the back did when left open so as I never had rear seat passengers it stayed closed and rattle free. Other things to look for in the face lift models is paint damage in the door shuts, looks like on some cars the hinges were badly aligned (it didn’t happen on mine but plentry of reports of it on the Fb group ). I had the charge port open warning issue but otherwise the only thing that needed a garage visit was a safety recall on the granny/3 pin socket charger- as mine was unused I got a straight swap for a brand new bagged one. I’m not sure of this but I thing that the traction control on the face lifted cars might have been better than on the pre-facelift cars as I really had to try very hard to provoke front wheel spin. I’ve been driving the all electric U25 Countryman S E Sport L3 since early April - compared to the F56 Electric it’s huge but then I have managed to eke out 235 miles (with 10 miles remaining on the GOM when I found a charger!) on a single charge of its 65kW battery which isn’t bad for such a fun but heavy car to drive that runs in AWD all the time.
I think you are being a bit panikery about build quality as I think it compares very favourably with other small cars and the bonnet fit is definitely a design issue that BMW have struggles with since the first R53 which had the headlamps actually built into the bonnet. The interior is now dated and too button heavy but I would argue that Mini have gone too far in the opposite design direction with the J01 albeit not as extreme as the Volvo EX30. Certainly the Mini SE is a compromised EV by being a small ICE vehicle modified to an accept an electric power train late in its build life and had to accommodate batteries that were never envisaged. I suspect that in years to come the F56 Mini SE will have a sentimental following like the MGB has today amongst people of a certain generation who hark back to their youth.
Petty Review - this version of the Mini car performs very well and a joy to own. I have the version just before this on a 20 Plate, which is much the same except for the front grill. Sure my car has trim slight misalignment issues but that is it. No rattles and certainly nothing to affect the performance. Easy to pre-heat the leather seats / and pre-cool / cover them with a towel on a hot day etc. I have even managed to think ahead / plan allowing for the shorter battery range on the occasional long run. If I could find a conversion kit to extend the range I would stick with my current car. I really dislike the interior on the NEW J01 Mini Electric - the difficult to clean cloth dash, bland instrument keys, odd drive controls, functionless straps etc. Times are a changing, sadly I need the longer range more frequently. I just don't know if I could look everyday at the bland / soleless interior of the newer Mini electric with faux leather interiors that readly fall apart within a few years that you appear to crave. Perhahs the Mini (Interior) has morphed one step too far. And for me, the new Mini Electric has had it's day??
I just wanted to point out the negatives, which were very real during my half a year of ownership (and likewise, the range was never that big of an issue for me). I had a chance to sit in the new J01 MINI a few times now and think it’s a huge step forward. MINI stretched the life of the F56 generation to its max with many facelifts but in my eyes it’s not exactly retro, it’s simply old. Looking forward to the new one. Also not sure how you concluded that fake leather interiors are somehow worse quality. Sold many high mileage Teslas and while we can have a discussion about trims squeaking etc. the seats always looked brand new.
Interesting. You definitely pay a premium for the MINI brand but the prices are definitely nowhere near as close in the UK (at least for cars of equivalent age and mileage).
Great video Martin. I do struggle to understand BMW's approach to the Mini brand. On the one hand they try to shoehorn a round screen into the dash to mirror the older Mini style (I learned to drive in an original 1970s Mini Clubman which had a normal dashboard, so a round centrally placed display doesn't scream 'Mini' to me). On the other hand they experiment with things like the Mini Coupe which had no link to the original brand. And while I like physical buttons, I agree that the Mini Cooper SE has a strange set of choices on which functions require buttons. And the buttons themselves also seem over-styled. And, for me, the sight of the Union flag everywhere would stop me ever thinking about buying a new Mini. If I buy a German car I wouldn't expect it to be covered in German flags. And the same goes for any other European brands. It will be even more silly for models made in China!
WTF My bonnet gap on my 2021 Mini is uniform? Rattles? What rattles? Perhaps I'm just lucky. China has very stringent QC policed by TUV so you can rest assured the cars will be spot on but that said BMW intend to also build them Oxford again soon.
