What do you get when you cross a MINI Cooper and a MINI Countryman?
Well, the firm - owned and operated by BMW since 2001 - has just answered that very question by unveiling the new MINI Aceman.
Update: Since this article was first published, we've now driven the MINI Aceman. Read our full review of the new MINI Aceman here.
It’s described as a mid-size crossover that sits slap-bang between the two on size, making it a mid-range option within the MINI family (and effectively a replacement for the outgoing MINI Clubman), and it’ll be offered exclusively with an all-electric powertrain.
2024 MINI Aceman: Price, specs and release date
- 2024 MINI Aceman: styling and dimensions
- 2024 MINI Aceman: interior design and practicality
- 2024 MINI Aceman: motors, batteries and dynamics
- 2024 MINI Aceman: price and release date
2024 MINI Aceman: styling and dimensions
As the brand name suggests it should be, the MINI Aceman will be a VERY compact crossover. Measuring 4,070mm in length, 1,754 in width, and 1,514 height, it’ll be about the same size as a Vauxhall Corsa, but a bit taller.
At the front, the design is dominated by the angular LED headlights and a blanked-out octagonal front grille, sitting on top of a distinctive upright nose.
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Down the sides, there's the classic two-box design that gives an SUV-like look, with recessed door handles keeping the lines clean. You’ll also notice the short overhangs at both ends of the car, conveying an impression of squatness and stability, while the squared-off wheelarches also have black plastic cladding for a more rugged look. This same cladding runs along the side sills and up into the doors for even more ruggedness.
At the rear end, you’ll see that the contrasting colour of the roof gives it a ‘floating’ effect, and that there’s a sporty rear roof spoiler sitting over the rear window. MINI’s traditional Union Flag motif can be found within the modestly proportioned rear lights, which sit either side of the tailgate, and the looks of the rear end are finished with yet more plastic cladding and a decorative skid plate.
Three trim levels are offered, these being Classic, Exclusive and Sport. Each comes with a different choice of colours for your paint, contrast roof and various other exterior styling elements.
2024 MINI Aceman: interior design and practicality
Somewhat predictably, the interior of the Aceman will be very reminiscent of MINI’s other recent models. It has the same patterned textile finish on dashboard and door trims, interspersed with brightly coloured trim pieces. The seats are trimmed either fully or partly in synthetic leather, depending on the trim level you select, while the colour schemes and patterns on offer also differ between the trims.
The minimalist interior layout is dominated by the same 24cm central circular touchscreen OLED display that we’ve encountered in other Mini models, running the same MINI Operating System 9 software. We’ll be honest: when we’ve encountered this system in other MINI cars, we’ve had reservations over its user-friendliness.
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It looks fab, with sharp graphics and slick animations, but the screen is cluttered with too much information (the one screen acts as your instruments as well as your infotainment interface), while quite a few functions are buried deep within submenus that are themselves signposted by ambiguously designed icons.
Just below the central screen sits a toggle bar that contains the gear selector, parking brake switch, starter switch, stereo volume control, and the switch for selecting the various MINI Experience Modes, with a handful of other switches placed just below, and that’s about it for switchgear. And yes, that means that your ventilation system must be controlled through the touchscreen rather than with physical buttons and switches.
Despite the car’s compact dimensions, MINI insists that there’s plenty of room in each of the Aceman’s five seats - although we’ll have to wait and see how spacious it really is - and there’s a modest 300 litres of boot space as well. Cargo capacity can be extended to 1,005 litres by folding down the 60/40 split rear seats.
