Mini Countryman PHEV - am I mad?!
Discussion
MrOrange said:
This looks like it ticks the boxes for wifeys next car (more space, not massive, PHEV, auto, funkiness) and also my tax-efficient drive. They seem to come in at about £35k when specced up, too, which ain’t too bad.
Anyone got representative PCP finance figures as a guide?
Your wife should like it! Ours is technically my wife's too, I'm in-between cars, still deciding what to get next. Our Mini specc'ed up to £40,555 in the UK but we had to pay 49900 Euros here in Portugal due to their extra tax. Anyone got representative PCP finance figures as a guide?
Can't help with PCP, put 50% down and taking the balance over 3 years to own it.
CoolHands said:
40 big ones for a mini?
My wife likes Mini's. This is her 3rd. It makes her happy and she didn't fancy another brand. She's had BMW's (1 and 3 series) and just likes Mini's, how they drive, how they look and feel. I offered her a Mercedes C-Class but she said no.
I wanted the high spec, I like the toys.
I appreciate to some it may seem a lot to pay "for a Mini" but for me not so much. We wanted it and can comfortably afford to buy it outright.
Also, the used car market here in Portugal is nothing like that in the UK. Cars here do not depreciate nearly as quickly; it is an expensive, protected and closed market. So the gap between new and used over 5 years is much narrower than you would find in the UK.
Edited by Coolbanana on Tuesday 23 January 09:34
I never thought I’d see myself (well, ok the missus) in a mini but I’ve ordered a Countryman PHEV through work.
I’d been mulling over whether to go full ev (BMW I3s was very tempting) but until 2020 there’s no benefit to a zero emissions car over a 49g Hybrid and all the disadvantages of not being able to pop to the local petrol station if caught short.
So ULEV it was then but after the cheap but slow and dull Outlander, I wanted something a bit quicker but was struggling to find anything.
The Ioniq was too slow, I’d ruled out the Rex I3s as it blunted the performance and if I was going to compromise I’d want a bit more practicality.
I toyed with the 225xe and although I’m now 40 as of a fortnight ago, I’m not about to jump in a minivan, plus visibility was awful in it.
So I found myself sat in a Countryman at my mini dealers deciding this wasn’t bad and 0-62 in 6.8 (Car and driver managed 0-60 in 5.8) seemed like it might be a good laugh.
A 2 year lease was about the same as the 4 year lease on monthlies so I set about buggering up that logic with the options list.
I didn’t go for the chilli or JCW packs as they put bigger alloys on and bump the emissions bracket and tax up so instead I just sat ticking all sorts of stuff.
So I’ve got a new Mini on order as follows;
Metallic Blue
HUD
Parking sensors and park assist
Rear view camera
Cross stiched leather
heated seats
Dual zone climate
Heated windscreen
Dimming interior and wing mirrors
Auto boot
Storage pack (for the 12v sockets)
Came in about £36000 list price.
All told it’s setting me back £534 (salary sacrifice scheme) from my gross salary which is pretty much my car allowance anyway.
It’s also about £160 at 40% tax payer bik so that’s about £400 ish all in.
It might seem a lot but I don’t pay insurance or maintenance, petrol will be £10 a week tops and the wife invariably ends up reshaping her cars into something resembling Kryten’s skull over the life of a lease so it nets out cheaper than a private purchase or lease with a six monthly ‘chips away’ visit
We also need something sizeable with two young kids under 3 plus a dog to cart around.
As for me, I’m busy flip flopping between leasing a BMW M140, an Alfa Giulia Veloce or sinking 4K into an xj308 xjr or a c32 Mercedes for a laugh.
Erring towards the latter as I always get bored easily with my cars and being tied into a lease might bug me, of course that will change when I test drive the former two no doubt
Roll on July when it gets here...
I’d been mulling over whether to go full ev (BMW I3s was very tempting) but until 2020 there’s no benefit to a zero emissions car over a 49g Hybrid and all the disadvantages of not being able to pop to the local petrol station if caught short.
So ULEV it was then but after the cheap but slow and dull Outlander, I wanted something a bit quicker but was struggling to find anything.
