Used Seat Mii Electric 2019-2022 review

In 2019 it was out with the petrol-powered Seat Mii city car and in with the Seat Mii Electric. If you think that the new Mii Electric looks the same as the regular Mii, apart from the ‘Electric’ badging, you are quite correct. And, if you think this car also looks like the Skoda Citigo and Volkswagen Up, well, you’re right there too.

The Up, Citigo and Mii were all released in quick succession back in 2012 – three virtually identical, very impressive city cars that were created as a joint effort by the mighty Volkswagen Group. These days, though, it’s difficult to make money at this end of the market, so, with city car sales dwindling and interest in electric cars rising, all three became electric in 2019. Alas the Mii and Citigo went off sale in 2022.

The good news is this Mii Electric looks to have the crucial elements to be a success, at least on the used market. Chiefly, a claimed electric range of 161 miles and one of the lowest used price tags for an electric car.

Let’s start with the Mii Electric’s range. Its 36.8kWh lithium-ion battery will provide enough juice for the Mii Electric to cover 161 miles on a full charge, according to the WLTP test cycle. We are yet to put it through our Real Range test, but the WLTP figures suggest that it is able to travel farther than a Volkswagen e-Golf (144 miles), although many other electric cars will go farther still.

Still, among the smaller electric cars, the 161-mile range isn’t too disappointing and, significantly, the Mii Electric is much cheaper than its closest rivals – something we’ll cover in more detail later on.

What about its performance? Well, the electric motor delivers 82bhp and 156lb ft of torque, and, while that might not sound particularly mighty, you can still be pretty sure of embarrassing most cars off the line at the traffic lights. Beyond city speed limits, though, the Renault Zoe has a definite speed advantage.

The Mii will manage motorway journeys (although its top speed is limited to 81mph), but its acceleration at those higher speeds isn’t as flexible as it is when driving slower. While it only takes a gentle squeeze of the right foot to nip into a different lane of traffic around town, it’s harder to get an equivalent burst of speed when overtaking.

There are three driving modes: Normal, Eco and Eco+. Normal offers maximum power while the others limit it in order to eke out range (Eco+ even switches the air conditioning off). The levels of regenerative braking (a system that harnesses energy that would be wasted when braking and uses it to top the battery up) can also be controlled via the gear selector. In its highest setting, the braking force delivered when you lift your foot off the accelerator is strong enough to bring the car to a near standstill, but doesn’t quite allow for one-pedal driving like the Nissan Leaf’s system can. The brake pedal feels natural and consistent in its responsiveness, though – not something you can always say of an electric cars.

Around town, the Mii Electric is relaxing to drive. Its steering is light and accurate and the car’s small, boxy dimensions make it easy to thread through narrow side roads. A tight turning circle also helps. The ride quality is a particular highlight; it handles larger road imperfections, such as speed bumps and potholes, with impressive composure, and it feels settled at all speeds. It’s quiet, too – you’ll notice some blustery wind noise whipped up around the door mirrors at motorway speeds, but little else to disturb the peace.

Inside, the Mii Electric feels a bit dated compared to its rivals. The Mii itself is an old design by now, and while there is no doubting the solidity of its interior, the materials used don’t impress; there’s quite a bit of hard, scratchy plastic around, while the steering wheel feels of particularly low quality. There is, however, a bright, interestingly styled plastic panel across the dash to inject a bit of colour into it. By comparison, the Renault Zoe feels more polished and modern.

The Mii also lacks a touchscreen infotainment system. Instead, there’s a phone holder mounted on top of the dash, with a colour screen and physical shortcut buttons that allow you to cycle through your phone’s functions via a smartphone-integration app. The app also enables you to lock and unlock the car through your phone or set the air-con before you get in. It may not feel quite so cutting edge as a touchscreen infotainment screen, but it is still a practical solution. That said, a system with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto would be less fiddly to

The driving position is fine, but the steering wheel adjusts only up and down, not in and out, and could partly block your view of the instrument panel depending on how you set it. The seat’s backrest adjusts with a ratchet lever rather than with a rotary wheel, too, so you might find the precise angle you want elusive. There’s no adjustable lumbar support, either. Meanwhile, the trip computer display looks a bit old-fashioned, too – its small nature and low screen resolution is a far cry from the fully digital display of the Zoe.

Visibility out of the car is great all round. That’s particularly good news because, while rear parking sensors come as standard, there’s no sign of front parking sensors or a rear-view camera, even on the options list. Nor are super-bright LED headlights available, a feature that comes as standard on the Zoe.

Of the electric cars currently available, the Seat Mii Electric is among the smallest. In fact, only a Smart ForFour EQ is smaller. But, even if you’re tall, sitting in the front won’t be a problem for you. Storage space is decent, too, with useful door pockets and a single cupholder located centrally below the dashboard. Another practical touch is the small shelf that divides an open-faced cubbyhole ahead of the gear selector.

The battery is stuffed under the rear seats, the bench being raised by 5cm compared with that of the petrol Mii in order to fit them underneath. However, the impact on space isn’t especially marked; thanks to the Mii’s comparatively boxy styling, there’s still a decent amount of head room for adults. Those who are six feet tall and under should find enough room to be comfortable on short journeys, although taller folk will find their hair brushing the ceiling. Knee and leg room, meanwhile, should be just about acceptable if you aren’t especially tall. There are only seatbelts for four, though, and you can’t lower the rear windows; they pop out instead.

An adjustable boot floor is an optional extra, and at its lowest setting the Mii Electric’s boot is impressively deep, but it doesn’t go back very far and there’s a big loading lip at the opening. A thoughtful touch, though, is the storage well just underneath the lip, where you can keep the charging cable close to hand.

If you're interested in buying a used Seat Mii Electric, or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classifieds site here.

The Seat Mii Electric is one of the cheapest electric cars you can buy new; a Renault Zoe costs considerably more. Yes, it’s still a lot pricier than comparable petrol-engined city cars, but, as electric cars go, the Mii Electric’s price is a real highlight. That all filters through to the used market, of course, and it's possible to buy a 2019 version for around £19,000. Spend between £20,000 and £25,000 on a 2020 or 2021 model.

To charge the battery from 0-80% from a 7kW home charger takes around four hours, while a 40kW rapid charger will do the same in one hour. A three-pin plug will juice it up in 13-16 hours, but you’ll have to pay extra for the cable – it’s a shame it doesn’t come with the car. These charging times are broadly in line with rival electric cars’.

Road tax will be zero. Insurance and servicing costs will likewise be light.

Just one trim level is available, with 16in alloy wheels, air conditioning, cruise control, automatic wipers and heated seats all as standard. Hopefully, you won’t want to find a used car that's had much else added – there was very little on the original options list.

Our favourite Seat Mii Electric: Seat Mii Electric

The most direct competition for the Mii comes from its stablemates.

If you want the best value, the all-electric version of the Skoda Citigo is essentially the same car with a different badge. And then there's the Volkswagen e-Up, which is more plentiful on the used car forecourts and doesn’t cost that much more to buy.

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