The ultimate MINI Electric road-trip: the Cotswolds
The MINI Electric helps you pack in even more adventure
MINI’s iconic, all-electric hatchback supercharges your road trip. Here are our top tips for making the most of a Cotswolds weekend away
Boasting unmistakably iconic looks, a stylish and cosseting tech-filled interior, renowned MINI handling, up to 145 miles of range, and rapid recharging from 0-80% in just 36 minutes, the MINI Electric is the perfect all-electric all-rounder for long weekends away.
We’ve asked three MINI Electric drivers – *Misty*, *Monwar* and *Iola* – to tell us why they love the car. They’ve offered *top tips for using it every day* and picked their *favourite MINI Electric features*. We’ve even explained how the MINI Electric *busts the most common driving myths*. But, you can never have enough MINI Electric inspiration.
That’s why we’ve pulled together three dream road trips for amazing MINI Electric getaways. You can read our suggestions for the *glorious south-west of England* and the *serene Scottish Borders* elsewhere, but here’s our four-day itinerary for the Cotswolds – blending picturesque villages, five-star food, epic driving roads, and the best cream tea you’ve ever had. So, pack your bags and get on the road.
*Want to try the MINI Electric yourself? **Take a 24-hour test drive*
*Thursday: 16th century meets 21st century*
The five counties of the Cotswolds combine to create one of the UK’s largest and most outstanding areas of natural beauty. So, how better to explore its rolling hills and meadows, and the wealth of charming villages with their distinctive Cotswolds yellow-brick architecture, than in a car that perfectly embodies both iconic British style and sustainable low-impact living – the MINI Electric.
With up to 145 miles of range (WLTP), fast recharging that can top you up from 0% to 80% in as little as 36 minutes, and compact dimensions that let you explore those hard-to-reach spots that many might miss, the MINI Electric is the perfect partner for discovering even more of the Cotswold’s many charms/delights.
Our long weekend starts in Cirencester, the ‘Capital of the Costwolds’. Much like the MINI Electric – a revered British icon, updated with the latest driving technology – Cirencester blends traditional heritage with modern style and sophistication. Its tight, twisty streets are no problem for the optimally sized MINI Electric, which is perfectly compact on the outside and comfortably spacious on the inside.
Search for the fast chargers in the Beeches Car Park using the MINI Electric’s eDrive Services, let Parking Assist (standard on the Level 3 trim) do the hard work, and head off to start exploring.
Cirencester boasts some incredible restaurants – such as *La Passione *and *Sam and Jak*. Then, spend the night at the *Kings Head Hotel*, which – like the MINI Electric – prides itself on rooms boasting unique details that make your time spent within so special. As evening falls, stare out of your window and lose yourself in the tungsten glow of Market Place, echoing the MINI Electric’s fully customisable and colourful ambient lighting.
*Has the MINI Electric sparked your interest? **Take a 24-hour test drive*
*Friday: Gateway to the Cotswolds*
Whatever the weather, you can pre-heat or pre-cool the interior of your MINI Electric remotely on the MINI Connect smartphone app while you finish your breakfast at the *MBB Brasserie*, ensuring you’ve got optimal range for the day ahead.
Your first destination is the short 16-mile drive to the medieval Town of Burford, making the most of the exquisite Harmon Kardon sound system (standard on the Level 3 trim) on the way. Use Apple CarPlay (part of the optional Media Pack) to seamlessly sync up your Spotify and listen to your favourite tracks while you experience the natural splendour of the Cotswolds’ picture-perfect landscape whizzing past you.
The A40 will leave you at the roundabout atop Burford High Street and in skipping distance of Burford Hill. Prepare for one of the most spectacular panoramic views of the Cotswolds and beyond. The only thing more quintessentially British than the Union Jack tail lights on your MINI Electric are the perfectly picturesque stone cottages lining either side of the surreal storybook streets.
A long weekend means making the most of every moment you have. So, the MINI Electric’s rear camera, combined with optional Park Assist, makes quick work of those impossibly small spaces, meaning you won’t have to drive around for hours looking for ‘just the right place to park’.
Walk down Burford High Street towards Fullbrook and keep an eye out for *Huffkins Bakery and Tearooms*, where you can indulge yourself in a classic Cotswolds cream tea in the cosy café or take in the sunshine in the hidden medieval courtyard. Then, end your day at the *Bay Tree Hotel*, taking advantage of the easy-access charging station next door. Plug in your MINI Electric for a long overnight charge and make your way across the road to the award-winning gastro pub, *The Angel*.
