The All-Electric 2020 MINI Cooper SE Is Perfect. Except For… 

Production quality of these reviews are better than almost any other channel.

FYI, Dan Edmunds at Autoblog just tested this car and saw a range of 137.7 miles. I saw 122 with some hard driving here and there and around 50 miles of highway speed driving (Dan was moderate on throttle with little highway travel FWIW). Here's the article- www.autoblog.com/2020/04/14/mini-se-electric-car-range-test/

Only Tom could convince me to consider an 110 mile electric car. Great review! And thanks for the strong effort, walkers can be oblivious sometimes, and electric silence doesn't help. Stay safe!

As "range wars" rage among most EV's MINI has chosen a different path. Living about 50 miles or so from Seattle, if I had to commute daily to the big city (as many of my neighbors do), the MINI EV wouldn't make the cut. But we've recently become a three driver family. (The daughter just turned 16.) And while we can certainly struggle on with "only" two vehicles, the EV MINI is a temptation, especially considering (a) its delightful driving characteristics, (b) the reduced wear and tear on the family SUV and my beloved GTI, and (c) most importantly the real world price with tax incentives and what I suspect are real world discounts from the dealer. I've lusted after MINI's for years but the premium price of almost any model has always been a barrier. The mid-trim Signature Plus EV has an MSRP (with incentives) of $25K, or so, making it a rather compelling value proposition. Or at least that's what I keep telling myself. :) So if and when we're allowed to leave our home, I may well investigate the possibility.

I love your old man humor and yes I'm an old retired man! I can see the EV as a good second car for errands but not for long trips...

One of your best reviews Tom. Informative, witty. I really enjoyed hearing your argument for an automobile I normally wouldn’t consider. And I have to admit, even being out here on the edge of civilization (The Dalles) that I rarely drive more than 40 miles in a day.

I already have this mini from Thailand Mini, Absolutely the best one-man drive for daily working in Bangkok where I always use about 50 kilometers per day which excess enough 80% remain among periodic traffic terrible.

Two things. I love your reviews-keep it up! So glad you moved to RU-vid-NYTimes loss. Second is our children live on Mercer Island and are battling the pandemic in Seattle hospitals every day re: both are MDs, so feel for all in Seattle. Hang in there and be well!

It's so refreshing to see someone understand the point of this car! Thanks Tom! And the fact that you get by in your Volt using mostly only the EV range (I assume) really goes to show you that 110 miles is more than enough for the daily commute. I prefer paying 23k (with the rebate) for 110 miles of usable range rather than 30k for 160-180 miles I wouldn't even use anyway! It's a shame it's so much more expensive here in Canada :/ It's considerably more than the E-Golf which has slightly better range but a lot more usability. For some reason that I cannot understand, the Cooper SE is a lot less expensive than the E-Golf. Anyway, keep up the good work and stay safe!

We leased an 13 for 3 years and fell madly in love !!! This will most definitely be my next electric car. I just have to find a dealership that sells them.

I leased an 84 mile e-Golf for 3 years and felt a bit nervous at times about range- it had 25.000 miles after 3 years. I now own a 125 mile e-Golf and (until recently) put about 10,000 miles a year on it, with no range concerns. I agree with Tom that this Mini SE is a fine car for most Americans. Thanks for the great review. I love the clean air and lack of pollution, and shows how government regulation can restore our health and give us back the natural world we deserve. If only we all drove EVs. Be well, Tom. Thank you.

I had the crawler. It was so much fun. I really like your mention of the old toys. Great memories to contrast with the new technology.

OMG! The Time Machine!! WOW! That brings back some smells from the past…awesome touch!

I rarely drain my battery below half in my VW e-Golf with similar range. 100 miles really is more than most people initially realize, including myself initially. I bought a Chevy Volt a few years ago expecting to use the engine a lot, but the 40 miles of EV range that it had covered 95% of my driving so I bought the e-Golf instead of a longer range car like the Model 3. CCS charging has been great for the longer drives that I've taken, but I almost never drive far enough to need it. Limited range doesn't feel so limited when you wake up to a full charge every morning, assuming you have charging at home.

I work as a BMW/MINI Genius in west Chester, Pa, driving this thing makes me want to get rid of my Type R! Tom, you forgot how the battery being low and being in a T shape has another added plus... nearly perfect 50/50 weight distribution!

"It's a gas!"...great line. Btw, Tom I'm thrilled to see you doing this work as I was an intern at Evening Magazine and you were always obsessing about cars. You were also very kind to us so couldn't be more happy for you.

Good review, Tom. Love my Model 3, but I think my dad should upgrade his 10yo Leaf with 70-90mi of range for this!

