MINI Aceman SE 2025 Review

Officially, two versions of the new Aceman are available: the entry Aceman E from $51,990 plus on-road costs (ORCs) and the higher-performance Aceman SE priced from $60,990 plus ORCs. Oh, and a JCW version will come later this year priced from $65,990 plus ORCs, but we’ll cover that when it arrives.

However, MINI has already decided to discontinue the E in light of its early reception (it’s been on sale since October last year) as well as the sales split of E versus SE variants in Countryman and MINI hatch models, which predominantly favour the sportier SE. The advice, then, is to get in quick if you want an example of the most affordable Aceman E, as it’ll only hang around as long as current stock lasts.

That’s also why we’re focusing on the Aceman SE here. It might appear a little pricey when you look at some EV rivals such as the GWM Ora, which shares a bit in common with the MINI (the Aceman is built in China under a joint venture between parent company BMW and GWM). After all, the Ora only costs $47,000 in range-topping GT form. But MINI is pitching itself in a growing market of Chinese challenger brands as an established and trusted marque with more to offer for the cash. And we completely agree.

Firstly, its ‘charismatic simplicity’ design, which has been so successful in the hatch and Countryman models, is nothing short of stunning when applied to the Aceman. It manages to be handsome and angular, but also cheeky and unpretentious.

Then there’s the size. At just over four metres in length, the Aceman is no bigger than the five-door hatchback but has heaps of space including a proper second row for two adults and a 300-litre boot, which is smallish but a good shape.

As it’s a crossover, the Aceman doesn’t get the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive system of the Countryman, but it does have a space- and weight-saving front-drive drivetrain with 160kW and 330Nm, fed by a 54.2kWh battery. That’s enough to go more than 400km on the WLTP cycle, says MINI.

Equipment and quality is really where the Aceman (and all new MINI models for that matter) stands out from cheaper competitors. At the centre of the spacious cabin is the new circular central information display, which is unique in the automotive world (unless you peer inside the other two MINI models) and measures 240mm (9.5 inches) in diameter.

It provides access to the MINI OS9 platform and some great tech features such as Spike, the virtual assistant – basically a personified version of voice controls with very good conversational commands.

There’s also a head-up display of sorts which has its own little screen (a la Mazda) rather than using the inside of the windscreen. It works but not in the same impressive manner as some of BMW’s massive new displays. Furthermore, make sure you’re okay with conventional dial duties being split between the central screen and HUD, because there are no gauges of any kind where you’d normally find them.

The little HUD is the only remnant of tech nepotism between BMW and MINI, where the little Brit-heritage brand would get hand-me-down technology after BMW was done with it. Now though, the MINI feels razor sharp and every bit as current as any new BMW model.

MINI talks about its trademark ‘go kart-like' driving characteristics for all models which, if you’ve spent time in a kart of any description, you’ll know definitely isn’t something you’d want in a car for public roads. Thankfully, the Aceman manages to be fun to drive while balancing ride compliance and comfort rather than assaulting you like a kart.

It mightn’t be quite as sharp as the Cooper hatch, but the Aceman still feels like a MINI with fast steering, a firm but comfortable ride and a willingness to tackle corners. The slight softening of the dynamics is a deliberate and deft move, exactly as MINI engineers developed the Countryman’s ride and handling to best reflect the segment it occupies.

So, if the pinnacle of MINI dynamics is what you’re after, jump in the Cooper or perhaps wait until the JCW arrives. For the Aceman though, the edge has been blunted acceptably to correspond with its overall package.

It’s still an absolute hoot with a good shove of acceleration, the respectable 330Nm readily available at all speeds under 100km/h. It’ll really hold on in corners too but, unlike the Cooper, doesn’t encourage you to push all the way up to its limits.

And when you’re not barreling around like Mr Bean, the Aceman’s cabin is a very pleasant place to be. The choice of textiles and materials is top notch, the ergonomics strike a good balance of minimalist simplicity without being annoyingly spartan, and we love how its nostalgic retro cues have been blended with modern design.