*Fancy getting behind the wheel of the MINI Electric? **Take a 24-hour test drive*
*Saturday: Be at one with nature*
Start Saturday in the charming iconic Cotswolds town of Bourton-on-the-Water. As you’d imagine with one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK, you should expect a flurry of pedestrians to amble along Bourton’s narrow streets, but the MINI Electric’s Head-up Display will help you keep your eyes on the road at all times and alert you to any unforeseen obstructions.
If needed, top-up your MINI Electric at one of the many PodPoint chargers near the town centre, then walk along the famous River Windrush, past the wealth of boutique shops and cafes, to the *Cotswold Motoring Museum*. The MINI-shaped topiary out front gives you just a small taste of the charming collection of classic cars inside.
Then, it’s time to head to *Daylesford Farm* making use of the MINI Electric’s voice command function to initiate your route. Daylesford Organic’s restaurants and shops source their produce almost exclusively from sustainable farms across the Cotswolds. MINI shares a similar ‘farm-to-fork’ philosophy in its sourcing of production materials and end-of-life recycling practices for the MINI Electric.
A long lunch leads to an extended browse of the organic farm shop and a basket full of delicious, sustainably sourced items: not a problem for the MINI Electric with its versatile luggage space, which offers 211 litres of luggage space as standard, and as much as 731 litres with the rear seats down. Use the extended boot storage feature (part of the optional Comfort Content pack) to separate your delicate items and make it easier to choose the right pieces once you arrive at the hotel.
As the sun sets, it’s a short 11-mile drive to *Feldon Valley* – a stylish contemporary hotel and 18-hole golf course, with modern eco lodges and fine-dining. Use the MINI Electric’s vibrant 8.8-inch central display screen to find the hotel in minutes, and cut through the dark of the Cotwsold’s green lanes with the MINI Electric’s powerful LED headlights and matrix lighting technology – which swivels your lights in the direction of the road to ensure you illuminate even the darkest corners.
Once at Feldon Valley, plug your MINI Electric into one of the many free-to-use on-site electric chargers for a long overnight top-up, then end your day by enjoying your favourite drink by the fire before retiring to your luxurious eco-lodge.
*Want to try the MINI Electric yourself? **Take a 24-hour test drive*
*Sunday: Excitement around every turn*
After a hearty breakfast and a quick 18 holes, you’re ready to set off for the final part of your four-day adventure.
The Cotswolds boasts some of the best driving roads in Britain. They’re the perfect match for the MINI Electric’s compact dimensions, which let you thread your way through the narrow lanes with complete confidence, making the most of the electrifying performance. With great visibility across all four corners, you’ll quickly feel like a native, comfortably traversing the narrow humpback bridges, cobbled lanes and single track roads.
With a low centre of gravity, thanks to the MINI Electric’s low-slung batteries and perfectly balanced steering, that classic MINI go-kart handling comes alive in every corner. Add to that, a powerful, all-electric drivetrain delivering 184hp and 270Nm of electric torque and a sports car-baiting 0-62mph time of just 7.3 seconds, and you’ll be grinning from town to town.
With multiple driving modes at your disposal, that sensation is amplified even further, transforming your MINI Electric from civilised family car into heart-pumping hot hatch. Sport Mode increases the responsiveness of the accelerator pedal, providing you with the full power of the electric motor and increasing the sharpness of the steering – perfect for those keen drivers looking to maximise on the performance of their MINI Electric. Flick the switch again and the car will return to Normal, Green or Green+ modes in line with the environment around you, but crucially never losing its sense of fun.
Make your way along one of the best driving roads in the Cotswolds – the A44 (also known as the Five Mile Drive) to the village of Broadway. Before making your way to the centre, it’s worth a quick detour to the famed *Broadway Tower and Deer Park*. The second-highest viewing point in the Cotswolds, this unique, 17th-century Capability Brown Folly Tower lets you climb an impressive 65 feet to its viewing platform for an unparalleled view over 16 counties. Time permitting, you can continue the EV experience on two wheels, hiring an e-bike on site to explore the 200-acre estate and grab a light lunch at the Tower Barn Espresso cafe.
Finally, check-in to the *Broadway Hotel* and use one of the nearby chargers to put the MINI Electric on a long overnight charge. A five-star supper at the award-winning *Russell’s Of Broadway* concludes an epic adventure and the perfect four-night trip exploring England's largest area of outstanding natural beauty.
*Has the MINI Electric sparked your interest? **Take a 24-hour test drive*