2020 Mini Convertible Reviews

The cost of electric cars is coming down at last and it’s happening fast, too, with big brands slashing prices.

Electric cars come in all shapes and sizes these days, but arguably the most logical shape is the hatchback. Why? Well, as much as Australians love SUVs and bigger luxury cars, the humble hatch makes the most efficient use of space. And if you’re going to buy an electric car, it makes sense to be concerned about efficiency.Thankfully, in contrast with an overall decline in the small-car market, there is an increasingly diverse range of battery-powered hatchbacks to choose from. The list of hatchback electric cars is getting longer each month with new brands jumping into the fray.And while space and size are key attractions of the electric hatch, there is another element that makes them popular - price. At the time of publication the most affordable electric car you can buy is an EV hatchback, opening up the nascent market for more people.One excellent example is the much-praised MG4, which has emerged not only as one of the better selling EVs in the country but is on track to be one of the most popular small cars over all. In 2023, it out sold the likes of the Subaru Impreza and Honda Civic and is trending upwards in 2024.Yet another reason why electric hatches are gaining popularity in Australia is availability, with those willing to look beyond an SUV discovering a good supply of electric hatchbacks in Australia.This is because of the volume of choice and diversity of models, with at least eight examples already in showrooms and more planned to follow in the near future.The biggest questions are what is the future of electric hatchbacks expected to look like in Australia?The answer to the question is more choice for smaller, more affordable EVs, but there is also likely to be more crossover between a true hatchback and a modern crossover. Models like the Renault Megane E-Tech and Volvo EX30 blur the lines between a hatch and an SUV but that appears to be a future trend.One key element missing from the market is a Tesla hatchback, and that would be a potential game changer. The American brand has repeatedly hinted at adding a hatch, likely to be known as the Model 2, as a cheaper offering to sit beneath the Model 3 sedan.In the shorter-term there are several new EV hatches likely to be hitting Australian roads in the not-too-distant future, including the Volkswagen ID.3, Peugeot e-208 and Renault 5 E-Tech.Not that we need to gaze longingly into a crystal ball to look for the next small EV. Below is a list of the best electric hatchbacks on the Australian market at the time of publication.Ranking the list of available electric hatchbacks by price is no easy task thanks to the highly competitive nature of the market at this moment in time.MG announced its small car would be the cheapest EV at $39,990, only for BYD to undercut it within days, and then GWM joined the party. It only gets more confusing thanks to a series of drive-away deals, such as the one GWM is currently (at time of publication) offering on its (not-at-all-a-Mini-why-do-you-ask) Ora small car.Its original asking price of $39,990 drive-away has been slashed to $35,990, making it the cheapest EV you can buy. For the money, you get up to 310km of driving range on a single charge and 126kW of performance.If you’re looking to Build Your Dreams of an electric car on a budget, then the Dolphin is for you. It arrived with a bang, sporting the lowest sticker price of any EV in Australia by starting at $38,890, which undercut the Ora and MG4 by $100 - at least on paper, at the time. However, the Chinese brand is offering a drive-away price of $41,490, which makes it more expensive than the GWM and MG in this current price war.For that money you get a Dolphin Dynamic, a small car with space for five, a 70kW/180Nm electric motor and a battery good for 340km of driving range. There’s a Dolphin Premium, with a 150kW/310Nm motor and 427km of range (plus bigger wheels, two-tone paint and other extras) but that’s an additional $6000.The price of the MG4 is another moving target in the battle for affordability being fought out amongst the three Chinese carmakers. It has floated up and down, reaching as low as $39,990 drive-away for the run-out sale of 2023 examples, but was sitting at $43,131 drive-away for the 2024 model at the time of publication.It’s a spacious and practical small car, with 350km range from its 51kWh battery and a 125kW motor for the entry-level Excite 51 model that has the sharpest price.There are three more variants in the range, the 64kWh and 77kWh standard models and the MG4 XPower electric hot hatch. The latter boasts impressive performance credentials, with 320kW/600Nm and 400km of range for $63,973 drive-away.The fully electric hatchback that arguably started it all, the Leaf was the first mainstream small EV hatchback that was broadly accepted in the local market (with apologies to the Mitsubishi i-MiEV) way back in 2012, when the Tesla Cybertruck wasn’t even a glint in Elon Musk’s mad eyes.Even though a second-generation model was introduced in 2018 (which was largely a makeover) the Leaf is starting to show its age in terms of both design and technology.The standard model is equipped with a 39kWh battery that’s only enough for 270km of range and it powers a 110kW motor. There’s a more powerful Leaf+ available, which gains a 58kWh battery to boost range to 385km.Its official list price is $50,990, but in a bid to keep up with its newer competition, Nissan Australia is offering it for $39,990 drive-away for the standard model and $49,990 drive-away for the Leaf+.If you’re looking for a truly compact electric car then look no further than this pint-sized city runabout. Fiat has managed to keep the tiny dimensions of the petrol-powered 500 and package up an all-electric powertrain inside a stylish small car.It’s not a cheap proposition at $52,500 plus on-road costs, which makes it a premium EV by many standards, but it is well-equipped for the price and does give you a more upmarket feel than most of the cars on this list.It doesn’t have a particularly powerful motor, just 87kW/220Nm, but it certainly feels zippy on the road. Being so small it can’t fit lots of batteries, so the range is limited to just 311km, which does limit it to being more of an urban EV rather than something for long-distance drives.If you like the Fiat but want something sportier, you can consider the Abarth 500e. The Italian brand’s performance division has wound up the power to 113.7kW/235Nm and added a sound generator for a more exciting driving experience.It carries a price premium, too, starting at $58,990 (plus on-road costs) for the Turismo and $60,500 for the Scorpionissima variant.The British brand may not be thought of in the same sentence as Tesla and Polestar, but it is surprisingly ahead of the curve when it comes to EVs. It has just launched its second-generation electric Cooper hatch with an electric Countryman and Aceman to follow soon.It’s arrived with a sharp $59,830 drive-away price for the Cooper E and $65,040 for the more potent Cooper SE, no doubt helped by the brand’s decision to share development and production with GWM.The Cooper E boasts 135kW and a 305km range, with the Cooper SE boosting those numbers to 160kW and 402km.While Volkswagen awaits its first EVs, its Spanish off-shoot is already leading the way with its electric hot hatch. While it’s significantly more expensive than the first cars on this list, it comes with more features, equipment, performance and range to help justify the extra ask.Key amongst its performance credentials is the fact it’s rear-wheel drive, something few other hatches can claim. It’s powered by a 170kW/310Nm motor to provide hot-hatch levels of speed and has a 82kWh battery that provides an impressive 511km of claimed driving range.

