Used Mini Countryman cars for sale

The Mini Countryman is Mini’s SUV, its take on cars like the Volkswagen T-Roc, Audi Q2 and BMW X1. It actually shares its oily bits with the BMW X1 and 1 Series, and is available with front- or four-wheel drive. There’s a plug-in hybrid version and a fast John Cooper Works (JCW) edition as well.

The Countryman is now in its second generation, which has been on sale since 2017. It’s thought that the Countryman will be replaced by a new, larger model in 2023, and that it’ll come with petrol and fully electric options.

It might look chunky, but the Mini Countryman doesn’t actually take up that much space on the road. At a whisker under 4.3 metres long, it’s about the same length as a Ford Focus, but the Countryman’s extra height makes it feel a lot more spacious inside.

The Countryman is the most spacious Mini model, although that’s not exactly saying much, but that extra room means it’s the Mini to consider for family transport duties. You can actually sit in the back as an adult and you’ll have room for your head, legs and elbows. The boot is a pretty decent size, too, offering 450 litres in petrol versions and 405 in the plug-in hybrid.

Mini has withdrawn its diesel engines, so now you’ve got a choice of a couple of petrol engines and a plug-in hybrid. The latter offers the best fuel economy claims, while the hot 2.0-litre petrol engine in the Cooper S and JCW is worth hunting out if you’re more of a hare than a tortoise.

While the early 'new' Minis didn't fare well in reliability surveys, the brand's recent cars have performed much better. The Countryman even topped its class in a recent What Car? survey.

Lots of the Countryman's parts and engines are shared with other Mini models, so you shouldn't struggle to find replacements in a pinch.

Add an extended warranty to your purchase to insulate yourself from unexpected repair costs once the manufacturer's coverage has run out.

Mini has made its All4 four-wheel-drive system available as an option on the Countryman. You can choose to have All4 paired with the 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine in Cooper S models with automatic gearboxes. Alternatively, the plug-in hybrid Cooper SE model gets four-wheel drive as standard.

Most buyers are unlikely to see much benefit from All4 unless they tackle more serious off roading. To enhance your Countryman's grip in colder weather, consider fitting a set of winter tyres.

Mini has positioned itself as a fairly premium brand, so expect servicing and maintenance costs to be a little higher than you'll find for more affordable cars. Versions with more powerful engines, hybrid systems or four-wheel drive will likely have slightly higher maintenance costs than lesser front-wheel-drive versions.

Fuel-powered versions of the Countryman are rated to tow a braked trailer weighing up to 1,500kg. The plug-in hybrid is not rated for towing, which is fairly typical for PHEVs in this segment.

With bikes coming in many different shapes and sizes, it's hard to guarantee yours will fit inside your Countryman. Nevertheless, anecdotal evidence suggests owners have managed to get adult-sized bikes in the interior with the rear seats folded.

You're likely to have a much easier time, however, if you remove your bike's front wheel – especially if you're carrying more than one.

Mini also sells a bike rack for the rear of the Countryman and all versions get roof rails as standard.