Mini's (most cars really) should be front wheel drive as its a safer option for 99% of the population who don;t want the tail going out if you make a mistake. Leave the rear wheel drive for the driving enthusiasts.
11:58 "... I would just much rather have the simple, small 'chicken nugget' style toggle switch..." ? Well THAT'S a new one...!! 🤣 I think you've been hitting Maccy-Dees WAY too much, Martin..!! 😉
Really thorough video as usual Martin. Just one thing though. Please stop apologising for being vegan. We're the normal ones. It's everyone elseí that's wrongkk LL
Martin, this "instructions too early" is a BMW Business Nav thing. Same on i3 and other models. The Prof Nav is much better at that. The driving instructions in the HUD: could you try Apple Maps? I've been successful with them (with other cars / iDrive versions), so maybe that's the way to go. Android Auto also does HUD with Google Maps and Waze, but unfortunately not an option on the Mini / i3...
Mini fan here who also owns a 2020 Cooper SE, I hit the like button as usual, as I always enjoyed your content about the car and so I did this one. Fan aside or not, I kind of agree with a number of points. For example regarding the charging port:
The door isn't sealed, which means water gets inside fairly easy, while there are plastic covers for the actual ports, water again easily manages getting around them. I always hand wash my car and after pressure washing, especially the lower DC port is partly flooded with water.
I also agree regarding the leather choice and general build quality, it's ok, but it's not great. Considering the price, I sometimes think build quality, especially on the higher level trims, could be better.
However I enjoy you still got physical controls with buttons, switches and knobs over the mostly digital touchscreen interface on the new Minis. For me it's more intuitive to use.
Besides range, which isn't a big issue with the way or 2022 SE is driven, in 2 years we haven't been able to fault the car at all, it's been fantastic. There is a misalignment of the chrome trim on the bonnet, the same as pointed out in the video, but it's not a major issue, and I'll mention it at the next service. I'll keep an eye out for some other things mentioned, hopefully it keeps going as well as it has since we got it.
Thanks for the video, and sharing your experience of the time you spent with the car.
Would rather have buttons than a distracting iPad sized screen
This is good info for 2nd hand buyers. You do know that all the issues named, would be immediately fixed at the Mini garage under warranty. I got all rattles, bangs and other noises fixes on all of my cars. You do not have to put up with it.
Hey Martin, have been going crazy over the minor rattle from the sun roof/sun shade, so your observations were welcome. You did skip through this quite quickly, so I would REALLY like to see how this fix is applied, more clearly, so that I can sort this on my car!!
We previously had a Mini ICE car and would (retrospectively) say it was generally a triumph of form over function. So, no disagreement there.
But speaking of form over function Martin, those jeans…. maybe, don’t please?
Can I get it? Edit : just got the video recommended, and I just realised, it's a UK car. I watched other videos I knew you are not British, wires git mixed. I totally agree with you, more on the RWD part. It would have been the perfect car for me. I like de Honda e, which is what this could have been, but that's needlessly heavier, discontinued, slower... the i3 is not as stable as this, so the perfect small car is still on hold. The new one has a better interior, this one is really cluttered, all over the place style wise. The new one, simple, great, heavy, only 100 kg under a Tesla model 3 RWD. How did they manage that will remain a mystery. So the RWD M3, might be the perfect car, even if not the smallest. Keep posting, the reviews are great!
Then my question : why the mini and not the BMW I3(S)? The last has a much bigger interior, is available with bigger battery, amazing interior design, and can't rust.. no brainer in my opinion...
Besides that, your videos are great! You're one of the best out there. It's a relief to see someone with knowledge of the cars you're reviewing! Compliments .
I tried to push those facts to my wife, but she just wanted another mini, so that is what she has! It is hard to get round the brand loyalty for some.
I think Martin was given the Mini as a company car. It wasn't a choice. If I was choosing between an I3s and a Mini, it would take me significantly less than a second. The I3s. In fact even an I3 non s. But not the Mini.
