Friday 1st September 2023

New Mini Countryman arrives with over 300hp

All-electric model packs the biggest punch, but piston-powered JCW is still Mini's quickest crossover

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Hot on the heels of the fifth-generation Mini Cooper comes an all-new version of its big sibling, the not-so-mini Countryman. Arriving on the eve of IAA in Munich, the new Countryman introduces all-electric power to the crossover range for the very first time, with some models offering in excess of 300hp.

Admittedly, we’ve seen those sort of numbers before with the outgoing JCW, but that model has now been displaced by the arrival of a new all-electric model. The EV is based around a 64.7kWh battery which, if you go for the range-topping Electric SE ALL4, returns 269 miles of WLTP-rated range and powers a 313hp electric motor that sends power to all four wheels. That actually makes it the most powerful Mini around – even more so than the barmy GP3 – while a 0-62mph time of 5.6 seconds is just 0.4 seconds slower than the two-seat super hatch. Entry-level Electric E models naturally have a bit less grunt at 204hp, and acceleration drops a fair bit to 8.4 seconds, but on the plus side its range stretches to 287 miles.

The Electric version may be the most powerful of the range, but it isn’t the quickest Countryman. That honour goes to the 300hp, 2.0-litre turbo JCW ALL4, which will fire you to 62mph in 5.4 seconds. The rest of the combustion-powered models are based around Mini’s 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo engine, developing 170hp in the base-spec Countryman S and 218hp in the S ALL4. And after quietly killing off its PHEV earlier this year, there’s no sign of a hybrid for the new generation; it’s either full combustion or electric.

Inside, there’s a decent amount of carryover from the new Mini Cooper Electric. There’s the same 240mm in diameter centre display, the world’s first fully-useable circular touchscreen according to Mini, which not only houses the firm’s new ninth-generation infotainment software – but also displays your speed and charge state, ditching the instrument panel in the process. It should be roomier on the inside, too, given that it’s now 6mm taller and 13mm longer than before. That’s right, Mini’s biggest model is now even bigger. And not a whole lot lovelier to look at, it must be said.

Good thing that Mini has given the Countryman’s chassis some attention, then. The suspension and damping have been given a once over, while ride quality can be adjusted on the fly through different driver modes. Optional adaptive dampers lower the car by 15mm and can automatically tweak the firmness of the suspension depending on the harshness of the road surface. And like the Mini Cooper Electric, a new Go-Kart Mode has been included to sharpen up the throttle response and dial back the traction control, which your family will no doubt appreciate on the way to an activity-filled holiday in the Peak District - or wherever crossover people go.

As for pricing, the petrol range kicks off with the Countryman C at £28,500 and rises up to £39,900 for the JCW. That jumps to £41,500 for the base-spec Countryman Electric E and £46,600 for range-topping SE. If you’re quick at getting your order in, Mini says it’ll have the first round of deliveries ready by February 2024. Alternatively, you could nab this 2020 JCW for £32,950 and have it on your drive by the end of the day.

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• All-new 218hp Mini Cooper Electric breaks cover
• Mini JCW 1to6 Edition salutes manual gearbox

[misterblonde]

New Mini! Now even uglier than ever before!
Who buys these? Are they blind?

[LuS1fer]

I see they've had a go at a Mini Velar.

Apart from the middle display, which is quite funky, there is just about nothing about that car that I like.

[Jader1973]

That is hideous. Mini have lost the plot.

Where is it made? Is it also a badge engineered Chinese st box like the hatch?

[Darnoc95]

Looking at the size of this & the rear end specifically if you did de-badge it & stick some Land rover decals on it would fool a few people imo.

[TikTak]

Oh it wasn't enough to be stupidly gigantic and have hideous wheels that they had to hit it's face with a truck.

No doubt be purchased by droves of mouth breathers.

[dxg]

It is hideous and ridiculously expensive.

The BMW shines through - literally with all the matt gold.

It will sell by the bucketload.

[RacingBlue]

I really must be getting old, but I actually prefer that over the new hatch...

[Oakman]

Behold

The new Mini Countryman in “Hanging Gardens of Babylon” specification

[corcoran]

1. babyDefender

[greggy50]

Looks horrible, assume its based on the IX1 which is a similar price and is miles better inside and out.

[ChrisCh86]

greggy50 said:

Looks horrible, assume its based on the IX1 which is a similar price and is miles better inside and out.

The iX1 is also f**k*g hideous. Appalling design.

[geeks]

[rthomp25]

I hate it, but I think it is actually an improvement over the previous version!?! They seem to have diluted this design down to the New Mini - which looks even worse!! BMW design are a disgrace at the moment.

[FlukePlay]

That is awful. I don't condone violence but somebody needs to be dragged out of the design studio and beaten.

[Roger Irrelevant]

I usually have a deep, deep hatred of any car that's a reworking of a classic old one. Minis, Fiat 500s, Beetles etc - all embarrassing pastiche-y crap that the world would be better without. However this is now so far removed from the first BMW Mini that I'm beginning to like it. It's fast, small(ish), boxy, got half-decent ground clearance and 4wd. If by the next generation they've removed all trace of Mini from the styling it could look really quite good too. They'd then just need to call it something else and I'd consider buying one.

[Turbobanana]

These look increasingly like they're built from Lego.

TikTak said:

Oh it wasn't enough to be stupidly gigantic and have hideous wheels that they had to hit it's face with a truck.

No doubt be purchased by droves of mouth breathers.

What's a "mouth breather"?

[romac]

Alex Issigonis would be spinning in his grave. If he's anywhere near Colin Chapman, they are probably generating electricity together.

Edited by romac on Sunday 3rd September 18:40

[Wren-went]

Doesn't matter on age as all generations and model of Mini have horrendous looking dashboards.seems each generation is worse than the other.

As a family we've had several I never liked the stupid ugly Speedo this doesn't even have anything above the steering wheel, our first Mini an 06 R50 cooper which I bought well over 10 years ago at least had the crono pack , least with the crono pack you have a Speedo as well as the rev counter straight Infront.

I've never had a countryman and don't intend ever having any model of Mini again I just don't think they are that good admittedly I've only owned an 06 R50 cooper & a 10 plate R56 cooper S they are over priced particularly ev models and certainly not that well built.

[Lester H]

Minis have got uglier since the first BMW MINI. This is absolutely dreadful.

[Lester H]

Roger Irrelevant said:

I usually have a deep, deep hatred of any car that's a reworking of a classic old one. Minis, Fiat 500s, Beetles etc - all embarrassing pastiche-y crap that the world would be better without. However this is now so far removed from the first BMW Mini that I'm beginning to like it. It's fast, small(ish), boxy, got half-decent ground clearance and 4wd. If by the next generation they've removed all trace of Mini from the styling it could look really quite good too. They'd then just need to call it something else and I'd consider buying one.

Don’t entirely agree. The first BMW MINI was attractive, until it turned into a cartoon of a Mini. The Fiat 500 is utterly cute. The ‘ new’ Beetles are dreadful, like the retro Chrysler gangster mpv