Mini Aceman 2026 review: SE

Price and features – Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with?

7 / 10

Shortly after the Aceman launched around a year ago Mini dropped the base E grade, leaving the SE and spicy JCW as the only grades left.

The Aceman SE lists for $60,990 before on-road costs. Another five grand will get you into the high-performance Aceman JCW.

Frankly, the SE feels plenty powerful and sporty and the features list is also plentiful.

Standard gear includes 19-inch alloy wheels, proximity unlocking, panoramic glass roof, black roof rails, JCW bucket-style sport seats, a Harman Kardon sound system, 240mm circular OLED central media display, digital radio, head-up display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, sat nav, ambient lighting, LED headlights and tail-lights.

The interior fabrics and colour styling show in the images are all standard, too.

The value is good considering the Mini Aceman is a prestige car, and you’ll pay a similar amount for entry-grade rivals such as Alfa Romeo's Junior, Volvo’s EX30 and the Zeekr X.

Design – Is there anything interesting about its design?

9 / 10

New Minis are all about design, sometimes, in my opinion, to a fault. The Aceman is very 'Mini' with its big googly eyes, little rectangular ‘grille’,  blob-like tail-lights and a side profile that resembles a house brick.

That’s how all new Minis look with each model having its own distinguishing characteristics. In the Aceman's case it has more triangular headlights than the Cooper and Countryman but more rounded tail-lights and black plastic cladding around the lower grille, wheel arches and side skirts.

Our test car is painted 'Blazing Blue', with a black roof.

Inside the upholstery is 'Vescin Dark Petrol', a kind of grey blue. The stitched dash is made of recycled polyester and is knitted in 'Dark Petrol' and orange fabric.

I like Mini interiors and I love the multitude of buttons for everything. It's a refreshing change in a world where physical dials and controls are disappearing from car cabins.

The circular OLED screen is pretty and a hat-tip to early Minis with their centre speedo.

Is the Aceman an SUV or hatch? I honestly don’t know and I’ve lived with it for a week. It’s officially classified as an SUV, but it looks like a four-door hatchback with a slightly raised ride height.

If anything the Aceman looks like a cross between the Cooper and the Countryman, not quite a hatch, not quite an SUV, but probably just right for most people.

The Aceman’s dimensions make this car seem small at 4070mm long, 1754mm wide and 1514mm tall, but considering the fairly diminutive exterior the inside is impressively spacious.

Practicality – How practical is its space and tech inside?

8 / 10

OK, the moment I typed the word 'spacious’ in that previous section on Design I had a concern. You might think the Aceman is somehow huge on the inside, but it’s not. What it is, however, is cleverly designed so as to maximise the available space and at 188cm tall I’m a good test for this.

Space up front for me in the driver’s seat is excellent, and that goes for head, elbow and legroom. The second row is cramped for me and I can’t sit behind my driving position, but my children were happy back there - one almost a teenager and the other in a child seat.

Storage is good with door pockets, a tray for rear passengers with USB ports, cupholders up front and a wireless charging nook, plus a small box with a lid between the front seats.

The boot has a 300-litre cargo capacity which isn't bad given the car’s size.

Where is the Mini Aceman made? Yes, as I said in the intro the Aceman is made in China as a joint venture between GWM and BMW.

You knew BMW owns Mini right? Of course you did.

But as for being made in China, don’t let that put you off. Some of the best electric cars I've driven all come from China and the worst… not from China.

Under the bonnet – What are the key stats for its motor?

7 / 10

The Mini Aceman is fully electric and while there is talk of a combustion version coming in the future, whether that happens or not is yet to be confirmed. Besides, an electric powertrain is perfect for the Aceman.

In the SE grade the single electric motor drives the front wheels and makes 160kW and 330Nm which is enough to fling the little rectangular beastie from 0-100km/h in 7.1 seconds.

Just as a comparison the five-door Mini Cooper S has a combustion engine that makes 150kW and 300Nm and 0-100km/h comes in 6.8 seconds.

Efficiency – What is its driving range? What is its charging time?

7 / 10

The Aceman has a 49.2kWh battery which sounds small and it is compared with larger cars, but is the same size as similar vehicles such as the Volvo EX30 (49kWh) and Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica (51kWh).

The DC charge rate of 95kW is disappointingly slow. The EX30 has up to 153kW. The AC charging speed is a standard 11kW.

Charging from 10-80 per cent using a DC charger takes 31 minutes.

Energy consumption is 14.4kWh/100km over combined driving conditions which is neither excessive nor super efficient. My own driving saw 15.4kWh, according to the trip computer.

Range is up to 406km, which also is close to rivals but could be better.

Driving – What's it like to drive?

8 / 10

There’s not a Mini model I haven’t driven in the past 15 years and the Aceman lives up to the sporty and engaging feel that makes these little cars fun to pilot, even if it’s just down the road to get milk.

Good, instant acceleration, quick steering that’s a little on the heavy side and a comfortable suspension tune that can handle quick corners while keeping the car flat makes the Aceman a liveable and enjoyable car.

A range of noises - Mini calls it a 'Sonic Universe' - provides a soundtrack to your driving and while they’re all a bit embarrassing, only one can be heard outside the vehicle and it’s not too cringeworthy.

The Mini Aceman drives like a small, sporty prestige car, meaning there’s a solid, planted feel with good handling and comfort to go with it.

And its tiny proportions makes it super easy to pilot through tight laneways and park in impossibly small places.

Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What is its safety rating?

8 / 10

The Mini Aceman was awarded the maximum five-star ANCAP rating in 2025. The safety equipment list is vast and includes tech from auto emergency braking (AEB), lane keeping assistance and blind spot warning to rear cross-traffic alert with braking, exit warning and auto parking.

The Aceman has a puncture repair kit in the place of a spare tyre.

For child seats there are two ISOFIX points and three top tether anchor points.

Ownership – What warranty is offered? What are its service intervals? What are its running costs?

6 / 10

Mini covers the Aceman with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and while that's the standard for prestige makers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz, it falls short of mainstream coverage with some brands now offering seven years or more of coverage.

The Aceman’s battery is covered by an eight-year/100,000km warranty, which is the norm right across the industry.

Mini has conditions-based servicing so rather than a specific schedule, the car's computer will tell you when it is due for a service.

Mini offers owners pre-paid service packages priced from $1575 for four years and $2360 for six years.

Verdict