Tom, though our styles are very different, I love your videos! I always appreciate a personable review! Great character! You AND that new Mini! 😃👍

Given its price I don’t see this selling when you can get a similar electric car with 200 mile range for a comparable price. Even if you don’t really need the extra range, range anxiety is a big deal.

the selling point for me was how you can make it complete flat in the cargo space and that sweet expandabl seat... LOVE IT

loved the 2 mini's I had 50 odd years ago in the UK. Loved your review and I am sorely tempted again and it would be my first EV.

Found out today that my Mini EV has been built. Waiting for it to be shipped to the USA.

Thanks for another great review. You are among the best and your production value is top notch. One thing that puts me off electric cars is the styling. It's not the unique styling cues, like those cool wheels, but it's the excessive number and placement of badges and the loud dayglo color choices. I guess the makers of electric cars think that people want that stuff but I think it hurts sales.

Great Review. You deserve more subs. Keep up the good work. Oh BRILLIANT car. Absolutely love the mini e

Lived with a 2014 Spark EV with several years. I bought it used for $9k and it had 80ish miles of range. Worked great for daily commuting in the Seattle area. Did Everett to Bellevue, and had charging access in Bellevue. Everett to Renton and back was a bit tight, especially in the winter months, if I needed to get the kids after school. There are a few chargers in Renton, but not super close to my work, and I couldn’t rely on being able to charge down there. Last fall, the range had a drop and i was only getting 65 miles range on a good day. So had to trade it in. (Got a Model 3). My advice is to Figure out your longest usual commute, and double those miles to consider winter range and buffer. For me that is about 150 miles. You can get away with a lot less, if you have regular access to charging at your destinations.

This is a great car for suburban drives ! It drives superb !

Tom, when things clear up, I'd love you to randomly drive and report on an older car, a throw back of sorts for fun. 60's, 70's, 80's 90's 2000's could be a fun mix up. Just a thought.

Best review for Mini SE so far!

This would be perfect for my 20 mile round trip daily commute. I could go several days between charges.

This is the best review I’ve seen of the mini electric as my partner just picked this car on the nhs scheme thank you

I know that it's been awhile, but I love watching reviews of this car.. I haven't seen a bad one.. we have a long range ev and a gas car.. our gas car gets so few miles, but we do need a second car.. this is PERFECT.. we ordered one

News flash Tom. Big screen TV's aren't worth nearly as much money anymore. (I had to switch to stealing garden knomes. LOL) That Mini is one very nicely appointed EV. One of very few I'd want to buy. Thx for the nice review Tom.

Unless I’m on a road trip, I really don’t put that many miles in my car on a daily basis. My weekday commute is about 12 miles round trip (in LA traffic it feels like eternity). An EV is starting to make more and more sense for city dwellers.

Man, I remember Sizzlers! They were so fun, you could use them anywhere. My first electric car! Thanks for the memories, Tom.

Love your Matt Mason and Hot Wheels toys, Tom! I'm 65 and my brother is 60; we had some of the toys in the Mini's trunk. Fun memories and thanks for another great video. Stay safe!

Great review! Gives a great impression of what this car is all about. Frequently amusing too. Is this the best auto review channel on the internet?

Thank you! Great review!..This was so helpful...looks like a perfect community driving car:)!

good job sir Great entro👌 I liked that you mention people who are walking around and the footage of your neighborhood along with bringing up some old memories of toys Wish you the best

Good review as always. No enough range for Quebec weather and few people will buy such an expensive car for just city driving. Mini should offer the bigger Mini (Clubman) with a 60 KWH battery for a little bit more money and they would have a winner.

Just picked one up last weekend in the Signature plus trim as the person that ordered the car is stuck in Hawaii till the end of the lock down in late June and he gave the dealer the okay to sell the car. I put in my reservation in January and was expecting to pick one up in April till the world came to a stop. Anyway, this is my first Mini and my first EV although I've driven my coworker's Tesla S, X and 3's before. The reason I got it is precisely because it's cheap( after the $7500 federal rebate), stylish and fun to drive. The interior feels a lot more premium than the bare Model3 and I like having buttons and switches for daily tasks rather than the Ipad and the cheap looking steering wheel in the Model 3. The 110 mile range( even with avg 80plus on hwy) is a nonissue for me as I have free Level 2 charging at work 30miles away and I can charge at 120v at home at 2% per hour overnight to get me to work if I run the battery down on the weekend. This is the perfect commuter and urban runabout. BTW this is not a slow car. I have a two other very fast ICE cars and this does not feel slow at all. I'm usually the first off the line at every stop or signal light by a very large margin. On the freeways this will keep up with anyting till it hits the limiter at 94mph(I think it's limited due to the poor aeroprofile and the excessive battery drain at higher speeds). Personally I don't see the appeal of a sub 4 sec 0-60 for your daily driver EV as it makes me nauseous and gives me a headache after more than a few launches at least when I experienced them in Tesla's due to the instant torque. This is the Goldilocks EV for the city or suburban dweller in larger cities with a good electric infrastructure. Why pay more to lug around a heavy battery which kills the fun if you can charge at home or at work everyday.

