Lotus Emeya vs Mini Cooper

What's the difference?

As both the conclusion to this Lotus trilogy, but also a car in its own right, the Emeya earns a positive review. It was fitting that I happened to drive the brand’s three newest models in the order I did - Emira, Eletre, Emeya - because it turned out to be the most interesting way to experience them.

The Emira is the swansong for Lotus as we knew it, while also giving a hint of what is to come, while the Eletre rockets into a dramatically different realm. But the Emeya manages to combine elements of both - the dynamic edge from the Emira with the luxurious and electric influence of the Eletre - resulting in a very likeable modern sports sedan.

The new petrol Cooper range very gently evolves the upmarket Cool Britannia cliché BMW invented with the R50 back in 2001 and fostered with every iteration since.

More of the same, only slightly updated and just improved enough to justify trading the old one in. If this appeals to you, then go for it. This is the best petrol version yet. Probably.

But the Cooper’s real spark literally and metaphorically lies within the EV version.

Two very different Minis indeed.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

It may be a contemporary electric sedan, but the latest Lotus design language does have a clear visual connection to the brand’s most iconic model - the Esprit. The angular lines create a wedge-like silhouette that harks back to the 1980s Esprit, albeit with a more modern appearance.

It does also have some less glamorous angles, especially around the rear three-quarter but it certainly doesn’t fall into the trap of having the non-descript, aerodynamic shape that some EVs can.

Inside the cabin is very luxurious and premium, taking the same styling from the Eletre and carrying it over. That means a very slim instrument display and a very large central screen for the multimedia systems. 

The overall level of fit and finish is impressive and gives the Emeya an unmistakably high-end feeling.

You’ve got to hand it to BMW.

The new nose and triangular tail-light treatment on the 2013-vintage midsection look as if they were designed to all go together back in the day.

You could even mistake it for the previous Cooper EV, though side-by-side that’s less likely, since the latter ditches the upright windscreen for a more raked item, clamshell bonnet opening, horizontal bumper shutlines for shorter and more-angled ones, plastic wheel arch surrounds and pull-out door handles for flush units.

The wheels are further apart, the overhangs shorter and the lower-side surfacing broken up by an artful sheetmetal crease.

The overall length at 3876mm, width at 1744mm and height at 1432mm have increased by 55mm, 17mm and 18mm respectively over the old model, but the 2495mm wheelbase stays the same.

And that’s not all.

Even though the Emeya carries over much of the same interior design as the Eletre SUV, it’s still not the most practical sedan.

There are two cupholders in the centre console, a small shelf underneath the wireless smartphone charging pad and a centre console box, but aside from that, there’s no other significant storage space in the front.

The door pockets are quite narrow and while very plush, the cabin feels more like a sports car than a luxury limo.

The multimedia system, which runs through a 15.1-inch HD OLED screen looks very slick and is fairly easy to use, but does take a couple of days to get comfortable with it completely.

Where the Emeya impresses inside is with its space, the front seats are comfortable and offer good support, but in the back there’s a generous amount of room.

This is thanks to the length of the Emeya, which is why it looks a little awkward from some angles externally but it has allowed Lotus to create more internal room.

The Emeya is nearly 200mm longer than the Taycan overall and in its wheelbase, creating more legroom in the rear for passengers.

Those in the back also get access to a small screen to control the air-conditioning, recline their seats and even adjust the glass roof between opaque and clear. There’s also two USB-C ports and a pair of cupholders in the central armrest.

The previous Mini 3DR featured a messy and quite overbearing dashboard design from 2013 that’s aged about as well as Robin Thicke’s videos from that year.

In contrast, the new model's is far simpler and less protruding, dramatically boosting the sense of space and light.

That said, all four occupants still sit low, with an upright windscreen ahead and beside high window sills. There’s an oversized, circular screen in the middle of a pared-back dash and a neat row of toggle switches below. It’s still pure Mini in theme.

As before, there’s enough space for even the tallest people up front, reflecting the British icon’s German packaging, with plenty of head and legroom, as well as ample width. It’s only when you jump from the EV to the petrol Cooper that you realise this feels noticeably narrower.

All Coopers regardless of fuel share the 240mm (9.4-inch) central OLED display. It might seem like visual overload at first glance, with so much going on, but after a brief period of familiarisation, the touchscreen becomes a cinch to decipher and navigate. The colour-coded driving modes, pleasingly slick screen swipe action and ultra-crisp graphics are especially noteworthy.

Revel, too, in the twist engine starter and toggle gear selector actions, that also save space and are super natural to operate. This is button-lite dashboard de-cluttering done right.