@@Ben-gm9loi know the problem. My wife drives the Mini clubman. (F54). I've never experienced so many problems, as with that car. I'm driving a last edition BMW I3s myself. And..I've never had an issue with the I3. It actually only had to visit the workshop once, because it had to for warranty after 2 years. Love the I3s!
@@kellypawsI think you're right. Nice experiment, and I think he'll be happy to drive a i3 after this iso the Mini.
I’ve wanted an i3 since 2014 and bought an i3S earlier this year to avoid using my van over our three day weekends and my wife uses it to commute four days a week; she loves it, so spacious, innovative, lightweight, 4/5 miles per kWh and it charges flat out to 85%. Amazing car
Another thing to consider: as BMW upgraded i3 from 94Ah (33kWh) to the 120Ah (42kWh), I was considering if it was worth the upgrading. But I came to a conclusion, that:
a) the consumption; and
b) the charging speed
define your travel pace. Yes, with a small battery you will need to stop more often - but for a shorter time, because the smaller battery fills up quicker. So at the end, the only thing that you gain is a bit more flexibility: with larger you could start charging earlier, or later, or much later. With a smaller battery, it's more or less down to a specific charging station that you've preselected before. If it's busy, or broken, or you don't feel like making a break just yet - well, not too many options with the smaller battery. But other than that, it's actually identical...
But if you see charging more quickly as some kind of benefit in this comparison, you could have the 42.2 and choose to stop charging sooner. You’d have the extra capacity if you specifically wanted it. I can’t make sense of why you’d not want the extra capacity though.
@@kellypaws Well, that's exactly what I'm saying: with a larger battery you have more flexibility. But you are not really quicker - if your consumption and the charging speed remain unchanged, then you will need to spend, for example, 1 hour to charge 50kWh, if you're charging at 50kW. With a smaller battery you will stop twice, with a larger (60kWh) battery you'd be able to charge 50kWh at once. This gives you more flexibility, as you can also charge in two smaller sessions - if it better fits your schedule. With a smaller battery, you just physically can't charge more than it fits.
Why wouldn't you want a larger battery? I'll take a larger battery any day, for free. But unfortunately, the battery is the most expensive part of an EV, and the premium to pay for a larger battery is very significant.
What I wanted to say: many people just hear "140 miles of range" and say "no, that's not enough for me". Without even trying. In fact though, they only have a few trips per year when they need the range, and it's easily doable. They could save a few thousand $$$, or start enjoying an EV before waiting for the futurist "solid state battery with 1000 miles of range".
@@pqvid Well the i3 certainly seems to have far more intelligent battery management than most, from my limited understanding. The Renault Zoe and Leaf seem guilty of losing battery capacity over mileage, whereas the BMW appears to be much more resilient. Even taking an option with a comparatively low range, it's definitely an attractive car to own.
@@kellypaws Agree. Its battery management system (BMS) with liquid cooling and heating was really advanced for 2013, back in the day only Tesla was doing it on the same level. The first gen of i3 (60Ah) was not too good though, as the battery chemistry was not perfect. The 94Ah and 120Ah versions both are pretty great! I believe when the current leasing returns sell off, the prices for used i3 will start to go higher. There's nothing even nearly comparable on the market.
Mini is a different thing. Although the new version seems to be quite a step down in materials quality, the value proposition is the same, the battery is significantly larger, and this can push down the used prices. We will see...
Battery management in i3 was the work of F1 team McLaren
Not surprised my 2014 April F56 Cooper was on of the first on the U.K. roads was in 18 times for work to fix stuff. It was delivered with loose wires, a fuse box that wasn’t screwed in, well it didn’t have any screws. The roof console had loose screws in it so sounded like a child’s rattle when driving. The passenger seatbelt had a rattle that they could identify but never fully sort. It had electrical failure that needed a new rev counter and had to wait as there was no spare parts so it sat at the dealer for a month. The door jams I knew would and did scratch the paint from day one and the frameless windows get dirt in the runners and scratch the edge.