The Ioniq was too slow, I’d ruled out the Rex I3s as it blunted the performance and if I was going to compromise I’d want a bit more practicality.
I toyed with the 225xe and although I’m now 40 as of a fortnight ago, I’m not about to jump in a minivan, plus visibility was awful in it.
So I found myself sat in a Countryman at my mini dealers deciding this wasn’t bad and 0-62 in 6.8 (Car and driver managed 0-60 in 5.8) seemed like it might be a good laugh.
A 2 year lease was about the same as the 4 year lease on monthlies so I set about buggering up that logic with the options list.
I didn’t go for the chilli or JCW packs as they put bigger alloys on and bump the emissions bracket and tax up so instead I just sat ticking all sorts of stuff.
So I’ve got a new Mini on order as follows;
Metallic Blue
HUD
Parking sensors and park assist
Rear view camera
Cross stiched leather
heated seats
Dual zone climate
Heated windscreen
Dimming interior and wing mirrors
Auto boot
Storage pack (for the 12v sockets)
Came in about £36000 list price.
All told it’s setting me back £534 (salary sacrifice scheme) from my gross salary which is pretty much my car allowance anyway.
It’s also about £160 at 40% tax payer bik so that’s about £400 ish all in.
It might seem a lot but I don’t pay insurance or maintenance, petrol will be £10 a week tops and the wife invariably ends up reshaping her cars into something resembling Kryten’s skull over the life of a lease so it nets out cheaper than a private purchase or lease with a six monthly ‘chips away’ visit
We also need something sizeable with two young kids under 3 plus a dog to cart around.
As for me, I’m busy flip flopping between leasing a BMW M140, an Alfa Giulia Veloce or sinking 4K into an xj308 xjr or a c32 Mercedes for a laugh.
Erring towards the latter as I always get bored easily with my cars and being tied into a lease might bug me, of course that will change when I test drive the former two no doubt
Roll on July when it gets here...
Edited by stewjohnst on Friday 23 February 21:30
So, I won't be getting one of these now...
The 2018 updates have stupidly nudged the official CO2 up to 55g/km regardless of the tyres on it, pushing the BIK up by 3%. Add to that various tweaks to the spec and price it means I'll be taking cash over the company car and a petrol Skoda Karoq SE L is the order of the day for the missus instead.
For someone who professes to not care about cars, she seems pretty miffed at not getting a Mini
The 2018 updates have stupidly nudged the official CO2 up to 55g/km regardless of the tyres on it, pushing the BIK up by 3%. Add to that various tweaks to the spec and price it means I'll be taking cash over the company car and a petrol Skoda Karoq SE L is the order of the day for the missus instead.
For someone who professes to not care about cars, she seems pretty miffed at not getting a Mini
stewjohnst said:
So, I won't be getting one of these now...
The 2018 updates have stupidly nudged the official CO2 up to 55g/km regardless of the tyres on it, pushing the BIK up by 3%. Add to that various tweaks to the spec and price it means I'll be taking cash over the company car and a petrol Skoda Karoq SE L is the order of the day for the missus instead.
For someone who professes to not care about cars, she seems pretty miffed at not getting a Mini
Funnily enough, I was looking at these today but hadn't spotted the tax change. That's it out the window as well then!The 2018 updates have stupidly nudged the official CO2 up to 55g/km regardless of the tyres on it, pushing the BIK up by 3%. Add to that various tweaks to the spec and price it means I'll be taking cash over the company car and a petrol Skoda Karoq SE L is the order of the day for the missus instead.
For someone who professes to not care about cars, she seems pretty miffed at not getting a Mini
Your car options are interesting - I'd only recently read about the Voloce and it has a certain appeal - I'm in a 330e at the moment until September but may well opt out and get a lease deal.
stewjohnst said:
So, I won't be getting one of these now...
The 2018 updates have stupidly nudged the official CO2 up to 55g/km regardless of the tyres on it, pushing the BIK up by 3%. Add to that various tweaks to the spec and price it means I'll be taking cash over the company car and a petrol Skoda Karoq SE L is the order of the day for the missus instead.
