Compare the2023 Porsche TaycanVS 2023 MINI Cooper SE

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Porsche Taycan have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The MINI Cooper SE doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Taycan’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Porsche Taycan are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The MINI Cooper SE doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Taycan offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Taycan helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The Taycan offers an optional Surround View System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Cooper SE only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Taycan’s optional blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Taycan’s optional rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the Taycan and the Cooper SE have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems and rearview cameras.

The Porsche Taycan weighs 1423 to 2056 pounds more than the MINI Cooper SE. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

Warranty

There are over 84 percent more Porsche dealers than there are MINI dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Taycan’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than MINI vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche above average in long-term dependability. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, MINI is rated lower.

Engine

The Taycan’s standard electric motor produces 221 more horsepower (402 vs. 181) and 55 lbs.-ft. more torque (254 vs. 199) than the Cooper SE’s electric motor. The Taycan Performance Plus’ optional electric motor produces 288 more horsepower (469 vs. 181) and 64 lbs.-ft. more torque (263 vs. 199) than the Cooper SE’s electric motor. The Taycan Cross Turismo’s standard electric motors produces 288 more horsepower (469 vs. 181) and 169 lbs.-ft. more torque (368 vs. 199) than the Cooper SE’s electric motor. The Taycan 4S’ standard electric motors produces 341 more horsepower (522 vs. 181) and 273 lbs.-ft. more torque (472 vs. 199) than the Cooper SE’s electric motor. The Taycan Turbo S’ standard electric motors produces 569 more horsepower (750 vs. 181) and 575 lbs.-ft. more torque (774 vs. 199) than the Cooper SE’s electric motor.

As tested in Car and Driver the Taycan Performance Plus electric motor is faster than the MINI Cooper SE:

	Taycan	Cooper SE
Zero to 60 MPH	4.7 sec	6.1 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	5.1 sec	6.2 sec
Quarter Mile	12.9 sec	14.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	115 MPH	91 MPH
Top Speed	147 MPH	93 MPH

Transmission

The Taycan’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Taycan’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Cooper SE:

	Taycan Base/4S	Taycan Turbo S	Cooper SE
Front Rotors	14.2 inches	16.5 inches	11.1 inches
Rear Rotors	14.1 inches	16.1 inches	11 inches

The Taycan’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Cooper SE are solid, not vented.

The Taycan offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

The Taycan stops much shorter than the Cooper SE:

	Taycan	Cooper SE
70 to 0 MPH	147 feet	169 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	103 feet	119 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Taycan has larger standard tires than the Cooper SE (F:225/55R19 & R:275/45R19 vs. 195/55R16). The Taycan’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Cooper SE (F:265/35R21 & R:305/30R21 vs. 205/45R17).

The Taycan’s standard 275/45R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Cooper SE’s standard 55 series tires. The Taycan’s optional 265/35R21 front and 305/30R21 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the Cooper SE Signature Plus/Iconic’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Taycan has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Cooper SE. The Taycan’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the Cooper SE Signature Plus/Iconic.

Suspension and Handling

The Taycan offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The Taycan offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. MINI doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Cooper SE.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Taycan’s wheelbase is 16 inches longer than on the Cooper SE (114.2 inches vs. 98.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Taycan is 8.7 inches wider in the front and 7.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Cooper SE.

The Taycan’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (49% to 51%) than the Cooper SE’s (58.1% to 41.9%). This gives the Taycan more stable handling and braking.

The Taycan 4S handles at 1.03 G’s, while the Cooper SE Iconic pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Taycan Cross Turismo 4 handles at .89 G’s, while the Cooper SE Iconic pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Taycan Sedan a Compact car, while the Cooper SE is rated a Subcompact.

The Taycan offers optional seating for 5 passengers; the Cooper SE can only carry 4.

The Taycan has 8.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Cooper SE (89 vs. 80.3).

The Taycan has .4 inches more front legroom, 5.8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear legroom and 5.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cooper SE.

Cargo Capacity

The Taycan has a much larger trunk than the Cooper SE with its rear seat up (17.2 vs. 8.7 cubic feet).

The Taycan has a much larger trunk with its rear seat up than the Cooper SE with its rear seat up (18.7 vs. 8.7 cubic feet). The Taycan has a much larger trunk with its rear seat folded than the Cooper SE with its rear seat folded (45.7 vs. 34 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Taycan. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Taycan’s power trunk can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Porsche service is better than MINI. J.D. Power ranks Porsche third in service department satisfaction. With a 6% lower rating, MINI is ranked fourth.

Ergonomics

When three different drivers share the Taycan, the optional memory system makes it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver and front passenger’s seat positions, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Taycan’s optional easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Taycan’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children in the rear seat from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. MINI does not offer a locking feature on the Cooper SE’s standard power windows.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors available for the Taycan detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

The Cooper SE’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Taycan’s optional adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

Both the Taycan and the Cooper SE have standard heated front seats. The Taycan also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Cooper SE.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Taycan keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Taycan has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The Taycan offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Cooper SE.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Taycan has available rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Cooper SE doesn’t offer rear vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Porsche Taycan has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Cooper SE Iconic offers wireless charging.

The Taycan’s optional Active Parking Support can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Cooper SE’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

Model Availability

The Porsche Taycan comes in sedan and station wagon bodystyles; the MINI Cooper SE isn’t available as a sedan or station wagon.

Recommendations

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its January 2021 issue and they ranked the Porsche Taycan 4S higher than the MINI Cooper SE Iconic.