Name: MINI Countryman
Brand: MINI

Driven and reviewed by

Vicky Parrott

18 Sep 2024

We like the new Countryman a lot, but to get your head around you have to start by understanding that this isn’t a mini Mini… The new Countryman is longer than a Nissan Qashqai and larger than a Hyundai Kona. It’s a well put-together, fun family car that still has the quirky style and character that’s the essence of the Mini brand – just in a much bigger and safer package. With prices starting at around £40,000 and range of up to 286 miles, it’s got rivals of all sorts, from conventional hatches like the VW ID.3, Kia EV3 and MG4, through to bigger cars like the Renault Scenic E-Tech, Skoda Enyaq and Hyundai Ioniq 5.

Read on for our verdict on the electric Countryman, or click through for a more in depth look at the range, practicality, performance and pricing.

Pros:Looks great inside and out, fun to drive
Cons:Not cheap, no driver's readout without optional HUD

Why you can trust our independent reviews

The new Mini Countryman still comes with petrol engines if you want them, but for the first time it also comes with a fully electric drivetrain. There are two electric Countryman models, the E and the SE ALL4, and while they’re not cheap they are a similar price to other premium alternatives.

The Mini gets a 64.6 kWh usable battery, with total capacity up at 66.5 kWh. It’s the same platform and battery in the Mini as you’ll find in the new BMW iX2 and iX1 – albeit modified for the Countryman - so it’s a fairly tried and tested setup.

Official WLTP range for the all-wheel drive Countryman SE is pipped at 251-266 miles depending on what spec you choose, while the front-wheel drive Countryman E manages 267 – 286 miles. Click through to the range section of our full review for more details of what real-world range to expect. Rapid charging speeds peak at 130 kW, which will get you a 10-80% rapid charge in under 30 minutes.

Boot space in the electric Countryman is very decent, with 460-litres of room – or over three times that if you fold the 40/20/40 split seats. There’s underfloor cable storage, too. Yes, a Tesla Model Y or Skoda Enyaq are roomier still, but they’re bigger cars (which isn’t always a good thing, especially in the UK) and they don’t have the Countryman’s premium finish. Rear seat space is good, and a couple of adults will be able to lounge about comfortably.

One thing that we’re not so impressed with in the Mini is that you have to add the optional head-up display to get the speed showing in the driver’s eyeline. Without it, you rely solely on the speed readout that stays permanently at the top of the dinner-plate sized digital readout in the middle of the dash.

Now, a Mini wouldn’t be a Mini unless it was fun to drive… and the Countryman most definitely is. We drove the Countryman SE ALL4, which has a punchy 313bhp, all-wheel drive and takes 5.6 seconds to get to 62mph. On the one hand it’s comfortable and stable, yet at the same time you feel nice and connected.

The Countryman isn’t the cheapest electric family car by a long stretch – the Volvo EX30, Renault Scenic E-Tech and Kia EV3 are all better value. But next to the BMW iX1 and Mercedes EQA, the Mini is still good value.

Verdict

The Countryman is a useful family car, and now it’s also an electric one. But more than that, it’s still got the Mini sense of fun and style, and is pretty great to drive as well. Yes, there are rivals out there with longer range, bigger boots and lower prices. But, for the ‘want one’ factor of the Countryman, and the fact that it is so perky to drive while also being practical, classy and filled with tech - it’s not hard to see why you’d go for the Mini over its less interesting rivals.