New 2024 MINI Cooper SE | The Hot Hatch of the Future?

[@barryohara8420]

Been watching your videos for a few months now and this seems to be your best and most confident review yet. Keep up the great work

[@BuckleUpShow]

Thank you so much!

[@brianknowles1727]

I to thought they had made a mistake until I looked around it and wow absolutely stunning, don't judge until you see one honestly.

[@BuckleUpShow]

It’s the same every time a new Mini comes out. You see the spy shots and even the press pictures and you think oh no, then you see one in the metal and it always looks better than you thought.

[@raider7966]

Definitely better in person. - go and see one if you are on the fence. My Cooper s SE with level 3 trim arrives in two weeks, cant wait!

[@BuckleUpShow]

Great choice! And like you say, seeing it in person can swing your opinion on the styling ☺️

[@richard7071]

I’ve ordered one, but need to wait a few months (I’m in Australia). Can’t wait.

[@BuckleUpShow]

Should hopefully be worth it! I assume you test drove one before buying?

[@richard7071]

@@BuckleUpShow none available yet in Australia.

[@mattievinh]

@@richard7071 it's been 3 months, have you got any update?

[@richard7071]

@@mattievinh I pick it up tomorrow!!

[@jh9740]

As we've just ordered one ive been watching all of the availabile videos on youtube. This is a great video nice work... the mini isnt super fast but the handling is epic imo.

[@BuckleUpShow]

Thank you! Yes, the drive is brilliant - we hope you enjoy your purchase when it arrives!

[@geecars6263]

Funnily enough I drove an identical car this weekend, and I found a few issues that you appear to have missed. You did touch on the first one very briefly; scratchy plastics. The “artificial leather” or vinyl as we used to call it, seats don’t look particularly hard wearing and the “knitted” dashboard looks like something that will be a nightmare to clean and again probably easily damaged. This is a £42,000 car and the interior plastics are shocking - cheap, scratchy and easily marked. The switchgear is of similarly poor quality, all of them, like the plastics, are reminiscent of something from a 90s Fiat. The huge screen is distracting, and having to scroll through it to find basic functions irritating. However that’s not the biggest issue; the pedals on the electric car are much closer together, something I discovered within minutes of setting off, I came to a junction lifted my foot off the accelerator, or rather tried to, it was trapped by the brake pedal. I had similar issues with trying to reapply the throttle, I kept hitting the brake. Now I don’t have particularly big feet, size 10 in a trainer, so I was puzzled by this. On returning to the dealership I checked the ICE car, and it was fine, the pedals on the Chinese car are *much* closer together, and also feel slightly offset, which is an issue. Going back to the driving experience, the noise the car makes is a cross between a vacuum cleaner and the Starship Enterprise, and as for the sound when you engage “Go Kart”, that sounds like Kenneth Williams. And don’t get me started on that blue creature, which looks like something out of Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror. The price, for what the car is, a Chinese electric car with questionable plastics, is a joke, even at £10k less it would be expensive for what it is. Even the sales staff at my local dealer were of the opinion the residuals were going to be shocking (pardon the pun), expect 1st year losses of around 50% over 10k miles, that’s over £2 a mile, meaning a 20 mile each way commute will cost £80 just in depreciation…

[@BuckleUpShow]

That’s quite the novel you’ve written there. We’ll leave it for others to comment on.

[@thanasisbert564]

Very nice and clear presentation. I hope you will do one with the ice model too.

[@BuckleUpShow]

Thank you very much! As soon as it’s available to drive, we’ll be doing a video!

[@McCrazyFish]

It has a nice aggressive stance at the back

[@BuckleUpShow]

You have a nice agressive stance at the back 😏

[@pimeye]

Great review, more from buyer's point of view rather than of a reviewer from one of the big KZbin channels, but I doubt you could carry 4 'normal' sized adults without causing extreme discomfort to the two in the rear. It is a refreshing change to have somebody give a real-life estimate of range. Shame it is £42k with the extras.

[@BuckleUpShow]

Thanks for watching! The room inside was surprising compared to the previous gen. A normal sized adult is 5’9” but if you’re over 6ft, you’re not going to enjoy it.

