• Mild hybrid petrol in C and S
• Reasonable economy
• Unlimited mileage warranty

Initially the Countryman looks keenly priced, starting at around £30,000. That’s for a fairly plain Classic model with the more appealing Exclusive £2,500 more. Equipment levels are good as standard but a few key niceties are part of the Level 1, 2 and 3 packs.

We’d advise speccing at least Level 1 to get the head-up display, keyless entry (called Comfort Access), front heated seats, adaptive LED headlights, a luggage net for the boot, wireless charging, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, sliding rear seats, folding door mirrors and a larger fuel tank.

Level 2 is nearly twice the price but adds more luxury to that list including a Harman Kardon stereo, Driving Assistant Plus, a panoramic roof and tinted windows. Level 3 is arguably excessive, but it’s the only way to get electric seats. The cost at the time of writing? £7,500.

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Claimed economy is in the high forties for the C and low forties for the S, both of which are mild hybrids. We managed high thirties with fairly enthusiastic driving in the C, so those claims don’t look too far off the truth for normal driving. Those hoping for better efficiency should look towards the Ford Kuga Hybrid which is capable of over 50mpg, or a Qashqai E-Power which hits high forties.

CO2 emissions for the petrols are nothing to shout about in this day and age, so neither will be particularly cheap on company car tax. There’s always the Countryman Electric, and don’t be surprised to see a plug-in hybrid version, either. It’s already an option on the BMW X1 that shares its platform with the Countryman.

Servicing and warranty

Three years of warranty is the bare minimum you’d expect these days, and it’s all you get with the Countryman. There is at least no mileage limit for those 36 months, something that’ll be useful for those spending a good chunk of their lives on the road, and three years of roadside assistance. An extended warranty is available but there’s a 100,000 mile cap, while a pay monthly service plan is available.