• Interior is funky and feels well built
• Circular infotainment screen is unusual
• Option pack is required for speedo in front of the driver

How’s the quality and the layout?

Plenty of the materials and almost all of the technology is the same as that seen in the Cooper hatchback and Countryman SUV.

Again, like the Cooper, the funky materials and quirky features inside are dialled up to the max despite there being few buttons inside. The steering wheel has an extremely thick rim, there are paddles for the drive shifter and ‘Experiences’ in the centre console and a smartly laid out centre console that has some good storage options and an armrest for the driver.

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Infotainment and tech

The Aceman’s infotainment system will be a little Marmite if you’ve not seen it or been close to it. It has extremely fast-acting response times and super crisp graphics as two massive positives, and it feels like MINI has at least taken some care to make sure some of the most used feature are quick to change or set.

But the menus can be a little confusing to navigate on the entirely circular screen at first and, if you mirror your phone, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto show up as a rectangle within the circle.

Comfort

You sit reasonably low – likely no higher than in the Cooper hatch, and the seats offer plenty of support and adjustment regardless of the spec you go for.