As with the previous model, the Mini’s driving position has you sitting upright, but it’s comfortable enough on the S’ sports seats we sampled this on, and everything is within reach. There’s sufficient storage. The ambient mood lighting is fun. And kudos for the deployment of animal-free materials. In fact, the Cooper’s fresh textures are quite remarkable.

We’re less fond of the glass roof with no sunlight block; there are blind spots due to the thick side pillars; and some of the lower-placed plastics do not seem $60K’s worth in a supermini this expensive.

Rear-seat access isn’t graceful, with a narrow aperture to squeeze past and a slow-moving electric seat to wait for, but that should surprise nobody given this car’s size. There’s enough space for two adults and not much else really. It’s pretty basic back there.

And even further back, Mini quotes just 210 litres VDA of luggage capacity, rising to 725L with the twin backrests dropped.

Don’t forget, though, that no spare wheel exists. Just an ever-fiddly tyre repair kit.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the Cooper…

For the duration of the original BMC/BLMC/Leyland/Austin/Rover era, the Mini was often the cheapest new car around. We’re talking bare bones motoring here, for the people.

Obviously, BMW bothers with no such democratic notion today.

The new Cooper comes in two models differentiated by engine size – the C with a 115kW 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo and S with a 150kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo. Both are carryover units, and automatic only, sadly. 

Which helps explain why the base C Core starts from a steep $41,990 (all prices are before on-road costs). Much the same car cost $10K less just five years ago.

The Core includes climate control air-conditioning, an OLED circular touchscreen, a head-up display, a reverse camera, parking sensors, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, DAB+ digital radio, a smartphone charger, ambient lighting, a heated steering wheel, 17-inch alloy wheels and a basic cruise control set-up.

You’ll need to step up to the $44,990 Cooper C Classic for adaptive cruise control, a surround-view monitor, interior camera, 'augmented reality' satellite navigation, front seat warmers, seven rather than four colour choices, 18-inch alloys, a glass roof and more.

'Sun Protection Glazing' for the latter, along with a Harmon/Kardon premium audio system, John Cooper Works (JCW) sports seats with electric adjustment and memory, fancier interior materials and a broader palette of options are part of the Cooper C Flavoured package from $47,990. 

Meanwhile, the more-powerful Cooper S auto bypasses Core and kicks off with the Classic from $49,990, Favoured from $52,990 and the JCW Sport from $54,990.

The latter includes a JCW body/interior styling, steering wheel and stripes, along with adaptive suspension, paddle shifters and uprated brakes.

Going for the 5DR Cooper equivalents adds $2000 to the price.

All up, then, with drive-away pricing, the Cooper before options is priced between $47,000 and $63,000.

Obvious rivals are the Audi A1, Fiat/Abarth 500, Citroen C3 and even Suzuki Swift Sport, though alternatives with a retro bent and driver focus might also be in BMW’s crosshairs, including the Toyota GR86, Subaru BRZ, Mazda MX-5, Ford Mustang and Nissan Z.

The switch to electrification means Lotus has been able to share the same powertrains from the Eletre with the Emeya. Not that it’s a bad thing from a performance perspective, with the Emeya and Emeya S dual motors making 450kW and 710Nm.

The Emeya R gets more powerful motors - producing a seriously impressive 675kW and 985Nm - and a two-speed transmission for faster acceleration.

Lotus claims the Emeya and Emeya S can run 0-100km/h in a rapid 4.1 seconds, while the Emeya R takes just 2.7 seconds. Top speed for the Emeya is 250km/h, while the R is slightly faster at 256km/h.

Compared to the previous model, the new one brings more performance to the table.

The Cooper C uses BMW’s 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine, and pumps out 115kW of power at 6500rpm and 230Nm of torque from 1500rpm to 4600rpm. Previously it was 100kW and 220kW.

With a power-to-weight ratio of 91.3kW per tonne, it’s enough for a zero to 100km/h time of 7.7 seconds (previously 8.1s), on the way to a 225km/h top speed.

Mounted transversely, it drives the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT).

It’s still difficult to imagine Mini buyers not outraged by the manual’s disappearance. But don’t worry. There’s always the Suzuki Swift.

Stepping up to the Cooper S, you’ll find a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol unit delivering a useful 150kW at 6500rpm and 300Nm between 1450rpm and 4500rpm. It was 141kW/280Nm in the old version.

Boasting 117kW/tonne, this one needs just 6.6s to 100km/h and can achieve a 242km/h V-max.

Now known as the FAAR platform, it is an evolution of BMW’s UKL (Untere Klasse, German for ‘lower class’) modular architecture that debuted in the previous model.

Suspension is via MacPherson-style struts up front and a multi-link independent rear end.