Great job Tom! Well presented, excellent script and voice over, and b-roll on point.

Journal of how many we drive is a good idea. Then go test drive one of these. I did just that at a BMW driving event at FedEx Field to experience the new 4 Series. But they had the Mini EV there. God how I love this little go kart!!

The air would be clear here, except for all the tree pollen. Achoo!

Love your videos. Watch Them every time you test an EV. It’s Been a while since you published one of those. That just makes it more fun when you do get around to them. Greetings from Denmark

I'm so olde that the Original Mini was my first car . It looks like it's still a hoot 😂 if still a little small . 100 miles man you would have have a good charging network.

All the toys you showed and spoke of, I was very lucky to have as a child... I guess I never knew how well I had it growing up. Awesome mini, I'd really like one as a second car

Nice review; I'll be replacing my plug-in hybrid with a fully electric vehicle in about a year. I like this vehicle, but that range would be a pain on a roadtrip.

I have a model 3 long rang and fed up with the bad service. Might be picking up a mini next year.

In Oregon the total maximum tax rebate that can be applied at the time of lease amounts to $12,500, which lowers the base model price to $18,500 and the midlevel trim to about $21,000. If the lease rates match other cars in that price range such as the Corolla Hatch SE, this might just be my first car out of college. I can imagine people buying this as a fun commuter car as well, given its interior and driving characteristics far exceed its price.

Those were my two favorite hot wheels, too. No wonder I enjoy your videos so much.

I know this is a car review channel so may I recommend a new channel of simply Tom driving round Seattle in the Mini? Highlights would be getting to see beautiful Seattle, sneaking up on the locals (I wonder if the Mini has a stealth mode?), his views on life and old toys, and getting his wife in the videos. Niche but I think popular.

Great video! Thanks for the info. I drive only 23 miles per day on average. I am really intrigued by this Mini Cooper SE, especially after watching your video. Instant torque is great for red light to red light kind of traffic. Really want to try it out. My local Mini dealerships only let me put an order for one now. Should be shipped in town in a couple of months according to them.

Well I love it. NYC apartment dweller that I am, it's just a pipe dream. But it looks way cool and fun to drive.

Another great review. One of these days I'm gonna flag you down as you drive through my Blue Ridge 'hood!

Awesome review mate, I remember those hot wheels sets from the 70s! Have a petrol Cooper, this looks great, maybe version 2.0 will have more range. Well done and thanks a lot... from Australia

Thing is that range is knocked down bigtime in winter time, the colder the worse it is, in UK winter you will expect around 75miles range, which is terrible, even in UK thats bad.

Great video. I would have believed you if you said you had a team of writers and editors helping you. Subscribed! The benefit of having the DC fast charge option on a car like this would be for people that cannot charge at home. If you live in apartment without a charging station, you could drive it to a DC fast charger and charge it from empty to full when needed in 30-45 minutes. That said, I have noticed in the Atlanta area where I live that a lot more apartments are providing charging stations to residents. I am one of those weird 275 lb 6 foot man that loves little cars (I loved my Fiat 500). I understand what you say about range but I know that I would love this car so much that I would want to take it on weekends away with my wife etc. That is the catch 22. Same is true with my Volt. It is so much more fun to drive that we take it on trips even though it is not as comfortable as her Tuscon.

Tom I hope you wouldn't judge me if I called you a totally adorable nerd! Great review, and logically - this is a great car for me. Short commutes, and longer trips these days are on motorcycles so .... time to knock on the dealer's door!

+1 on the range, or lack of range…it’s not as big a deal as some think…I owned a Long Range Tesla 3 and Y and now own a Kia Niro EV that is rated at 240 miles (though we easily get closer to 300). We charge it once every two weeks on a 110/115 volt outlet and it’s charged back to 80% (220 miles) by the time Monday comes around….If you need a dual commuter/road tripper, it’s not your car…get a TESLA. They are the only ones that have the long range charging infrastructure figured out…the others are unreliable unfortunately…but, if you need a commuter, don’t overlook this one! My current commuter is a Mini Countryman (ICE), but the SE is next on my list when my Niro EV lease expires!

My cargo test: Can I get my upright bass to gigs? In a chevy spark I can SQUEEZE two passengers, my upright bass, a guitar (under), banjo, and mandolin (with the passenger seat far forward). If you don't have a passenger, you can put an upright bass inside a Think City or Smart car. With both rear seats down, a gas Mini will transport an upright bass (armrest up so the headstock clears the shifter. My mini is fun to drive. I use it as a second car for distance trips.

