Tested | More than a little electric

It is the perfect city car. Small, manoeuvrable, nippy, and now in emission-free format, the trendy all-electric MINI Cooper SE adds green mobility to the iconic MINI brand. 2021 has brought a refreshed version of the pure electric model launched locally last year and finweek got first dibs at a drive.

The MINI is a car I’m familiar with. Aside from car tests, when in Cape Town I often commandeer my daughter’s MINI. Anyone familiar with Cape Town knows that small cars are particularly suited to the city’s narrow streets and tight parking spaces.

While somewhat larger than the classic Mini first introduced in 1959, the modern day MINI retains much of the original DNA, quirkiness and personality that captured the hearts of so many around the world.