For someone who professes to not care about cars, she seems pretty miffed at not getting a Mini
To be honest, it isn't stupid that the method of assessing CO2 is being tightened up, but I can understand why it would be frustrating. The 2018 updates have stupidly nudged the official CO2 up to 55g/km regardless of the tyres on it, pushing the BIK up by 3%. Add to that various tweaks to the spec and price it means I'll be taking cash over the company car and a petrol Skoda Karoq SE L is the order of the day for the missus instead.
For someone who professes to not care about cars, she seems pretty miffed at not getting a Mini
These type of cars were always created around a regulatory loophole. The good news is that manufacturers are going to be forced to increase the battery capacity in order to get their cars back below the threshold which in the longer term actually helps makes better, more useful cars.
EddieSteadyGo said:
To be honest, it isn't stupid that the method of assessing CO2 is being tightened up, but I can understand why it would be frustrating.
It just seems a bit daft that mini have bumped the co2 over 50g as the new measures for emissions don’t come in until 2020. Mini must have done something to make it only hit 55 on the old nedl measure which wipes out a chunk of people eyeing up something interesting that was in the bottom tax bracket for a 2 year company car.I can’t say I’m too fussed as I’ll drive and amuse myself in pretty much anything and I’d rather have the Karoq as a bigger and more practical car.
The main driver for getting it on the company is that the Outlander going back hasn’t got a single panel on it in one piece thanks to it spending its life in the supermarket and school run dodgems and the company car element means that isn’t my problem.
Both times I’ve had a private lease for the wife I’ve had to have a smart repair done before return and or coughed up an end of lease fee because something was bent out of shape.
I’ll be back in a company car in 2020 when it’s worth getting a full EV again at 2% BIK to dodge tax
I've recently taken delivery of a Countryman PHEV and I have to say, I'm pretty impressed.
I am fortunate enough to have other vehicles available to me too, so long journeys won't be undertaken using the MINI. However, after 3 weeks and 700+ miles of mostly "local" driving, the dash reports over 95 MPG.
It's part way through the full tank of fuel that it was delivered with.
I charge at night, at home. I charge at work during the day, if I need to and I can charge (and park) for free, at my local gym, which is at the nearby sports centre.
Thus far, I can't see what's not to like.
The car looks like it will hugely reduce my fuel bill.
Based on the 3 year hire agreement of £283, for 12K miles PA, I'm better off, by quite some margin.
I am fortunate enough to have other vehicles available to me too, so long journeys won't be undertaken using the MINI. However, after 3 weeks and 700+ miles of mostly "local" driving, the dash reports over 95 MPG.
It's part way through the full tank of fuel that it was delivered with.
I charge at night, at home. I charge at work during the day, if I need to and I can charge (and park) for free, at my local gym, which is at the nearby sports centre.
Thus far, I can't see what's not to like.
The car looks like it will hugely reduce my fuel bill.
Based on the 3 year hire agreement of £283, for 12K miles PA, I'm better off, by quite some margin.
So, I’ve been told I need to replace my company car and pick from a limited choice of cars, a countryman PHEV being one of them. Trouble is, I’m going to struggle to charge it at home as I have nowhere to park it. What sort of mpg are people getting in purely hybrid mode without charging at home? I’ve seen some reviews stating mid 50’s to the gallon, and others low 30’s. Can any of you existing owners provide a bit of insight?
Thanks
Thanks
So i'm looking for a new company car and the Countryman PHEV is apealling from the BIK tax perspective. However, i also get all business and private full paid by the company so don't want to be charging this at home at my cost. I'm not in the office all the time so cannot rely on a regular charge there. Question is: Can i run this car without ever plugging it in? Does it self charge enough to utilise the hybrid power?
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
Richieh09 said:
So i'm looking for a new company car and the Countryman PHEV is apealling from the BIK tax perspective. However, i also get all business and private full paid by the company so don't want to be charging this at home at my cost. I'm not in the office all the time so cannot rely on a regular charge there. Question is: Can i run this car without ever plugging it in? Does it self charge enough to utilise the hybrid power?
