What is 2025's best affordable fun EV - Alpine A290 vs Mini Cooper SE vs Cupra Born VZ
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Date: 2025-03-08
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Comments and reviews: 9
js-hl5hv
The problem I have with the MINI is it is a downgrade from the previous version in all but EV range, which anyone who owns an EV will tell you really doesn't matter for 95% of your usage. The new MINI is a lardy beast, which needed more power just to catch up the PWR of the original. Lugging more weight puts more stress through the tyres, which dulls acceleration (scrabbles for grip, and deadens handling. A real pity. Now the true JCW version with more power, and better suspension will probably tip the scales - but that is for another day.
The Born I think was best summed up in this video as a family car with a lot of power. I haven't driven one of these yet, but I think the handling is quite good for a car this size, perhaps even brilliant. It out accelerates the other two quite convincingly, and around town, that is surprisingly useful. It will be far more practical, and as such is probably the best overall, however.
The A290 is a proper hot hatch (of the three here. The only issue is you sit maybe an inch too high. Other than that, it is several hundred kg lighter than the MINI (never thought I would say that about another car, and about double to the born. You can feel that - Colin Chapman always said the best thing to add to a car is lightness. The A290 weighs a little more than the original MINI SE (which itself is 240kg lighter than the new MINI, but has more power. I think overall, it would be the most fun - and this is coming from a current owner of a MINI SE.
Which would I buy
MINI J01 SE - never. Just too heavy for a MINI. Maybe the true JCW version, but that will be expensive
Born VZ - maybe. It is the better car day to day, but maybe not around a track (which I rarely do)
A290 - Yes. A proper little hot hatch which puts a smile on your face. Just practical enough to be used day to day.
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The problem I have with the MINI is it is a downgrade from the previous version in all but EV range, which anyone who owns an EV will tell you really doesn't matter for 95% of your usage. The new MINI is a lardy beast, which needed more power just to catch up the PWR of the original. Lugging more weight puts more stress through the tyres, which dulls acceleration (scrabbles for grip, and deadens handling. A real pity. Now the true JCW version with more power, and better suspension will probably tip the scales - but that is for another day.
The Born I think was best summed up in this video as a family car with a lot of power. I haven't driven one of these yet, but I think the handling is quite good for a car this size, perhaps even brilliant. It out accelerates the other two quite convincingly, and around town, that is surprisingly useful. It will be far more practical, and as such is probably the best overall, however.
The A290 is a proper hot hatch (of the three here. The only issue is you sit maybe an inch too high. Other than that, it is several hundred kg lighter than the MINI (never thought I would say that about another car, and about double to the born. You can feel that - Colin Chapman always said the best thing to add to a car is lightness. The A290 weighs a little more than the original MINI SE (which itself is 240kg lighter than the new MINI, but has more power. I think overall, it would be the most fun - and this is coming from a current owner of a MINI SE.
Which would I buy
MINI J01 SE - never. Just too heavy for a MINI. Maybe the true JCW version, but that will be expensive
Born VZ - maybe. It is the better car day to day, but maybe not around a track (which I rarely do)
A290 - Yes. A proper little hot hatch which puts a smile on your face. Just practical enough to be used day to day.
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Janton17
I can't knock the reviewers but the cars are unbeliveably boring.
The Ioniq 5 N's fake shifts really made all other EVs just that bit more boring compared to it in my opinion.
Would it hurt the manufactures to create some good mechanical feeling gimics for your 40k hot hatch EV. It would be more tempting if I was getting more noise be it fake and engagement from the paddles like the HI5N. Hopefully the next generation of hot hatches pick up with some of these nicer developments.
They look nice, even the ID3 in a Cupra skin looks good inside and out, they just need to inject that soul to make the jump to just a hot hatch rather than EV hot hatches.
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I can't knock the reviewers but the cars are unbeliveably boring.
The Ioniq 5 N's fake shifts really made all other EVs just that bit more boring compared to it in my opinion.
Would it hurt the manufactures to create some good mechanical feeling gimics for your 40k hot hatch EV. It would be more tempting if I was getting more noise be it fake and engagement from the paddles like the HI5N. Hopefully the next generation of hot hatches pick up with some of these nicer developments.
They look nice, even the ID3 in a Cupra skin looks good inside and out, they just need to inject that soul to make the jump to just a hot hatch rather than EV hot hatches.