[@richard7071]

I’m 182cm, but my wife is only 150cm. If I’m going n the back, I’ll be sitting behind her and will probably be mildly intoxicated. Should work fine, I can fit behind her in our Fiat 500.

[@BuckleUpShow]

Having a shorter driver definitely makes it easier for tall people to sit in the back!

[@SWR112]

The problem with this exact car is with the sports pack it’s £42k and to be fair they have held performance back for possible “Works” at 0-62 what 6.7 seconds. I had a Volvo EX 30 and does 0-62 in 3.6 seconds so as they say “ just sods off” and leaves this mini standing. We have had five MINI, two currently on the drive in a hatch and Clubbie but this in non sports pack leaves us cold. But please the sound system if you actually know what your talking about in this is average are most HK systems. Experiences let’s hope it’s not artsy crap and actual useful settings like Wet, Snow, Sport, Normal and Eco….. At least they have done the regen one peddle driving right - so credit for that.

[@BuckleUpShow]

No denying, this is expensive, but it’s an electric car that’s set up for fun, the EX30 is not. Going from 0-60 gets real boring after the first five goes.

[@SWR112]

@@BuckleUpShowYou understand 0-62 is a demonstration of power right? I have had both these out myself back to back and the Volvo was just as fun to drive and could overtake anything at ease but will do 280 miles real world. The MINI the way I was driving it on highland roads and motorways was 198 which I still think was fine.

[@BuckleUpShow]

It’s not a demonstration of power at all. It’s a combination of factors of which power is one. Otherwise a Porsche 911 GT3 RS wouldn’t have the same 0-60 time as a Bugatti with more than double the power. You’re of course entitled to your opinion, but the Mini is more fun to drive than the Volvo. Fun refers to things that you can’t really measure with stats. Fun is not going from 0-60 in 3.6 seconds in a small electric crossover, and fun is most definitely not worrying about which car is more efficient.

[@richard7071]

@@BuckleUpShowor the “fizz” as James May puts it.

[@js-hl5hv]

@@SWR112 With all else the same, power to weight is the measure to look at, not just power. It is complicated by weight distribution (especially for FWD), power/torque curve and gearing. Yes, EVs have gears - but just one. Lower gear = faster acceleration and slower top speed. Gear it to 300kph, and you will do 0-60 in 15s :) The original SE has an *actual* (ie timed) 0-60 of 6.0s (with 1ft rollout, or 6.3s without). The 0-62 (0-100kph) is 6.6s, in the real world, not theoretically. I am hoping the new car is also understated, or it will be a real disappointment to any current SE drivers. I certainly am not considering "upgrading" to the J01. Nice review btw - I didn't want to sound overly pessimistic.

[@giorgos7six]

1. what on earth were the designers thinking? i can understand that they wanted to refresh and make it look sporty but where is the retro look that the mini always had? where are those amazing window, lights etc etc switches? where are the chrome details? where is the "go faster" hole in the bonnet? 2. a Tyre Repair Kit in the boot? does that mean no more Run On Flat tyres? 3. what about engine sound, even fake would be cool if theres an option to upload sounds that you could hear it roar like the R56!

[@BuckleUpShow]

1. For some reason designers are on a minimalism push and also buttons cost money (though in a car of this price that shouldn't be a problem) 2. Presumably 3. Depending on the success of the Hyundai Ioniq 5n they may implement that

[@giorgos7six]

@@BuckleUpShowthe Ioniq has the option to hear any engine sound you like?

[@BuckleUpShow]

Not any, but a selection

[@BuckleUpShow]

No, you cannot upload a sound to the 5N. You can select from a few different synthesised options though.

[@nickbarton3527]

I’ve ordered one. I actually prefer the new rear end. With the lease deal I’ve got, there isn’t much difference in price between the SE Classic and the SE Sport, but thought the Sport was trying too hard and felt a bit fake with the JCW branding.

[@BuckleUpShow]

Spill the beans, how good is your lease deal

[@nickbarton3527]

@@BuckleUpShow I’ve got access to the NHS fleet scheme, which is salary sacrifice. 3 years, zero up front, 10,000 miles pa, insurance, servicing, tires and tax on benefit in kind costs me £300 a month. SE Sport would £310.