Thanks in advance.
Yes, it self-charges. Thanks in advance.
Ours is nearly a year old now, a little under 9000km covered and I charged it in the first two weeks of ownership only.
You have 3 modes:
1. Full-time EV. This will last about 25km.
2. Auto. The car automatically switches between Petrol and EV as it sees fit - based upon your speed, really. A short, slower journey will see the battery depleted nearly as quickly as EV-only. A longer, faster journey will see it deplete more slowly.
3. Save. Petrol only albeit it does seem to use EV to help under hard acceleration. Otherwise it is recharging as it goes, including using brake energy. It actually charges very quickly. I can leave home with 30% battery and a 50km run will have it at full charge by the end.
All this is controlled by an easily reached flip switch - one of those retro Mini ones. So I tend to do local runs in Auto or EV and Motorways and longer journey's in Save mode. When I want to use the car's full power to overtake etc, I flip to Auto briefly.
Coolbanana said:
Yes, it self-charges.
Ours is nearly a year old now, a little under 9000km covered and I charged it in the first two weeks of ownership only.
You have 3 modes:
1. Full-time EV. This will last about 25km.
2. Auto. The car automatically switches between Petrol and EV as it sees fit - based upon your speed, really. A short, slower journey will see the battery depleted nearly as quickly as EV-only. A longer, faster journey will see it deplete more slowly.
3. Save. Petrol only albeit it does seem to use EV to help under hard acceleration. Otherwise it is recharging as it goes, including using brake energy. It actually charges very quickly. I can leave home with 30% battery and a 50km run will have it at full charge by the end.
All this is controlled by an easily reached flip switch - one of those retro Mini ones. So I tend to do local runs in Auto or EV and Motorways and longer journey's in Save mode. When I want to use the car's full power to overtake etc, I flip to Auto briefly.
What kind of economy are you getting when not plug in charging then? This kind of thing would be ideal for me as I can probably treat it as a self charge hybrid but with a bigger EV range than the likes of a Toyota or other Hybrid. Having a coupe of hills on my 30 mile commute means I can probably charge more downhill and along the 10 miles of motorway and use EV for the last few miles uphill to home or work as its always the last part of my journey that currently kills my MPG's...Ours is nearly a year old now, a little under 9000km covered and I charged it in the first two weeks of ownership only.
You have 3 modes:
1. Full-time EV. This will last about 25km.
2. Auto. The car automatically switches between Petrol and EV as it sees fit - based upon your speed, really. A short, slower journey will see the battery depleted nearly as quickly as EV-only. A longer, faster journey will see it deplete more slowly.
3. Save. Petrol only albeit it does seem to use EV to help under hard acceleration. Otherwise it is recharging as it goes, including using brake energy. It actually charges very quickly. I can leave home with 30% battery and a 50km run will have it at full charge by the end.
All this is controlled by an easily reached flip switch - one of those retro Mini ones. So I tend to do local runs in Auto or EV and Motorways and longer journey's in Save mode. When I want to use the car's full power to overtake etc, I flip to Auto briefly.
Mikey G said:
What kind of economy are you getting when not plug in charging then? This kind of thing would be ideal for me as I can probably treat it as a self charge hybrid but with a bigger EV range than the likes of a Toyota or other Hybrid. Having a coupe of hills on my 30 mile commute means I can probably charge more downhill and along the 10 miles of motorway and use EV for the last few miles uphill to home or work as its always the last part of my journey that currently kills my MPG's...
Ah...no idea. I live in an area where I can race along the motorway at 160km/h no probs as there is very little traffic. Obviously that does the fuel economy no favours so I don't measure it.In Save-only mode, you have a 1.5L 3 cylinder petrol engine moving a relatively heavy little car. So it really needs a fine balance to be worked out on any given journey to make the most effective use of the electric engine. Front wheels are run by the petrol, rear by the electric. AWD with both engines running.