The front bumper plastic where the number plate goes in the middle has a paint UV problem in that they faded, just look at any F56 MINI Cooper and you’ll soon spot the marbling or streaking. I got a apology from MINI and a whole £200 voucher - Wow for a Car that had been a problem from day one. Lesson learned I would never order and buy a early MINI ever. I good friend sadly passed away used to always buy the best in a JCW and always told me never by a new generation of MINI till they bring out the JCW because they had actually learned to build them by that time and he was right. I bet the Chinese cars are actually better which is embarrassing to the Oxford plant.
I have a question. Are you going to test out the new Mini ....with the bigger battery? I live in the States, and am curious of your opinion of the car.
Great video! We have a 2023 facelifted Iconic (Level 3), and have solid door thunk slams and not noticed any rattling. We also haven't had the problem with the charger door (but we do live in sunny Cali). The air conditioner is kind of squeeky when it first turns on, but our local dealership told us that so far it was "normal wear" and to let us know if it gets louder. I'm kind of curious though, because the air conditioning unit often has problems on the I3, right? Also, lots of damaged tires. :( although this is mostly from potholes and other unfortunate driving events.) We love our mini though. I do feel like it's going to be kind of a unique car in the history of cars. It's like a factory made EV conversion, with all the faults and advantages that has. It's very comfortable, and more importantly way more fun than it had to be though, and so, for me, it's more than special...it's cool.
Hi , The only comment I would make is that Mini jumped in to a small EV utilising the existing ICE configuration which is why the battery size is limited and remains a front wheel drive.
However , the 2025 version has a redesigned floorpan and thus was the ideal opportunity to go rear wheel drive , and yet ....they didn't ?
I've a 2022 L3 Cooper SE.Picked it up with 2k on the clock and put another 3k on it since.
I've had a few issues with it also in those 6 months. It had a factory recall within weeks of me having it which meant it was off the road for a couple of days.Then it developed a rattle from the armrest which took the dealer two attempts to fix and now in the last few weeks I've the charger port open warning which again I need to take it back into the dealers..Makes me wonder what's it going to be like in another couple of years time.
The build quality definitely looks to be inferior to my 12 years old previous car a Volvo C30 which never rattled once in the 6 years of ownership.
We have the face lifted 2021 SE L3, it’s been faultless, no rattles or charge port water ingress, but see what you mean about the bonnet alignment and we’d much prefer no leather too.
Our other car is a Tesla and they are a fabulous contrasting combo. We 24hr tested an i3S and it was great, but we thought the Mini was much more fun and the sound system way better.
Good review, but a little bit nitpicking on the build quality issues of the hood and fit. A bigger issue is if you charge at home with Time Of Use power plans, the Mini works by a finish charging time vs a simple exclusion time option. This often results in the car charging during peak prices and often fails to have the car charged when you need it. BMW needs to get its act together and provide the option of a simple exclusion time whereas the car will charge immediately when plugged in, stop charging during the exclusion time, then resume afterwards. So simple a smart outlet does this perfectly, yet there are no 220v smart outlets. Shame BMW does not listen to customers or customers are clueless thinking electricity is free.
We have a battery recall issue here in Canada and USA due to short circuit.
Hey, I just got a 2022 SE Level 2, but I'm having some problems. When I try charging at public stations, it only charges for 4-5 minutes before saying that charging isn't available. Have you experienced the same issue or have any solutions?
Is this at rapid DC chargers or Type 2 AC chargers?
Have a later level 2 (with the smaller gear selector!), don't disagree with most of your comments, couple of other negatives, 1) no Android Auto!, 2) inbuilt Sat Nav shows all the petrol stations but is missing a lot of charging points (even though they are on map in the app). Sat Nav instructions are identical in timing to my BMW 320D. Can't agree with you about the front wheel drive, minis have always been front wheel drive and this does give it it's distinctive driving characteristics.
Great video! My 2021 iX3 was made in China and I'm pretty happy with the build. Panel gaps are perfect. Few very minor rattles inside and it's going in to the main dealer with some seat play. Paint prep was terrible but I blame the supplying dealer for that. My most rattly BMW was my 2007 E60! In the cold weather it was terrible.