[@BuckleUpShow]

Did you go for the Classic or Sport in the end? As long as you've gone for the SE over the E you'll benefit from the larger battery, more power and faster charging ☺️

[@nickbarton3527]

@@BuckleUpShow SE Classic. Preferred the more low key look.

[@BuckleUpShow]

Excellent choice - hope you enjoy it!

[@VgAce135]

Such a beautiful Mini. Shame that we won't get them in the US until 2027 though.

[@BuckleUpShow]

I'm surprised that MINI are going to sell this model in the US, it will seem tiny over there! 🤣

[@VgAce135]

@@BuckleUpShow idk what you mean. They already sell the Mini Cooper in the US. I have a 2024 Mini Cooper SE.

[@BuckleUpShow]

@VgAce135 turns out they do! I've learned something today 🤣🤣

[@mistercircus]

I like it

[@BuckleUpShow]

Us too! Thanks for watching!

[@mach1nefan]

I’ll be honest I miss the stupid hood scoop. But it is still a silly little car, and refined ridiculous is what makes the new Minis nice

[@BuckleUpShow]

Better no scoop than a fake one for an EV right?

[@sebastian5903]

I really like this car now but that the sun roof does not open anymore is a shame and I personally wouldn't buy this car because of that.

[@BuckleUpShow]

If the sunroof opens it makes things heavier but also decreases efficiency, which is more likely the reason.

[@scottwatson7844]

I like the looks of the new se but the price is ridiculous compared to the petrol equivalent. I own a 22 plate John Cooper Works with pretty much all options ticked and it was over ten grand cheaper brand new.

[@BuckleUpShow]

Let’s wait and see what the petrol one is going to be priced at on this new version. Remember, the Civic Type-R is now a £50k car, and the new GR Yaris went up more than £10k in price over the old one.

[@OMDF01]

How much Mini did pay you to “cream in your pants” during this review lmao! 🤣

[@BuckleUpShow]

Nothing, BMW wouldn’t lend us one, so we had to source this one ourselves. It just drives really well. Go and try it 😅

[@oraclebox]

No, at least 500ps 0-100 < 3.5s

[@BuckleUpShow]

It would be almost impossible to drive something that was FWD with 500ps in a straight line, irrespective of how good your LSD was

[@simonsteven1427]

What u get is more tech to go wrong & cost u a lot more to fix - I'll stick with my 20th century manual.

[@BuckleUpShow]

You tell ‘em

[@JasperBruceWright]

This car genuinely makes me think that I could get an EV as my daily driver

[@BuckleUpShow]

Are you sure you wouldn't rather have a Maxus T90EV?

[@JasperBruceWright]

@@BuckleUpShow unfortunately in winter I like to be able to warm up inside my car, and I've not heard particularly good things about the cabin heater in the T90 EV

[@stevezodiac491]

it doesn't look like a mini anymore, more like a suzuki swift. Worse still it's electric and the range will degrade before your eye's.

[@BuckleUpShow]

I don’t really understand this argument at all, it’s unmistakably a MINI and people who know absolutely nothing about cars would still guess that.

[@pablo23davis34]

People that are genuine mini fans know that the rear end looks nothing like a mini anymore...more like a suzuki swift.

[@BuckleUpShow]

You know language, meanings and designs can evolve over time, right?

[@Jw4be]

If only they would have kept the old variant and put in a bigger battery. That would have fixed it all… This is such a downgrade. The backlights; the seats; the fabric on the dash; no cluster. It just looks so much cheaper and has so much less character. It’s honestly very sad. I sat in one at a dealership and was really disappointed to a point where I decided to get me the previous variant and just charge a few more times 😅 Oh and the headrest of the seats was the most uncomfortable I’ve ever felt..

[@BuckleUpShow]

Clearly you've never driven an MG ZS EV

[@toyotaprius79]

It's too fecking FAT and overposhed with the most profitable features for MINI. Same with Smart. At least if there was a standalone space and cost efficient Mini car, this Cooper as a legacy model would be perfect enough. Strange though that an electric mini doesn't have a horizontal radiator.

[@BuckleUpShow]

It does weigh a little more than the previous generation of electric MINI, but not a huge amount more at around 1600kg. The increase in range due to this is much appreciated, too!

