The 2024 MINI Cooper SE: More Range, Less Fun?

When I drove the F56-based MINI Cooper SE a few years ago, it left me grinning almost as much as the combustion engine Cooper S. You could turn off all the traction and stability aids and have a good time on a twisty road. If that twisty road was more than 80 miles away, you’d need to stop and charge the car on the way there (and again on the way back), but when you eventually arrived, it all made sense.

Having recently driven the new 2024 MINI Cooper SE, which isn’t related to the ICE model, I only experienced part of the enjoyment I felt in the older version—some of the fun has been lost. The new car is a much better EV with more range, and it won’t require charging en route to your favorite road, but once you get there, it’s not as much fun as the old F56 EV. After spending a weekend with the J01 in Cooper SE trim and driving it briskly on various roads, I have a lot to unpack. The experience left me torn between wanting the car to feel more like its predecessor and appreciating what it does better now.

More Powerful, Longer Range

My tester was a 2024 MINI Cooper SE, so it had the more powerful motor and larger battery. This gave it 218 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque, but it also weighed almost 1.7 tons, or about 3,700 pounds. The 2021 to 2024 Cooper SE borrowed its motor from the BMW i3S, making 184 hp and 199 lb-ft but weighing about 1.44 tons, or 3,175 pounds. Despite having less power, it felt quicker to accelerate, and unlike the new car, it allowed you to drive without electronic aids, which is invaluable for enthusiasts.

Setting off in both cars, the traction control light will flash as the front wheels struggle to put the power down. However, in the J01, it feels like power is being held back at low speeds. When you floor it, you get about 70% of what it can deliver, and as speed builds, the acceleration strengthens.

This is probably the more sensible and efficient approach, translating into a quicker 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time of 6.7 seconds. Yet, the old car somehow felt quicker and more eager, despite its higher claimed time of 7.3 seconds. I will concede that accelerating at higher speeds feels quicker in the new car, with a higher top speed of 105 mph compared to 93 mph in the older model.

Slightly Bigger

The 2024 MINI Cooper SE (J01) has a slightly longer wheelbase (99.5 inches vs. 98.2 inches), but I didn’t find it any more comfortable than the electric F56. To MINI’s credit, the suspension feels similarly stiff and a bit bouncy, even though the J01 is built on a completely different (and non-BMW) platform from China’s Great Wall Motor (GWM).

This platform also underpins the Ora Cat, an electric MINI rival available in some European markets. However, while the Ora has a beam connecting its two rear wheels, the MINI gets fully independent rear suspension, offering a more refined ride befitting a premium car. It’s stiff but well-damped, much like other modern BMW or MINI products.

The Driving Experience

The steering was a highlight of the F56 Cooper SE for me, regardless of powertrain. It was just as sharp and responsive in the electric model, giving the car almost telepathic steering—comparable to some supercars in this respect. There was also plenty of feedback, allowing you to accurately gauge the front axle’s grip, letting you push the car right to the edge of understeering but not beyond it. The J01’s steering was the biggest disappointment for me. It’s still quick for a modern car, and there is some feedback, but it felt considerably more inert. There is plenty of precision, and it’s accurate, but it somehow makes the driving experience feel more detached than in the F56. Drive the two cars back to back, and the difference in their steering setups is night and day.

Even though they look similar, these cars feel quite different. The J01 is unquestionably the better EV, with about 70% more range per charge, quicker charging, and an interesting interior with one of the coolest infotainment screens in the industry. You’ll love driving the J01, but if you’ve driven the electric F56 and loved it, you’ll feel like something is missing in the new car.

Not Coming To America. Yet

MINI still has time to improve the J01 before it reaches North America. With the model being built exclusively in China through a joint venture with GWM, importing it doesn’t make financial sense right now. However, MINI has confirmed plans to start production of the J01 at its UK plant in 2026, and by then, the model will receive a mid-lifecycle refresh that will hopefully restore some of the driving fun.

If there’s one area of the J01 that I can’t complain about, it’s the design. Its smoother, more monolithic look is better than the F56 (and the new F66). With a longer wheelbase and roughly the same overall length as before, as well as a slightly wider track, the J01 has a better stance and looks more planted.

There’s something about its proportions and the simplicity of its design, which, aside from the faux front grille, lacks any unnecessary details. The 18-inch wheels on my tester suited the car perfectly, and I’m fond of the new rear light design—I know it’s the most polarizing part of the J01 and F66’s design.

Overall, I liked the 2024 MINI Cooper SE a lot, but for very different reasons than the electric F56. If you want a more usable, grown-up, tech-packed EV, the new car is the way to go. It’s better and easier to live with daily. However, if you’re a driving enthusiast, there’s no substitute for the electric F56, which remains the most engaging front-wheel-drive EV ever made and one of the most fun-to-drive EVs to this day.