Overview

The modern Countryman was first launched in 2010 as MINI’s first foray into the SUV market – and it sold rather well, so the brand decided to keep it around for a second generation. It takes the cutesy design language of the MINI Hatch and drapes it over the blueprint of a tall-riding, practical off-roader in an effort to broaden the brand’s appeal to family car buyers.

The Countryman is a far cry from the original Mini’s compact design ethos, but we understand why MINI has kept it in its line-up. The small SUV market is booming and it would have been foolish for the firm to sit on the side lines and sacrifice that much potential business for the sake of its heritage. Money talks – and there’s a lot of it at stake here.

MINI’s list of small SUV rivals is extensive, stretching to the Audi Q2, Lexus UX, Mercedes-Benz GLA and Volvo XC40, as well as the mechanically related BMW X1. Step back from the premium badges and there’s the pin-sharp Ford Puma and the attractively affordable Dacia Duster, both of which appear in our round-up of the best small SUVs.

You can specify the Countryman with a range of turbocharged petrol engines, all of which are found in other BMW or MINI products. The cheapest Cooper option features a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with 136hp, while the middling Cooper S has a 178hp 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit.

Performance fans are served by the John Cooper Works model, which features a 306hp 2.0-litre petrol engine and four-wheel drive. MINI says it has enough poke to shove the Countryman from 0–62mph 5.1 seconds before reaching a top speed of 155mph.

If you value fuel economy above all else, there’s also a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the Countryman which mixes the 1.5-litre petrol engine with a 9.6kWh battery pack and an electric motor mounted on the rear axle. It has an output of 220hp and an official fuel economy figure of more than 160mpg.

Unlike the MINI Hatchback, there isn’t a pure electric version of the Countryman. However, MINI will remedy that issue when it replaces the car at the end of 2023. There’s a full EV version of the third generation car in the works that’ll push the Countryman into the same market as the Smart #1, Kia Niro EV and Peugeot e-2008.

Over the next few pages, we’ll thoroughly review each aspect of the MINI Countryman. Our scores will consider the car’s practicality, interior quality, technology, driving experience and running costs before we offer our overall verdict on the car.