Sounds like you bought the wrong car for your needs. Those buttons are what I love about minis. The new mini is atrocious looking.
Hi @martin. Another good one! 👏 (It seems there’s no link to the Fellten Mini video at 6:02)
We’ve had an R56 Cooper S from new in 2009 so 15 years in October. The sunroof shade is just the same. Has always rattled. I’ll look up the fix; perhaps it will work for us, too. But the whole interior creaks like a galleon. And the very feeble standard stereo that was fitted in France couldn’t drown out a whisper…
Why does no one get rattles and other issues fixed under warranty, when they occur? I do. Drive it to the garage, say the magic words: Fix It. Done.
one last point. Mini sell for a premium over many small cars due to its character. So if you make it into a little TESLA you destroy much of the reason for buying. Character is something many electric cars lack so this is a challenge for MINI going forward
Resale values for F56 will go up with the less than ideal new gen Mini. Love this generation of Mini!
I suppose it all depends on your preferences. I really like the new electric MINI line-up. Much more modern and obviously more range.
What's the year model?
It was made on 31July 2020, so most likely a 2020 model year still.
Hate comment.... Found nothing to hate 😊 Excellent content, thank you Martin! 👍
lol my mini convertible 2014 is exactly the same build wise the bonnet is just like that with the gaps obviously the charge flap is a major issue the dealer will only sort out things under warranty after that they won’t want to know about it like any other car dealer I’m glad you mentioned about the sunroof we will just get a level 2. Great video 👍
I handed my 2021 facelift L3 back to Mini in April. It was my 1st EV and I loved it. The sunroof blind in the facelift cars is different being a sliding panel that appears to be made of papier-mâché and the front panel on mine didn’t rattle but the back did when left open so as I never had rear seat passengers it stayed closed and rattle free. Other things to look for in the face lift models is paint damage in the door shuts, looks like on some cars the hinges were badly aligned (it didn’t happen on mine but plentry of reports of it on the Fb group ). I had the charge port open warning issue but otherwise the only thing that needed a garage visit was a safety recall on the granny/3 pin socket charger- as mine was unused I got a straight swap for a brand new bagged one. I’m not sure of this but I thing that the traction control on the face lifted cars might have been better than on the pre-facelift cars as I really had to try very hard to provoke front wheel spin.
I’ve been driving the all electric U25 Countryman S E Sport L3 since early April - compared to the F56 Electric it’s huge but then I have managed to eke out 235 miles (with 10 miles remaining on the GOM when I found a charger!) on a single charge of its 65kW battery which isn’t bad for such a fun but heavy car to drive that runs in AWD all the time.
And you got all issues incl rattling, fixed under warranty? Cos you should have.
some of dashboard complaints are to do with the design of mini and that was a conversion from ICE
I think you are being a bit panikery about build quality as I think it compares very favourably with other small cars and the bonnet fit is definitely a design issue that BMW have struggles with since the first R53 which had the headlamps actually built into the bonnet. The interior is now dated and too button heavy but I would argue that Mini have gone too far in the opposite design direction with the J01 albeit not as extreme as the Volvo EX30. Certainly the Mini SE is a compromised EV by being a small ICE vehicle modified to an accept an electric power train late in its build life and had to accommodate batteries that were never envisaged. I suspect that in years to come the F56 Mini SE will have a sentimental following like the MGB has today amongst people of a certain generation who hark back to their youth.
I love this car! One of the most beautiful cars ever.
Petty Review - this version of the Mini car performs very well and a joy to own. I have the version just before this on a 20 Plate, which is much the same except for the front grill. Sure my car has trim slight misalignment issues but that is it. No rattles and certainly nothing to affect the performance. Easy to pre-heat the leather seats / and pre-cool / cover them with a towel on a hot day etc. I have even managed to think ahead / plan allowing for the shorter battery range on the occasional long run. If I could find a conversion kit to extend the range I would stick with my current car.