[@jfett77]

It’s a bmw 2 series

[@BuckleUpShow]

It's really not. This sits on a completely new platform developed in collaboration with GWM.

[@geetee4037]

Not sure why the boot space is considered poor. Everyone buys one knowing what's there and this is a small car so won't ever have much space. At least big guys can drive it!

[@BuckleUpShow]

Because the boot is smaller than similarly sized cars in class

[@geetee4037]

@@BuckleUpShow sure but not by enough that someone will be thinking, I definitely need that extra 5 litres of boot space... My point is, I don't think anyone has ever been bothered about boot space in a hot hatch other than they know it's going to be small. A family of four isn't going to be buying a Cooper as their main car to use for family holidays and carrying equipment so I never understand why it's considered poor.

[@BuckleUpShow]

It's 101 litres smaller than the Peugeot e-208, which is a car in the same class and available across a similar price range.

[@geetee4037]

@@BuckleUpShow cool, nobody is going to be worried about that when buying these. And usable space is the only important factor, IMO.

[@wackit6756]

No visible exhaust pipes = no sale. 😡

[@BuckleUpShow]

Why's that?

[@ENGBriseB]

Dont like the back lights plus the JWC name on a cooper S. Its looks at the back like a new Peugeot 208 and its to early with electric power.

[@BuckleUpShow]

Each to their own, we quite like it. Seeing one in the metal changes your mind it seems.

[@danryan4137]

Wow, destroyed it 😢 The back end is a disaster. I know it’s cosmetic but you need the hood scoop. Hang onto the older one.

[@BuckleUpShow]

We wouldn't ever recommend hanging onto a hood scoop, it's not a safe way to travel. Always click, clunk, buckle up

[@danryan4137]

@@BuckleUpShow To be fair, I think I gotta see one in the flesh. Who knows, my 2021’s range ain’t great.

[@BuckleUpShow]

One thing that we'd definitely say is they look better in person than we can convey in video, especially in Sport trim with the JCW bits! Plus the range of the new platform is a massive improvement on the previous generation.

[@danryan4137]

@@BuckleUpShow It was a great video I appreciate your work on this. I live 60 miles from the mini dealership I am looking forward to driving this.

[@BuckleUpShow]

Come back and let us know what you think once you've had a go! 😁

[@ardkw]

Your outfit 🔥

[@BuckleUpShow]

Trousers are from Uniqlo, T-Shirt available here: buckle-up-merch.myspreadshop.co.uk/buckle+up+orange+logo-A6015d22c1190e6733d767dec?productType=812&sellable=304NLLb5mMUvGn1koBB0-812-7

[@swissroll5133]

Were you bribed by BMW? I know literally no one who thinks that rear end looks good. I thought it was a Suzuki Swift when I first saw it 😂

[@BuckleUpShow]

BMW wouldn’t lend us a car, so definitely not. We had to source this one ourselves. The Suzuki swift has nothing on this back end. It also looks SO much better in person than any photos we've seen.

[@OkayJose]

Honestly, the rear end grew on me, and I would assume people would get used to it

[@BuckleUpShow]

Once you see it in person it's so much easier to like

[@thanasisbert564]

There are lots of people who like the new rear design language that you can't even imagine but nobody write it, only the haters, as always, and they think that are the majority. Don't mention the silly comparison with the swift... It has also round headlights so it's a Porsche 911...

[@BuckleUpShow]

🤣🤣

[@BigLebowski1337]

Poor video quality with frames being dropped as well. Get proper gear if you want to be taken serious. Content is on par!

[@BuckleUpShow]

Are you able to point us to the dropped frames please?

[@jaysworld5378]

Isn't this a 2025?

[@BuckleUpShow]

No, because we're not in 2025 yet

[@jaysworld5378]

@@BuckleUpShow funny

[@BuckleUpShow]

Are you from the US? If so, it may well be referred to as a 2025 there, as the way you guys refer to models is very different to the way other countries do so.

[@ndodandou3279]

i will stick to my 2016 mini..hate the electric part about it most and not a fan of the interior

[@BuckleUpShow]

Each to their own, but soon this’ll be the only way to buy a new one.