Mikey G said:
What kind of economy are you getting when not plug in charging then? This kind of thing would be ideal for me as I can probably treat it as a self charge hybrid but with a bigger EV range than the likes of a Toyota or other Hybrid. Having a coupe of hills on my 30 mile commute means I can probably charge more downhill and along the 10 miles of motorway and use EV for the last few miles uphill to home or work as its always the last part of my journey that currently kills my MPG's...
Self-charging tends to knacker the mpg from the petrol engine. Certainly does on my Merc. The hills will only get you a couple of % charge so don't think you'll be able to get 100% charge through driving. They are designed to be plugged in...RicksAlfas said:
Self-charging tends to knacker the mpg from the petrol engine. Certainly does on my Merc. The hills will only get you a couple of % charge so don't think you'll be able to get 100% charge through driving. They are designed to be plugged in...
I know this, but Coolbanana is saying otherwise without giving an indication of the fuel economy of the petrol engine when charging as he says, if he is struggling to get 30mpg during charging and gaining 5 miles of EV only during that time then he would have been better off with a diesel, conventional hybrid or needs to plug it in more. Seems to have been a waste of time buying the PHEV Mini if only to not plug in as its a nett loss economy wise.If on the other hand he is getting 35+ mpg and getting an EV range close to 10 miles after 30 miles of driving then this far surpasses the EV range of a conventional hybrid which can only cover very short distances in EV only mode.
Mikey G said:
I know this, but Coolbanana is saying otherwise without giving an indication of the fuel economy of the petrol engine when charging as he says, if he is struggling to get 30mpg during charging and gaining 5 miles of EV only during that time then he would have been better off with a diesel, conventional hybrid or needs to plug it in more. Seems to have been a waste of time buying the PHEV Mini if only to not plug in as its a nett loss economy wise.
If on the other hand he is getting 35+ mpg and getting an EV range close to 10 miles after 30 miles of driving then this far surpasses the EV range of a conventional hybrid which can only cover very short distances in EV only mode.
I can't comment on the MPG as I don't measure it, but I can absolutely confirm that my Mini can recharge itself to 100% without having to plug it in. I've seen it go down to 15% and still get to be 91% recharged after a 50km run to Faro Airport in SAVE mode where only the petrol engine is running. It won't recharge on the motorway unless you are doing no more than 120km/h. So it actually does most of its recharging on the A-roads. If on the other hand he is getting 35+ mpg and getting an EV range close to 10 miles after 30 miles of driving then this far surpasses the EV range of a conventional hybrid which can only cover very short distances in EV only mode.
My wife and I bought the Mini Hybrid because we wanted to start on the road to full-EV - not from a fuel economy reason, purely because we want to move away from petrol/diesel. I tend to drive it in EV mode in residential areas and in petrol on motorways and A-roads.
65MPG said:
So, I’ve been told I need to replace my company car and pick from a limited choice of cars, a countryman PHEV being one of them. Trouble is, I’m going to struggle to charge it at home as I have nowhere to park it. What sort of mpg are people getting in purely hybrid mode without charging at home? I’ve seen some reviews stating mid 50’s to the gallon, and others low 30’s. Can any of you existing owners provide a bit of insight?
Thanks
I've had mine just over a year, and have calculated MPG several times tank to tank in various uses and modes.Thanks
If not plugging in, you'll be lucky to see 35mpg with average use.
They're just not that efficient on ICE alone.
I really fancied one of these
When I crunched the figures as a personal purchase it just did not make sense
We ended up getting a countryman cooper D, high spec and ex demo with minimal mileage
It cost about £10k less than an equivalent hybrid
Where we live diesel is cheaper than petrol and the D is giving 60mpg on a run and overall is averaging 53mpg in mixed use
As a car I think i it’s great, just didn’t work for us
When I crunched the figures as a personal purchase it just did not make sense
We ended up getting a countryman cooper D, high spec and ex demo with minimal mileage
It cost about £10k less than an equivalent hybrid
Where we live diesel is cheaper than petrol and the D is giving 60mpg on a run and overall is averaging 53mpg in mixed use
As a car I think i it’s great, just didn’t work for us
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