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paultasker7788
As a gen 2 Cooper S owner I certainly know what torque steer is. Full acceleration can be hang on for dear life. It can feel like you've got the lead of an excitable puppy to tame. And things can also get bouncy. It's involving if not especially relaxing. So the new one sounds like they've gone for a similar feel. I can fairly easily get 3 moderately sized adults in my convertible as front seat can go forward quite a way and still be comfortable for passenger but there is zero room behind the driver. That 4th person has to have no legs! Or in my case a dog.
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As a gen 2 Cooper S owner I certainly know what torque steer is. Full acceleration can be hang on for dear life. It can feel like you've got the lead of an excitable puppy to tame. And things can also get bouncy. It's involving if not especially relaxing. So the new one sounds like they've gone for a similar feel. I can fairly easily get 3 moderately sized adults in my convertible as front seat can go forward quite a way and still be comfortable for passenger but there is zero room behind the driver. That 4th person has to have no legs! Or in my case a dog.
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HIOP0
Couple of points. At the start, adding the names and roles of the drivers at Autocar at the foot of the screen, as they first appear on camera would be very helpful, especially for those with hearing issues and some of the interior footage of the MINI was very dark, no doubt partly due to the trim colours.
It's a nervy thing to do, driving, testing and talking with pinpoint accuracy about the whole experience as it unfolds, so it may take time to develop, but I'm sure it'll come with a little more time.
Look forward to more, thank you.
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Couple of points. At the start, adding the names and roles of the drivers at Autocar at the foot of the screen, as they first appear on camera would be very helpful, especially for those with hearing issues and some of the interior footage of the MINI was very dark, no doubt partly due to the trim colours.
It's a nervy thing to do, driving, testing and talking with pinpoint accuracy about the whole experience as it unfolds, so it may take time to develop, but I'm sure it'll come with a little more time.
Look forward to more, thank you.
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jakejemma99
Sorry, but how can the journo in the Mini at around the 4 minute mark bang on about clear field of vision because all the instruments have been moved to the central OLED screen, when there’s a big, obvious, albeit lowered during the time of the test, head up display evident in the dash, which I believe comes as standard in Level 2 and 3 trims. Unless readers are in the know, they’ll think Mini has gone the Tesla Model 3 route and many people aren’t keen on that. Just saying.
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Sorry, but how can the journo in the Mini at around the 4 minute mark bang on about clear field of vision because all the instruments have been moved to the central OLED screen, when there’s a big, obvious, albeit lowered during the time of the test, head up display evident in the dash, which I believe comes as standard in Level 2 and 3 trims. Unless readers are in the know, they’ll think Mini has gone the Tesla Model 3 route and many people aren’t keen on that. Just saying.
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jonathantaylor1998
Putting this achievement in to some 'perspective'.
The first 'hot hatch' (even though it didn't actually HAVE a hatch) Mini Cooper was launched in 1961 - around 75 years after the first ever petrol car.
And here we are, a mere 15 years since the first mainstream EV Leaf was launched, with 'hot hatch' contenders.
Imagine what another 60 years' of development will bring.
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Putting this achievement in to some 'perspective'.
The first 'hot hatch' (even though it didn't actually HAVE a hatch) Mini Cooper was launched in 1961 - around 75 years after the first ever petrol car.
And here we are, a mere 15 years since the first mainstream EV Leaf was launched, with 'hot hatch' contenders.
Imagine what another 60 years' of development will bring.
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rtr1901
Nice test but isn't the real Mini JCW electric not yet available by now I think the Cupra VZ is a very good option but not really the same type of car as the other 2. I am looking forward to a test between the Mini JCW electric and hopefully a more powerfull focussed Alpine A290 (R )
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Nice test but isn't the real Mini JCW electric not yet available by now I think the Cupra VZ is a very good option but not really the same type of car as the other 2. I am looking forward to a test between the Mini JCW electric and hopefully a more powerfull focussed Alpine A290 (R )
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miguelmarques7331
FINALLY a proper Hot Hatches EVsreview! Can you add Abarth 600E or change the Mini Aceman 5 Doors Maybe MG4 XPOWER is the best of all Maybe
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FINALLY a proper Hot Hatches EVsreview! Can you add Abarth 600E or change the Mini Aceman 5 Doors Maybe MG4 XPOWER is the best of all Maybe
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jonfrank2566
I've been reading Autocar for over 50 years and yet I still don't think they've cracked the video format. They just feel a bit stilted.
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I've been reading Autocar for over 50 years and yet I still don't think they've cracked the video format. They just feel a bit stilted.
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