John Luke would love this review.

I like it, and since there's no BMW engine it should technically be more reliable. Honda and Mini have the right idea with their more sensible ranges. The high mileage EVs quickly inform the owners that mileage costs, whether its gas or electricity.

Great review Tom, we have a Tesla 3 LR and though you’re right it’s about twice the price for twice the car, the Mini definitely fits as a second /commuter car if we needed one. We have two kids and need just a little more space than the Mini offers for the fam here (Canada). Now that COVID has us working at home all day and may continue in the future, this with a ski rack would be very very close; I’m looking forward to seeing what VW brings here next year

Good review, interesting to see the US version still has the Union jack (British flag) rear light units, nice.

That cargo was excellent! Thanks

A little after the fact… But technically it’s the first mass market sold Ev from MINI… Don’t forget MINI had the R56 based MINI E that was leased in California only back in 2008 and 2009… That pioneered the i3 and was the test bed for it… So technically speaking is the second full electric mini is ever sold

Excellent video Tom

Great review, Tom!

A 110-mile car would work for me, even in the middle of our upstate NY winters when I'd expect to see...what....half of that range? Price is not unreasonable either but I don't think I can bring myself to buy a BMW product. Maintenance costs on this thing are probably astronomical.

Great review! The short range is too short for me as I travel 177kms (110miles) highway each weekend. If only it had another 50 kms in range.... love the car though and I've always wanted a Mini. Well, by always I mean since 2003 when the Italian Job came out :)

Kool Hott Wheel Cars Bra!!!

Great review, Tom. Thanks for all your effort. (And I like your choice in Hot Wheels cars. I had both of your favorites :-) )

If your work is under a 30 minute commute this is perfect 2nd vehicle

thank you! fun video watched through it all!

This is a great second car, city cart. And have your SUV for travel. Kia Niro EV is a better car, though; Kia is offering it in only a few States.

+1 for the Picard reference!

A great 4th car.

Love your videos man 👌💪

Thanks for doing this review! :D

You also have to consider that here in the relatively mild pacific northwest winters (Portland, OR) EV range drops 30-35%. That's fine for my Chevy Bolt as I can usually count on about 160-170 miles on the colder days.But the Mini EV would drop to below 80 miles. But I would love to retrofit those Mini seats into my Bolt :-)

Battery management -is it liquid cooled?

I live in the UK and quite like this car. However, as it basically needs charging 2-3 times a week, or everyday if your drive to work is 30 miles each way, it really needs off street parking. For many people this isn't possible, even less so if you want a 'city' car, and live in a city (heaven forbid!)

Two things: First, in Washington state, when you go to renew your license plate tabs - there is $220 of 'extra' electric fees over a gas model. So a lot of that money you would save on gas is going to be eaten up every year with these fees. Second, this has to be a designated 'second car'. And it's hard for most to swallow a $30k pricetag for a 'second' car that they CAN'T be taken on trips. (Oh, I dare you to try and take a car with a 100 mile rage from Seattle to Spokane - there are just not as many charging stations out in the middle of Washington as you think).

The problem is the nearest mini dealer is 60 miles away. That’s the dealer breaker with this range. Otherwise, the range fits my driving perfectly.

It would be pretty interesting to compare the cost maintaince of a gasoline operated car Vs an electric battery cost in a 10 year span, to see wether it`s cost saving to won an electric car

haven't driven over 100 miles/day for years and years.

I'm roughly mid-point between Detroit, Chicago, and Grand Rapids, MI and I like going to concerts. Sure, this car would be fine driving back & forth from work (as long as one remembers to charge it every night). But going any further, I'd need to rent a gas-powered car.

Great video thanks, but why doesn't anyone do a review on the base model that most people will be getting?

You made me want to get this car so bad now !!! Haha

A beautiful neighborhood you' re living at

Hi, Tom. The toys were cooler than the Mini. Do you remember the Hot Wheels Thundershift 500? I had that and wish I kept it.

This mini could be interesting. Own a tmy. This could easily pass as a second car. Just needs a range of 70 km a day.

I love rolling through the parking lots behind unsuspecting walkers in my whisper quiet CT6E!

This is absolutely my favorite EV 😍 Awesome Review Tom!

I drive a Mini Countryman S so not sure if I could handle only going 93 on Hwy.. and love road trips but I love it! Do you think it would be expensive to repair as they are so specialized? Great video and love your humour! ❤️

UK viewer immediately subscribed. Excellent review....maybe the Hotwheels references did it :-)

At the speed you were driving, of course you will fit the spec...

Except for its range.

The wheels really do look like UK power outlets! I never noticed.

I drive about 50 miles a day...40 on the highway. I have never owned an EV but am interested in one. Thoughts on buying the MINI SE given my highway driving distance?