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BMW i3 / Mini Cooper SE vs VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric carries less risk than the BMW i3 / Mini Cooper SE: 30/100 versus 34/100 (both moderate risk). The BMW i3 / Mini Cooper SE has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Defective cells in the high-voltage battery of the i3 from 2018 to 2021»; the VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Damaged cells in the high-voltage battery (January 2021 recall)».

Risk index

BMW i3 / Mini Cooper SE

34

Moderate risk · 1 serious fault

Risk index

VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric

30

Moderate risk · 1 serious fault

Lower risk

The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated

12 sourcesHow we work

Is the BMW i3 / Mini Cooper SE reliable?

The sources consulted record no faults in the i3's electric motor or its power electronics, apart from a small 2019 campaign. What is documented is charging (charger and port, in owner testimonies) and a 2022 recall for defective cells in the 2018–2021 battery. Always ask for proof of that campaign.[1][2][3]

See the 3 of the BMW i3 / Mini Cooper SE faults

Is the VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric reliable?

The up! electric drivetrain has few documented faults: the only significant one is a January 2021 recall over damaged cells that affected 213 cars worldwide. The data is scarce because few units were sold.[4][5]

See the 2 of the VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of BMW i3 / Mini Cooper SE and VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric
BMW i3 / Mini Cooper SEVW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric
Technical data
TypeEngineEngine
FuelElectricalElectrical
Displacement——
Timing——
Power170–184 hp54–83 hp
Production2013–2022[6][7][8]2013–2023[9][10]
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)34Moderate risk30Moderate risk
Documented faults32
Of high or critical severity11
Worst severityCritical severityCritical severity
Main faults
  1. Critical severity: Defective cells in the high-voltage battery of the i3 from 2018 to 2021
  2. Medium severity: Failure of the on-board charger and the charging port on the i3
  3. Medium severity: Motor electronics board (EME) built out of specification
  1. Critical severity: Damaged cells in the high-voltage battery (January 2021 recall)
  2. Low severity: High-voltage battery discharged after a long period parked
Most expensive documented repairNo reliable dataNo reliable data
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versionsNoneNone
With cautionVersions to be cautious about
  • i3 22 kWh gross battery (60 Ah) (2013–2017)[1][11]
  • i3 and i3s 33 kWh gross battery (94 Ah) (2016–2018)[2][11]
  • i3 and i3s 42.2 kWh gross battery (120 Ah) (2019–2022)[2][3]
  • Mini Cooper SE F56, 135 kW motor (2020–2024)[3][7]
  • e-up! 18.7 kWh, up to 82 hp (2013-2019)[4]
  • e-up!, Citigo e iV and Mii electric 36.8 kWh, 83 hp (2019-2023)[5][12]
AvoidVersions to avoidNoneNone

Severity of each fault: green, low; amber, medium; red, high; dark red, critical. How we rate them

Cars that each one is fitted to

BMW i3 / Mini Cooper SE

VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric

Other comparisons

With the BMW i3 / Mini Cooper SE

With the VW e-up! / Škoda Citigo e iV / Seat Mii electric

Compare other engines

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Sources

Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.

  1. Tous les problèmes sur BMW i3 2013 (testimonios de propietarios y llamadas a revisión)fiches-auto.fr · Other source · consulted 30 October 2026 · in French
  2. BMW i3 (2018 – 2021): EV/Hybrid, firecar-recalls.eu · Other source · published 22 October 2022 · consulted 30 October 2026
  3. DVSA – base de llamadas a revisión (R/2019/289, R/2022/322)DVSA (Reino Unido) · Official body · consulted 30 October 2026
  4. Volkswagen e-up!: Probleme und SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 30 October 2026 · in German
  5. Rückrufaktion bei VW E-Up, Seat Mii und Skoda Citigoauto motor und sport · Motoring press · published January 2021 · consulted 30 October 2026 · in German
  6. BMW i3 (hatchback)Wikipedia (en) · Other source · consulted 30 October 2026
  7. Mini Cooper SEWikipedia (de) · Other source · consulted 30 October 2026 · in German
  8. Mini ElectricWikipedia (en) · Other source · consulted 30 October 2026
  9. VW e-up! (Wikipedia, alemán)Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 30 October 2026 · in German
  10. Volkswagen e-Up! (Wikipedia, inglés)Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 30 October 2026
  11. BMW i3 reliabilityAuto Express · Motoring press · consulted 30 October 2026
  12. Fiabilité Volkswagen Up (2011-2023) : pannes et avis des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Reliability study · consulted 30 October 2026 · in French