Mini Countryman Review

There are two types of car buyers in this world: those who love Minis with their charming styling and quirky approach to motoring, and those who think they’re cramped and lumbered with divisive, anachronistic styling. 

This latest generation of the Countryman remains firmly in the controversial looks camp, but it’s anything but small inside. By basing it on the roomy BMW X1, Mini’s given it adult-friendly back-seat space and a boot that can now cope with prams and family holidays.

Inside there’s an attention-grabbing circular touchscreen – the first in any car – and while it takes a minute or two to get used to, it’s packed with features and gives the Countryman’s cabin a real feel-good factor that you won’t find in any other SUV at this price point. 

To drive it’s not quite as ‘go-kart’ as the regular Mini Cooper hatchback, but it still handles with a pleasing directness, though the firm suspension in top-spec JCW models gets pretty distracting on bumpy roads. Performance in that 300hp flagship is predictably strong, but we’d settle for an entry-level Countryman C with its 170hp 1.5-litre petrol engine and much better fuel economy.

New for this generation of Countryman is a full-electric version – or rather, two electric versions. The single-motor Countryman Electric E has a theoretical range of 287 miles, while the more powerful dual-motor Countryman Electric SE will do about 269 miles, but can get from 0-62mph in just 5.6 seconds.

In short, if you want to stand out from the Audi Q3s and Ford Pumas of this world, there are more reasons to pick a Countryman than ever before.

Mini’s not been shy when it comes to tearing up the interior-design rulebook – the new Countryman gains a large circular touchscreen which dominates the middle of the dashboard. It uses OLED screen technology for richer colours and greater contrast, and it really does look the bee's knees.

It needs to dominate, because there’s no traditional speedo behind the steering wheel, instead you have to look at the top of the central screen to see how fast you’re going, much like in the original BMW Mini of 2002. An optional head-up display (HUD) can take over speedo duties if you spec it, but it’s disappointing to see Mini using a cheap-looking plastic flip-up screen as a HUD rather than a proper one that reflects in the windscreen, and it’s at odds with the otherwise premium-feel of the cabin.

The dashboard’s covered in a wool-like material which adds a lounge-like vibe to the cabin, and top-end JCW models get some cool red swathes in the fabric as well. 

Mini may have done away with the old aircraft-style toggle switches that previous owners loved, but you still get a cool engine-start toggle that you twist to fire the Countryman into life. It’s flanked by a small gear-selector switch, and a curiously titled ‘experiences’ switch, which takes you through the various oddly named driving modes.

Physical climate control buttons are limited to front and rear window demisters, but the temperature controls are always available on the touchscreen in an easily proddable location near the steering wheel.

If you don’t fancy using the built-in media and navigation systems then you have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

Our main concerns with the infotainment system are that it can be a little slow to respond to prods, and it took us forever to find some basic functions, such as adjusting the height of the image in the head-up display.

As you might expect from the biggest Mini ever made – and the first Mini built in Germany – the Countryman is roomy inside, thanks in part to being 15cm longer than the old version. 

The back seats are plenty spacious enough for tall adults, and all models have reclining seats – while S and JCW models get sliding rear seats as standard. These are only really useful for increasing boot space, because there’s only enough legroom for a stick insect with them slid forwards.

The boot’s a decent size at 460 litres regardless of whether your Countryman is petrol or electric. This is a little more room than you get in a Volvo XC40, but the BMW X1 and Audi Q3 have more space for your stuff. The Mini’s boot opening is nice and wide though, and there’s an electric tailgate as standard. 

Mini’s ditched the manual gearbox option for this latest generation of the Countryman, so whichever engine you pick will be accompanied by a smooth-shifting automatic – oh, and there are no diesels or plug-in hybrids.

First up is the Countryman C, which has a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with 170hp. It’s front-wheel drive and feels plenty fast enough for normal driving. We quite like the lumpy, rorty engine noise, but if you want a smoother-feeling engine then you might want to step up to the Countryman S – which has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 220hp. Thanks to a four-wheel-drive system the Countryman S will get from 0-62mph in 7.1 seconds. 

Top-spec John Cooper Works (JCW) models get a 300hp 2.0-litre petrol engine which will dash from 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds. Depending on the driving ‘experience’ you choose, the JCW’s fake engine noise can be a little overbearing, but you can always use the Timeless driving mode to change the fake engine noise to that of the original Series A Mini engine from the 1960s. The infotainment dial will even turn a nice shade of sepia, with an old-school font. How twee.

On the EV side of things, the Countryman E uses a single motor to drive the front wheels, pulling you to 62mph in 8.6 seconds. It’ll give you up to 287 miles of driving in theory – though expect to see more like 230 miles in real-world conditions. Meanwhile the Countryman SE adds a motor on the back axle to drop the 0-62mph time to 5.6 seconds, with a lower driving range of 269 miles. Both models use the same 65kWh battery, and can charge at up to 130kW, getting you from 10-80% charge in about 35 minutes.

Considering the Countryman’s bigger and heavier than before, there’s still some Mini DNA in the way it drives. 

The steering is quick and direct and there’s plenty of grip, but in faster corners you’ll find a smidge more body lean than you might expect – another reminder you’re in an SUV and not a Mini Cooper hatchback. In Go-Kart driving mode (sorry, experience…), the throttle is sharpened, the steering gains weight and you get some entertaining braps from the exhaust on full-throttle upshifts.

In the JCW model we tested, the suspension is pretty firm, and on bumpy roads it does get a little bit tiring. We’d suggest taking one for a test drive if you’re planning on using it as a family car, and perhaps stepping down to a lesser Countryman model with softer suspension and smaller alloy wheels if you find it wearing.

Otherwise, the Countryman’s seats are comfy, the view out is pretty decent, and there’s a reversing camera on all models to add a bit of car-park reassurance. 

Is it the most thrilling SUV to drive? Not really – we’d suggest you look at a Ford Kuga if driving pleasure is high on your list, but you’ll have to make do without an ounce of the Mini's charm.