All three Emeya variants share the same 102kWh lithium-ion battery and 800-volt architecture. Lotus claims the entry-grade and Emeya S models have a WLTP range of between 500-610km, while the more powerful R can manage between 435-485km. Thanks to its lower, sleeker body that’s approximately 75km and 35km more than the equivalent Eletre.

Lotus also claims the Emeya is one of the fastest charging EVs on the market today, capable of going from  10 to 80 per cent capacity in just 14 minutes when using a 400kW DC fast charger. 

The new Coopers enjoy a drink more than before. By almost half a litre per 100km more, in fact.

Rated at Euro6 and running on 95 RON premium unleaded petrol, the Cooper C averages 6.0L/100km (F56: 5.6), while the more-powerful Cooper S ups that to 6.3L/100km (F56: 5.8).

In terms of carbon dioxide emissions averages, this translates to 137 and 145 grams per kilometre, respectively. With a 44L fuel tank, the potential range-average is up to around 730km.

When I drove the Eletre I was struck by the challenges of making modern electric vehicles feel unique and special across each brand. There is a ‘generic’ level of performance that makes it hard to tell the difference between a Lotus or BMW or another EV. 

That’s noticeably less of an issue with the Emeya, which may be bigger and heavier than the brand’s former sports cars, but it does have a surprisingly agile and responsive chassis when you get it out on the open road.

Lotus may be leaning on Geely for its EV knowledge, but when it comes to ride and handling, the British brand has a deep well of talent and experience to draw from.

Does it feel as agile and dynamic as the Emira or an Exige? Of course not, but it is a genuinely enjoyable and engaging car to drive. Certainly compared to its direct rivals, the Emeya has no trouble holding its own on a challenging section of winding road.

So far, similarities in design, packaging, dashboard presentation and suspension layout suggest that the electric Cooper and petrol Cooper would be like fraternal twins from behind the wheel.

But in reality, the petrol-powered Mini feels much the same as the previous model, whilst the EV is more akin to what we secretly wish the fantasy Tesla Model 1 would be like. From the future.

Now, we never had a chance to drive the Cooper C, but the closely-related (though larger and heavier) Countryman C sibling – complete with the same powertrain – proved to be a willing and feisty performer once on the go, after what seemed like protracted turbo and DCT lag.

Why the hell can’t Mini just offer manuals again?

The Cooper S, meanwhile, completely lived up to brand expectations, with the familiar, revvy snarl of BMW’s sophisticated 2.0-litre four-pot turbo providing punchy of throttle response and effortless cruising capability, though there’s still some initial acceleration hesitation.

Thankfully, the Mini’s steering is always alert, offering precision and agility by the bucketful, backed up a chassis that seems permanently glued to the road – even in the wet and wintry conditions we had to endure.

Yet, other than a ride quality that seemed better than any previous-gen Mini we’ve ever encountered and so genuinely surprised us, the Cooper S seemed a little… stale compared to the glorious SE EV we had just (reluctantly) surrendered.

A bit like having a favourite dish as leftovers for two nights in a row, it felt a bit passé in 2024, even when surrounded by that dazzling OLED dash and glitzy ambient lighting.

In every important metric – performance, handling, roadholding, ride quality, packaging and (particularly) refinement – the battery-powered Cooper is the more vibrant and alive option. And truer to the vision of the original’s creator, Alec Issigonis, as a result.

There are no crash-test ratings for the 2024 Cooper at the time of publishing.

The previous F56 managed four out of five stars with ANCAP. 

On the driver-assist tech front are AEB, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert with braking, rear-collision prevention, driver-attention monitor, tyre-pressure monitor, auto high beams and an exit warning.

However, at the time of publishing, no AEB operating parameter data was available.

Other safety features include adaptive cruise control with automatic speed-limit assistance from Classic-grade and up, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability and traction controls and nine airbags (front/side/head and interaction centre-front airbags).

A pair of child seat tether latches and twin ISOFIX latches are fitted within the rear seats.

Lotus Australia doesn’t offer capped price servicing, so you’ll need to discuss the on-going maintenance costs for your Emeya with your local dealer. The recommended service interval is 24 months or 30,000km.

However, every new Lotus model is covered by a five-year/150,000km warranty for the car, with eight-year/200,000km cover for the drive battery.

Like all Minis, the Cooper comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and five years of roadside assistance.

There are no set service intervals, as the car’s onboard computer will alert the driver based on condition and wear/tear. That said, we recommend going every 12 months or 10,000km, just to be on the safe side.

Mini also promotes several prepaid service plans on its Australian website. According to BMW, “… both new and used Mini owners can upgrade to a MINI Service Inclusive plan for 5-years/80,000km (whichever comes first).”