Mini is one of these brands that transcends the automotive world and is now an inherent part of pop culture with its unique take on life. It all started with a fun little 3-door mini, but the company recently introduced a pretty big countryman and it also gained great traction. And now we have Aceman, which should fit nicely into the gap between.Today we are testing the Mini John Cooperworks Aceman E, the most powerful version of the compact crossover. Measuring just 4m in length, it should fit well into city life while still providing noticeably more room than the regular mini. The mini wants its design and maximization of space to mean that the Aceman will compete with vehicles that are much larger than that. The JCW E produces 258 hp and 350nm, which are sent exclusively to the front wheels.
The Aceman is also the first mini model developed only with electric powertrains, with no petrol alternatives offered. The design language of the mini has gradually evolved from being round and cheerful to being more sharp and aggressive. The Aceman is still unmistakably mini, thanks to its high mounted headlights and large front grille, but the added angle has a front end. The Necha electric Aceman hardly needs such a large opening for cooling, so the grill itself is almost decorative. Its shape maintains the familiar mini-face, but from several angles, not a small performance crossover, but from the open-mouth fish-like side, Aceman retains the well-known boxy proportions and can easily be mistaken for a big redneck at a glance.
John Cooper works lower front door installing badges to help distinguish this Version from the usual model. The door handles are neatly integrated into the body to improve aerodynamics and avoid the inconvenience of a fully flush or motorized design found in some competitors, while being simple to use. JCW exclusive wheels complete the look wrapped in 225/40r 19 hankook ion evo R tires. It's not good in either category, but it's designed to balance sporty handling with efficiency. But R accumulates noticeably Performance compared to standard ion evo. At the rear, the Aceman is definitely mini, especially if the taillights are configured to show a union jack pattern. A large Aceman inscription extends across the tailgate, clearly indicating a particular mode.
The steering wheel shares most of its controls with other modern mini and BMW models, but the lower spokes are somewhat similar to other wise fairly ordinary designs. Behind the wheel is a boost paddle, which usually requires a gear shifter. When you pull it, Aceman JCW E will give you a kick for overtaking and unlock its full power for ten seconds. Curiously, there are clusters of traditional instruments. The mini serves absolutely no purpose beyond the interesting looking you might expect either Decorative leather straps Optional head-up display on the dashboard prefer to have both partially compensated but still the same material, it is a dress that causes an even bigger problem. It extends to Asia. During the long journey, the elbows of our reviewers were visibly scratched from being constantly resting against a rough surface.
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Quirky design is one thing, but the interior should probably not hurt you physically. In the center is the representative circular OLED display of the Mini. It looks very cool, but it also shows why rectangular screens dominate the market. Many apps struggle to make good use of the circular format and seem awkwardly adaptable. The mini is controlled via a dedicated toggle along with the ignition switch, gear selector and audio control, and calls its drive mode "experience" and another button deals with defrosting and hazard lights. There are also camera and driver assistance menu shortcuts, making it relatively easy to disable individual systems in case they become cumbersome with the chime. Sadly, the icon shows a common car, not a mini. Details, probably, but what separates a run-mill product from a project with a detail-oriented passion? The center console is large, but not particularly useful. It provides wireless phone charger, 2 USB-C ports, 12V socket and 2 cup holders.
Unfortunately, small drinks have the habit of tipping in the first corner or pothole. Then there's the armrest that feels like it's borrowed from the cheapest office chair a mini can find. It can't be adjusted, but the small storage compartment below opens away from the screwdriver and is too shallow to hold much of the useful stuff. For vehicles aimed primarily at female customers, it is a great disappointment that the mirror on the sun visor does not provide lighting and is useless at night. One of the optional features that we really like is the illuminated panoramic roof. It looks Excellent at night, the conventional sliding cover will thankfully remain available to protect against unwanted sunburn but brighten the cabin during the day. The JCW seats also feature a unique design that separates them from the less Aceman version.
