Compare the2023 MINI Cooper SEVS 2023 Chevrolet Bolt

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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The Cooper SE has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Bolt doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Cooper SE’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Bolt doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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

Warranty

The Cooper SE comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Bolt’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Cooper SE’s corrosion warranty is 6 years and unlimited miles longer than the Bolt’s (12/unlimited vs. 6/100,000).

MINI pays for scheduled maintenance on the Cooper SE for 3 years and 36,000 miles. MINI will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Bolt.

Engine

As tested in Car and Driver the MINI Cooper SE is faster than the Chevrolet Bolt:

	Cooper SE	Bolt
Zero to 60 MPH	6.1 sec	6.7 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	6.2 sec	6.7 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	15.2 sec

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Cooper SE	Bolt
Front Rotors	11.1 inches	10.9 inches
Rear Rotors	11 inches	10.4 inches

The Cooper SE stops much shorter than the Bolt:

	Cooper SE	Bolt
70 to 0 MPH	169 feet	191 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	132 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Cooper SE Signature Plus/Iconic’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Bolt’s 50 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the MINI Cooper SE has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Chevrolet Bolt has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Cooper SE has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Cooper SE flat and controlled during cornering. The Bolt’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Cooper SE offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Bolt’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

Chassis

The MINI Cooper SE may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 500 pounds less than the Chevrolet Bolt.

The Cooper SE is 11.5 inches shorter than the Bolt, making the Cooper SE easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Cooper SE is 7 inches shorter in height than the Bolt, making the Cooper SE much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the Cooper SE easier. The Cooper SE’s trunk lift-over height is 25.4 inches, while the Bolt’s liftover is 30 inches.

Servicing Ease

The Cooper SE uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Bolt uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that MINI service is better than Chevrolet. J.D. Power ranks MINI fourth in service department satisfaction. With a 21% lower rating, Chevrolet is ranked 16th.

Ergonomics

The Cooper SE offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Bolt doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Cooper SE’s front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Bolt’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Cooper SE the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Bolt can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Cooper SE’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Bolt’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Cooper SE to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Bolt doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Cooper SE has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Bolt doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To better shield the driver’s vision, the Cooper SE has a standard dual-element sun visor that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The Bolt doesn’t offer a secondary sun visor.

When the Cooper SE with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Bolt’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Cooper SE’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Bolt offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Cooper SE has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Bolt.

The Cooper SE’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Bolt doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

The Cooper SE’s optional Parking Assistant can parallel park by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Bolt doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

The Cooper SE will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Cooper SE will retain 46.45% of its original price after five years, while the Bolt only retains 37.26% to 37.29%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the MINI Cooper SE will be $3094 to $5793 less than for the Chevrolet Bolt.