I really dislike the interior on the NEW J01 Mini Electric - the difficult to clean cloth dash, bland instrument keys, odd drive controls, functionless straps etc. Times are a changing, sadly I need the longer range more frequently. I just don't know if I could look everyday at the bland / soleless interior of the newer Mini electric with faux leather interiors that readly fall apart within a few years that you appear to crave.
Perhahs the Mini (Interior) has morphed one step too far. And for me, the new Mini Electric has had it's day??
I just wanted to point out the negatives, which were very real during my half a year of ownership (and likewise, the range was never that big of an issue for me).
I had a chance to sit in the new J01 MINI a few times now and think it’s a huge step forward. MINI stretched the life of the F56 generation to its max with many facelifts but in my eyes it’s not exactly retro, it’s simply old.
Looking forward to the new one.
Also not sure how you concluded that fake leather interiors are somehow worse quality. Sold many high mileage Teslas and while we can have a discussion about trims squeaking etc. the seats always looked brand new.
Thanks. Nice info. I still love it 😊
The mini EV is so expensive in Australia, some Tesla model 3 are cheaper on the secondhand market
Interesting. You definitely pay a premium for the MINI brand but the prices are definitely nowhere near as close in the UK (at least for cars of equivalent age and mileage).
Great video Martin.
I do struggle to understand BMW's approach to the Mini brand. On the one hand they try to shoehorn a round screen into the dash to mirror the older Mini style (I learned to drive in an original 1970s Mini Clubman which had a normal dashboard, so a round centrally placed display doesn't scream 'Mini' to me). On the other hand they experiment with things like the Mini Coupe which had no link to the original brand.
And while I like physical buttons, I agree that the Mini Cooper SE has a strange set of choices on which functions require buttons. And the buttons themselves also seem over-styled.
And, for me, the sight of the Union flag everywhere would stop me ever thinking about buying a new Mini. If I buy a German car I wouldn't expect it to be covered in German flags. And the same goes for any other European brands. It will be even more silly for models made in China!
and the new one has a screen the size of a dinner plate
All good, as it makes them unique in a sea of blandness.
What a fab accent! Love it!
WTF My bonnet gap on my 2021 Mini is uniform? Rattles? What rattles? Perhaps I'm just lucky. China has very stringent QC policed by TUV so you can rest assured the cars will be spot on but that said BMW intend to also build them Oxford again soon.
Mini's (most cars really) should be front wheel drive as its a safer option for 99% of the population who don;t want the tail going out if you make a mistake. Leave the rear wheel drive for the driving enthusiasts.
11:58 "... I would just much rather have the simple, small 'chicken nugget' style toggle switch..." ?
Well THAT'S a new one...!! 🤣
I think you've been hitting Maccy-Dees WAY too much, Martin..!! 😉
Do you need some money for some new pants?
Certainly needs to do a video about the build quality.
Really thorough video as usual Martin. Just one thing though. Please stop apologising for being vegan. We're the normal ones. It's everyone elseí that's wrongkk LL
Super Thanks are enabled on my channel. 🤪
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Great video
Don't worry about Chinese builds. Will be better than UK.
Martin, this "instructions too early" is a BMW Business Nav thing. Same on i3 and other models. The Prof Nav is much better at that.
The driving instructions in the HUD: could you try Apple Maps? I've been successful with them (with other cars / iDrive versions), so maybe that's the way to go. Android Auto also does HUD with Google Maps and Waze, but unfortunately not an option on the Mini / i3...
I thought we're supposed to be good quality 😢
What the f*ck is going on with your trousers? 🤣🤣🤣
Natural ventilation. 🤪
If it was a Tesla, the chrome would have fallen off.
Sold plenty of them through Wisely. My dad dailies one as well. Rest assured they are still intact. 🫢
Dreadful video. People will do anything for views. Waste of time.
Not a good review, who wants a TV sized screen instead of buttons 🤡
Clearly me. 🙋♂️ (And all the people who are happy with their Teslas.)
@ You’re not a car guy, that’s all I can say.
jesus dude you really are splitting hairs!