They provide decent support through the corners, without being uncomfortable on a long journey. Unfortunately, synthetic leather is obviously cheap in appearance and feel, which is hard to forgive at this price, Especially in the range topping models. Smaller occupants will feel completely, but it is reassuring that even larger individuals can take advantage of Aceman. The only notable omission is the rear center armrest. It added some welcome comfort without the need for a lot of space and the mini would have felt like an easy occasion simply missed. Given Aceman's compact appearance, the cargo space is actually quite respectable. The volume of the trunk is 300l, which is not much lower than the physically large direct rivals.
The floor maximizes space for bulky items or for small objects that don't want to roll around while driving, with additional con folding rear seats, Aceman expands capacity to 1,005, making Aceman significantly more useful for transporting large items. In particular, the entire space can be utilized thanks to flat flooring with folded seating. But there's no Frank that would have added a bit more everyday practicality for charging cables or small belongings. Mini has traditionally built its reputation around fun, responsive cars, backed by decades of rally and track success. But Aceman feels far from its legacy. The best way to describe the driving experience is safe. The body remains impressively stable through the corners with very small rolls, but the steering is very numb, so meaningful feedback is more difficult than it should be, even if you place the car accurately, forget to find the limit.
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Some boats communicate more clearly through the rudder, but this is especially disappointing given how eager the previous mini-models were to feel. While this criticism applies to much of the current lineup, Aceman is the worst offender. The low-mount battery helps maintain a structured body, but the combination of raised car height, substantial weight and compact footprint Apple CarPlay is probably the worst. It appears as a small square in the center of a large circular display, making navigation and smaller interface elements unnecessarily difficult to read. The result somehow makes the brand new mini feel older than it actually is. Our particular test car also had connectivity issues and refused to automatically reconnect to our phone when we entered. Each new drive required a separate long connection process, which was frustrating very quickly. Basic climate control like temperature
Seat heating remains permanently accessible around the edge of the display. It is necessary to open a climate menu dedicated to more detailed adjustments.This is not intuitive and is especially inconvenient for operation while driving. The home screen itself is logically located, and there are shortcuts that lead to commonly used settings and menus. It's detailed, engaging and understandable, but insanely noticeable delays undermine much of its good work. The mini offers extensive visual customization depending on the experience you choose. Some settings are pure in terms of design, while others change the driving characteristics. Unfortunately, ambient lighting is tied to these experiences, so sometimes you have to choose between the necessary
Driving settings and preferred cabin atmosphere. On the positive side, each experience receives its own graphics, sound and visual theme, which gives it a noticeably more personality than the usual drive mode selector. The mini and BMW made considerable efforts to make up for the lack of engine noise. Artificial sounds are one of the more comfortable examples currently available, and there is a simulated gearshift babble that stays calm during normal driving and becomes more energetic when the boost function is activated, even for a little extra theatre. The test car did not have a game hub installed, so the "Connect console controller" option was embedded in the menu, and the cabin of the Mini Aceman JCW E is not particularly insulated and is among the big EVs at most speeds. But a good built quality compensates for the subjective feeling of tranquility.
Tires bring the most noise at low speeds, but the wind enters more prominently when speeding on the highway. Despite being a performance version of the Mini Ace Man, the JCW E remains a FWD crossover with a little over 250 horsepower. But the Aceman JCW E can beat the time and sprint mentioned by the manufacturer from 0 to 100km/h in 6.1 seconds. This is not late, and unless you have a serious AWD rival against you, aceman is perfect for daily pulling from the stoplight. The brakes of recent BMW and mini models are notoriously inferior. But Aceman reverses that story and brakes confidently at just 35m (104'10"). This is great for your safety, especially given that we repeated the test 4 times with the same score the Aceman JCW E is a purely efficient vehicle and ranks among the most efficient Suvs and crossovers we have ever tested.
With just 49.2kWh of usable battery capacity, Aceman cannot translate that robust efficiency into a class leading range. It's more than capable of dealing with daily commutes and city driving, but long journeys require considerable planning. With a peak charge rate of just 95kw, the mini Aceman JCW E is far from a record setter when it comes to charging. Its relatively small battery needs a little more charging from 80% to 30% takes more than 10 minutes, which in itself is not terrible. The problem is that many rivals are now able to replenish a fairly large battery in half the time. With such a new model, the charging performance of Aceman has already crossed the generations. In the crowded compact crossover segment, the Mini Ace Man is struggling to stand out on paper.
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