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2020 Mini Cooper SE gets a range estimate for America, and it's not great

After getting output and pricing details on the 2020 Mini Cooper SE electric hatchback over the past few months, we now get the critical range part of the equation, and it's disappointing. Mini only estimates 110 miles on a charge for the SE. That number isn't final, as the EPA hasn't published its official number, but we wouldn't expect it to go up or down by much. This number is also lower than the European estimate of 146 to 168 miles, but we were expecting a lower range for the States, if not quite that low. This means that the Mini Cooper SE will have a significant range disadvantage against similarly-priced competitors such as the Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Ioniq Electric. Both have base prices only a few hundred to a thousand dollars more than the Mini. The Leaf has a range of 150 miles, and the Ioniq's range has been boosted to 170 miles. Both cars are significantly less powerful, though, with the Leaf making 147 horsepower, and the Ioniq making 134 horsepower. The Mini Cooper SE's electric motor sends 181 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels. Besides the range estimate, Mini has revealed more details about trim levels and equipment. The base trim is called Signature and starts at $30,750. It includes a 6.5-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay, heated seats, LED lights and a new instrument panel screen, instead of an analog dial. In the middle is the Signature Plus at $34,750, and it adds parking sensors, sunroof, power-folding mirrors, extra ambient lighting and an upgraded sound system. Both of these trims are available in five colors including black, white, gray, red and green. The top level is the Iconic, which starts at $37,750 and further adds some interior trim and a larger 8.8-inch infotainment system with navigation. It gets a sixth color option of a dark blue, as well. The Mini Cooper SE will be eligible for the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit, as well as local tax incentives, so that will of course bring the final price down.

BMW, Mini aim to sell million cars off new FWD platform

Mini sold 301,526 cars in 2012; BMW sold 1.54 million of its own models. According to a piece in Autocar, analysts say the coming UKL1 platform that will form the skeleton of the third-generation Mini Cooper and coming front-wheel drive BMW 1 Series could be responsible for "more than 900,000 cars per year" all by itself.
That sale fire is fueled by the UKL1 wearing up to twenty-three bodies in total between the two brands, 11 for Mini and 12 for BMW, rendering hatchbacks, sedans, coupes, convertibles, wagons, crossovers and people-haulers from about 12.5 feet to 14.5 feet. In April the VP of Mini USA said we might find some current models don't make it to a next generation, but a graphic accompanying the Autocar story has them all there. If it's correct, then those 23 models will only base model lines and don't account for different engines and four-wheel-drive options for each model.
The big changes that would perhaps mean big sales for the Mini line are a five-door hatch with two smaller rear doors for children, the sedan talked about last year for Asian markets and an MPV perhaps wearing the "Traveler" name that could send the Countryman in a more SUV-like direction.

Volvo leads and Mini fails in JD Power's Tech Experience Index

New cars are basically rolling computers. Everything from the engine to the infotainment runs on a series of ones and zeros, and a lot of that technology requires input from the driver. So it's no surprise that JD Power has a study designed specifically to discern which bits of tech drivers love and which bits they loathe. "New technology continues to be a primary factor in the vehicle purchase decision," says JD Power's Kristin Kolodge, executive director of driver interaction & human machine interface research. "However, it’s critical for automakers to offer features that owners find intuitive and reliable. The user experience plays a major role in whether an owner will use the technology on a regular basis or abandon it and feel like they wasted their money." The J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study found that Volvo owners are happiest with the technology packed inside their vehicles, followed by BMW and Cadillac, all brands that JD Power classifies as premium. The highest-rated mainstream brand is Hyundai, followed by Subaru and Kia. As was the case with the organization's Initial Quality and APEAL studies, Tesla's numbers aren't officially included because they are the only automaker that has not granted JD Power approval to contact its owners in states that require it. Tesla's projected score of 593 would have put it in second place, right behind Volvo's score of 617. The lowest-ranked brand in the TXI Study is Mini, with Porsche right behind. Diving a little bit deeper, JD Power's findings suggest that the technologies new car buyers care most about are related to helping them see their surroundings better. Camera systems, including rear-view mirror cameras and ground-view cameras, scored highest in five of the six satisfaction attributes measured in the study. The technology that owners could really do without? Gesture controls. Owners who answered JD Power's survey say they don't use gesture controls much at all after initially trying them, and they don't really care if their next vehicle has them. We have to wonder if those responses might be what kept BMW out of the top spot. The TXI Study also found that owners are split on automated driving helpers, like lane-keeping assist and automatic emergency braking. JD Power suggests that owners may need more training on those systems before they learn to trust them. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences.