Mini electric hatch gets makeover, driver assist upgrade

BMW has announced that its Mini electric hatch will get some new exterior and interior design tweaks and driver assistance upgrades from March 2021 in the UK, and in the second-half of 2021 in Australia.

First introduced to Australia in September and priced from $59,990, the Mini electric hatch is the iconic British brand’s first foray into pure electric mobility.

A multi-tone roof, refined design to emphasise the new adaptive LED headlights and honeycomb radiator grille, and an “S” logo to replace the previous Mini plug logo are just some of the new changes that bring the all-electric two-door Mini in line with the latest combustion engine variant.

In particular, the multi-tone roof is available exclusively in a blue to aqua to black gradient, made possible by a new paintwork technique according to BMW. A plain metallic grey rooftop is also available for those not choosing the Island Blue metallic body colour.

The gradient roof is complemented with similar shading on the bonnet and side of the Mini and is matched with toned down light-alloy wheels with the familiar “plug” design, as opposed to the first edition’s bright yellow bordered colouring.

Gone also are the bright yellow mirrors, replaced with black exterior mirror caps, bringing a more understated look to the Mini electric hatch.

Inside, the light grey upholstery and anthracite roof lining reflect the new styling, while a new equipment package enhances driver comfort and connectivity, including a heated steering wheel for cold hands in winter.

Provided as standard is Mini’s connected navigation package, which can be upgraded to a “plus” package to add a heads-up display, telephony with wireless charging and Mini Connected XL features.

In addition to the new design and connectivity/comfort options, BMW says it is also adding new driver-assist features.

These include lane departure warnings, designed to alert the driver with steering wheel vibrations if leaving the lane unintentionally.

Also included – importantly in this writer’s opinion, given the attention needed on the highway when one-pedal driving – is active cruise control, which now comes with a stop and go function for the first time to enable the Mini to come to a standstill if required.

Once the car is stopped, the driver needs only touch the accelerator pedal again to recommence driving using the same speed and distance controls, a move that should give more driver confidence both in traffic and on the high road.