I first test drove a 2020 Cooper S with an automatic transmission. It was a fun car to drive, made fun noises, and the shifts were super fast. However, the car understeers pretty badly. It is difficult to get the car to turn in.

I then immediately jumped into a BMW i3 and was really impressed. The instant torque is awesome but the very narrow wheels were very noticeable. It doesn't understeer like the Cooper S but the i3 is very fun to drive. It is super quiet too. However, it is too tall. It feels like you are in a small SUV rather than in a car.

I found a 2021 on the model the lot and it was shipped to me. In the 2 weeks it took to get the car, I was researching sway bars and braces expecting the SE to understeer like the S did.

The Cooper SE is the best combination of the i3 and the Cooper S. It does NOT understeer like the Cooper S. It is much more neutral and feels more rigid. The lower center of gravity and the stiffer struts are noticeable and welcomed. It turns in much better and the instant torque is amazing coming out of turns. I don't think a sway bar upgrade and braces are needed at all!

Compared to the S, it feels faster. If you do mainly in-town driving, the SE is the better car to drive. It is very quiet and comfortable to ride around town and when you hit the accelerator pedal, it goes instantly.

I've watched many, many videos on how the Mini Cooper SE handles and Raiti's Rides is probably the most accurate one I have found. He claims it is more fun to drive than a Tesla Model 3 and I agree.

 

Thanks for the impressions. I'm getting more and more curious about going electric for my next Mini.

I went to the dealer today to try to drive one, but the two they had were already sold. The MA said they were getting one in next month, so hopefully I'll get to try one out in a few weeks. My Countryman is 9 years old, and I'm planning to replace it next year. Trying to decide between the electric Mini, the JCW Clubman, or the JCW 2 door. Everyone at the dealer said the electric Mini is a blast, feels faster than the Cooper S, and handles better.

 

I ordered my SE last week and the dealer told us that the only ones they are getting are customer orders. If that is the case, it is unlikely they will have any to test drive. I got to look at two recent arrivals, but could no drive them since they were individual orders. From what I can tell, there will not be cars on the lot to test drive ... the only way to get one is to order it. I don't have a problem with that given the number of reviews and my familiarity with the F56.

I ordered an Iconic trim level, which is similar to what I have in my 2017 JCW ... it's an F56 MINI with a different motor and better balance. Not driving one didn't bother me at all.

 

My MA told me the same thing, that all the cars arriving are customer orders. However! She said that a customer ordered one, then they found her one in the pipeline at a different dealer due to a cancellation, and they didn't cancel the local order. They're planning to let people test drive it when it arrives. I hope it turns out to be true, but you never know.

 

My local dealership told me that if I ordered a car, it would be at least February 2021 before I would get it. I then contacted dealerships that had inventory and a couple of dealerships told me they wouldn't sell me the car they had because they had it reserved for test drives. I then found a dealership about 700 miles away that had one in stock that was interested in making money so they would sell it to me. So instead of waiting 7 months, I got my car in 2 weeks.