Space in the front row is excellent and the unusually distant windscreen is not hard to get used to, while second-row accommodation is good for a car of this size.

Easily the highlight is the unorthodox circular screen, which doesn’t seem like it indulges style over function. Navigating the various functions is surprisingly intuitive and definitely won’t be a problem for the younger audience that MINI hopes to attract with the Aceman.

Customisation is a key part of the Aceman proposition. The numerous themes (seven in total) allow the interior lighting and various graphics to be altered, with particular note for the Personal and Vivid settings which colour sample a user’s photos or media selection and match the ambient lighting.

They also affect some driving characteristics such as throttle response and the synthetic sound produced according to driving style. The same crowd that love the delightfully unnecessary generated sounds will love the exterior styling, complete with LED head and tail-lights that can be switched though three different designs.

Combined with seven exterior colours included in the price and options of black or white roof combos for some, it’s unlikely you’ll ever bump into someone with the same Aceman.

Some may criticise a 7.1-second zero-to-100km/h acceleration time, while others may point the finger at a second row that probably won’t accommodate three adults, or the relatively small boot, but those criticisms miss the Aceman’s point.

It’s the middle model in every way and that goes for space and practicality, performance and price. If you’re looking for a MINI that does everything in equal measure, the Aceman aces that brief.

While the Aceman’s cabin is largely a win for space and styling, there are a couple of places it might have been improved.

We love the cool textiles and choices of material such as the fabric steering wheel spoke, but the strap it seems to pair with on the dashboard sadly has no function. How very MINI it would have been to secure a little note under the bit of saddlery, or perhaps a photo? With the large centre screen and HUD, there’s no conventional instrument cluster so why didn’t MINI take advantage of this free (but now functionless) space?

And while the interior is a continuation of the pleasing styling found in the other two models, it feels as though some highlights have been omitted from the Countryman in the name of cost saving – perhaps unsurprising in a car that’s $12,000 cheaper.

Also, the second-row space is good for a car of this size and can accommodate up to 1000 litres of stuff with 60/40-split folding rear seats. Strangely though, there is a phantom transmission tunnel intruding into the floor space – phantom because this car is an EV only and has no prop shaft that would ordinarily occupy the space.

And while we’re talking about misleading shapes, remember that this little crossover is front drive and has an only slightly boosted ride height, so it won’t go very far off-road if you let the plastic wheel arches and ‘Trail’ driving mode fool you.

Finally, we understand MINI’s positioning of a car like this – a bit of an urban warrior – but it’s likely there is a decent audience that love its styling and size but aren’t yet ready to make the EV commitment now, if ever. So unlike the MINI Cooper and Countryman, which are available in petrol and EV form, the Aceman is battery powered only.

We’re excited about the MINI line-up. The Countryman is a brilliantly well-rounded combination of practicality, style and driving fun, while the hatch is a proper MINI in size and character. For all those reasons and more, the new Aceman slots into the family perfectly.

With heaps of the same charm and design, it has a family identity but also sufficient unique touches of its own, while the driving experience it offers is typical of the brand. But where the Countryman might be a touch too large, and the three- and five-door a little too car-like, the Aceman glides in with more space but little in the way of compromise.

Don’t expect to go off-road, tow anything or take the whole family away for more than a day, but for just about everything else, the Aceman instills a wonderful sense of fun into everyday driving that’s uncommon in today’s market.

Those who want the lovely Aceman design with a petrol engine will miss out, and it’ll cost you a little more than some cheap challenger EV brands, but we think the premium will be worth paying in the eyes of many potential customers for something that so successfully shirks the norm.

2024 MINI Aceman SE at a glance:
Price: $60,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Single permanent magnet synchronous motor
Output: 160kW/330Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 49.2kWh lithium-ion
Range: 406km WLTP
Energy consumption: 14.4kWh/100km WLTP
Safety rating: Not tested

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