Slide into the Aceman it’s all unmistakably Mini, and very familiar to the Cooper hatch. The huge, circular OLED touchscreen dominates the cabin, which is swathed in textured, woven fabrics complete with bright colours that fade into more muted blues or blacks.
Sure, maybe the peculiar belt that adorns the dash behind the steering wheel on those cars with a head-up display is a bit much, but there’s no doubt that Mini makes a fantastic interior; high class, yet quirky and interesting. In the small car classes, Mini currently has the best perceived interior quality and design flair, and that’s no doubt one of the most compelling reasons to buy one.
The touchscreen’s graphics are fantastic, and it’s generally easy to use with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – although some of the car’s settings can be tricky to find as they’re hidden two or three menu layers deep. More important is that you don’t get a speed readout in the driver’s eyeline on the lower two trims of the Aceman E – you have to add the head-up display, which is part of the £2,000 Level 1 pack (standard on every Aceman SE). Sure, that pack also brings heated seats, keyless entry and adaptive LED headlights, but it’s still annoying to have to add it to avoid relying solely on the speed readout that’s permanently visible at the top of the touchscreen display.
The driving position is good, and has enough adjustment and space to suit tall drivers. There’s definite a ‘big car’ feel of composure and solidity to the Aceman’s forward cabin, so we’ll even forgive it for having the air-con temperature controls in the screen.
As for practicality, the Aceman may disappoint a bit if you’re looking for a small family car. The rear seats can seat three across if you’re willing to squeeze in, but legroom is a bit tight. You’ll get a short adult or child in there okay, but expect lots of muddy scuff marks on the back of the front seats, and there’s no centre armrest.
The boot gets 300 litres of space, so will be fine for a lightweight buggy or a couple of cabin bags, and the seats fold in a 60/40 split if you need them to, but the Lexus LBX has usefully more space with its 400-litre boot, and the Kia EV3 (granted, also a chunkier car at 4.3m long but available at a similar price) is way roomier for passengers and luggage, not to mention has a longer driving range.
