• Three pure petrol engines, but no diesel
• Automatics and all-wheel drive available
• Hypermilers can opt for the plug-in hybrid

Petrol engines

Countryman buyers have three petrol engines to choose from. The entry-point is the Countryman Cooper. It features a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder unit that sends 136hp and 220Nm of torque to the front wheels. The unit used to be fitted as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox, but now the only option available is an eight-speed automatic. MINI says the powertrain can shove the Countryman from 0–62mph in 9.7 seconds before reaching a top speed of 127mph.

Step up a rung to the Cooper S and you’ll unlock a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 178hp and 280Nm of torque. The extra grunt hacks the Countryman’s 0–62mph time down to 7.4 seconds while increasing its top speed to 140mph. You can also have this powertrain with an optional four-wheel drive system, which MINI says brings no performance detriments.

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These performance figures suggest the four-wheel drive Cooper S will be a buzzy little road rocket, but it’s much less exciting than you’d expect. It takes a long time for the engine to wake up when you push the throttle pedal to the floor. The automatic gearbox should shoulder some of the blame as, although plenty smooth enough, it never shows a great deal of urgency.

So, if you’re a speed demon that’s been left cold by the Cooper S, perhaps you’ll be more enamoured by the fire-breathing John Cooper Works model. This car also has a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, but it churns out a whopping 306hp and 450Nm of torque. That power is fed to all four wheels, returning a claimed 0–62mph of 5.1 seconds and a top speed of 155mph.

Plug-in hybrid engine

The plug-in hybrid Countryman Cooper S E All4 is proof that MINI’s fun branding hasn’t made BMW’s engineers lose sight of their German sensibilities. It marries the 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine from the Cooper model to an 88hp electric motor and a 9.6kWh battery pack. The powertrain has a combined output of 224hp and 385Nm of torque – and, more importantly, it has an official WLTP fuel economy figure of more than 150mpg and a maximum electric-only range of 26 miles.

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Despite its focus on efficiency, though, the powertrain is rather brisk. It gives the Countryman a 0–62mph time of 6.8 seconds, making it the second fastest-accelerating Countryman after the flagship JCW. However, if you’re constantly razzing around the neighbourhood like a rally driver, you’ll chew through the battery capacity very quickly and your fuel economy figures will drop off a cliff.

Because the electric motor drives the rear wheels and the petrol engine powers the fronts, the Countryman PHEV has four-wheel drive. However, you can force the car to run in front, rear or four-wheel drive by fiddling with its drive modes.

What’s it like to drive?

• Sharp handling and good body control
• 4WD models add grip and traction
• Feels very agile for its size

MINI spends a great amount of time and money ensuring its new cars handle with more than a passing nod to the energy of the original Mini. And happily, despite the Countryman’s bloated proportions and heftier kerb weight when compared to the standard hatchback, it puts on a good show in the corners.

Given its extra height and ground clearance, the Countryman’s never going to feel as agile as the MINI Hatch, but it corners neatly with much less roll than expected. All-wheel drive models add a useful amount of grip and traction in foul weather, although standing water will still throw them briefly out of kilter.

Overall, the Countryman is one of the best-handling crossovers on sale thanks to its tidy body control and confidence-inspiring driving manners. It also helps that you can sit low in the car, which makes it feel more like a regular hatchback than a proper SUV.

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Sadly, the ride quality lets the side down. Every version of the Countryman carries Cooper badging which, for the uninitiated, is the historic tuning specialist of the original Mini that helped cement the classic car’s dominance in the rally world. So, to ensure the handling of this family SUV can live up to its namesake, MINI has wound its chassis far too tight.

The suspension is fine if you’re zipping down a resurfaced country lane but tackle a typical shell-cratered UK road at family friendly speeds and the Countryman will simply refuse to settle down. There’s a fair degree of bump over large divots and ruts, which would be acceptable if the body didn’t constantly fidget on anything but mirror-smooth surfaces. It’s irritating.