Mini has given a preview of its next-gen hi-po hot hatch, the John Cooper Works ahead of an official debut at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring endurance race starting May 30. For the first time, Mini is making the focused John Cooper Works spec available on electric models as well as petrol. Full powertrain and chassis details are yet to be revealed. Mini has yet to confirm when the Cooper S John Cooper Works will arrive in Australia. The rest of the range, priced from $41,990-$58,990 before on-road costs, is expected to land in the third quarter of the year.The red and white camouflage livery is made up of the outlines of the world racetracks and is said to be reminiscent of the red and white colour scheme of the 1964 Monte Carlo Rallye winning original Mini piloted by Paddy Hopkirk. Despite the camo, it’s pretty easy to see the changes made to the John Cooper Works. Don’t expect them all to make production, though, as #317 has been prepared to compete in the SP 3T category of the ‘N24’ endurance race by Bulldog Racing . The wider gloss black wheel arch covers are production items, as are extra intakes on the front bumper’s flanks to cool the brakes and tyres. Inside the new octagonal grille design there are cut outs to feed radiators, again the real deal. At the back, the John Cooper Works gets a unique twin roof spoiler design and different rear bumper valance that’s more aggressive than regular Cooper S models. Inside there will probably be red stitching and bucket seats.Don’t expect to see the single centre-exit exhaust, white multi-spoke alloy wheels with slick tyres, roll cage, or functional rear diffuser for the production model.The new Cooper S John Cooper Works will retain its more hardcore focus – its rival set is more Hyundai i20 N and Honda Civic Type R buyers than Polo or Golf GTI prospectives.We anticipated tauter springs, a lower ride height, sportier tuning for the adaptive dampers, bigger brakes and a bit more bark from the exhaust on the petrol variant. The ICE model will only be available with an automatic gearbox, with manual Minis axed from last year. As for power figures, Mini has yet to confirm any details. The petrol model will use the same 2.0-litre turbo-petrol unit found in the regular Cooper S with a bit more grunt. Given the old John Cooper Works boosted power to 170kW, we’d imagine 180kW to match the Golf GTI would be a good increase. For the electric Mini John Cooper Works, guessing is a little harder. It could carry chassis revisions and continue with the SE’s 160kW/330Nm front-mounted motor and 54kWh battery pack, though we’d love to see a bit more punch. Mini hasn’t mentioned a follow up to the hardcore John Cooper Works GP for the new Cooper hatch, yet.Further details such as power and chassis changes as well as Australian pricing – expect the petrol model to start around $60K – will be revealed closer after the car’s reveal. 

Dubbed the Aceman, the little SUV will be electric-only and is sized in between the bigger Countryman SUV and smaller Cooper hatchback.

Mini Australia has detailed the next-gen version of its iconic hatchback, the Mini Cooper, set to arrive in Australia in the third quarter of 2024.

Despite its strong pivot to battery electric vehicles, Mini will not offer an EV version of its next-generation Cooper five-door hatchback when it launches later this year - but, there is a good reason for that.

Over the years, Mini’s product strategy has fluctuated from one key model to a number of niche offerings. But it looks like Mini has settled on a sustainable number of models as it enters the electric age.

The JCW - or John Cooper Works - badge has always signified something special. It's a Mini but amped up for an even more focused, and quicker drive. In the 2024 Countryman, the JCW label is applied to the biggest Mini yet. But does size matter? Or is this new-gen performance SUV the perfect model for family friendly fun?

The third-generation Mini Countryman ushers in some big changes over the old model. And size is just the beginning. It's significantly bigger than the previous version, and for the first time it gets an all-electric model. Some people don't see Mini as a family-friendly brand. But is this new Countryman the perfect electric car for a small family?

Another semi-premium electric SUV is hitting Australian shores this year to join the growing throng.