Mini Countryman SE ALL4 review

Mini is an automotive icon and while it doesn't have the widest roaster in the industry each of its models is instantly recognizable. Such was the case in 2010 when the Countryman debuted. It was an instant hit and Mini's most sold model for long periods. The second generation didn't quite get the same warm welcome, though, so the company hopes to regain some ground in this third version. A big part of its plan is the release of an all-electric version, which is a first in the model's history.

Table of Contents:

• Exterior
• Interior
• Storage & practicalities
• Driving experience
• Tech features
• Ride comfort
• Cabin noise
• Acceleration and braking
• Consumption
• Charging speed
• Competition
• Verdict

The new Countryman shares most of its interior with other recent Mini models. That enables a large number of interchangeable parts, simplified production and maintenance as well as lower production costs, but also delivers a familiar athmosphere for brand loyalists. So while the new Countryman looks very different on the outside, once you sit in it's hardly any different from the smaller Mini Cooper.

The version we got for a review is the Mini Countryman SE ALL4 with the JCW package, outputting 313 hp and 494 Nm. Promising numbers for suer, but the model has grown in size and weight as well. The JCW package adds a number of aggressive aero elements and a dash of sportiness to the interior.

Mini Countryman SE ALL4 2023 -

• Dimensions: 4,433 mm x 1,843 mm x 1,656 mm, 2,692 mm wheelbase.
• Drivetrain tested: SE ALL4 - AWD 230 kW (313 hp), 494 Nm, 66.5 kWh total battery capacity, 64.6 kWh usable battery capacity
• Other drivetrains: E - FWD 150 kW (204 hp), 250 Nm, 66.5 kWh total battery capacity, 64.6 kWh usable battery capacity
• Charging: 130 kW CCS
• Range: 433 km WLTP
• Weight: 2,075 kg unladen
• Other features: Air-console games, Moods, Multiple lighting settings, OTA updates.

Exterior

Mini went for a revolution than an evolution with the design, its signature lines barely recognizable in the new model. The angular styling cues and larger size mean that Mini might not be the first brand on your mind when you see the car. Part of the reason is the Countryman now shares its platform with the BMW X1 as it makes room for a intermediate model to enter the Mini lineup with the upcoming Mini Aceman.

All that said the front still bears a recognizable huge Mini grille, which in the electric version serves only aesthetic purposes, giving the car a recognizable happy face.

The lights are no longer rounded - the angular LEDs can project three different lighting styles depending on the owner’s taste. This can be found in Mini's newest models, adding a touch of extra personalization.

Your Mini Countryman can have different lighting signatures based on your preferences.

The skirts all around the Countryman SE look beefy and rough, suggesting they can tackle challenging terrains. Combined with the ALL4 all-wheel drive system, the Countryman suggests it's not afraid to get dirty.

The profile of the new Countryman can hardly be identified as a Mini, as it's a very generic SUV look. In some of the darker available colors the Countryman easily blends with traffic and doesn’t stand out, which is uncommon for a Mini.

The only unusual thing on the side is the large square after the C-pillar, which merely indicates the trim level of your Countryman , but reduces the visibility for rear passengers. It looks a bit like the mounting point on new Land Rover Defenders, but it's even less useful.

Our test example is equipped with the JCW package, which adds a lot of visual improvements and aggressive elements, including the upgraded 20-inch wheels, which look great. The Pirelli winter tires that came with the Countryman are a breath of fresh air compared to the poor Maxxis rubber we had when testing the Mini Cooper SE.

As you open the doors at night, a huge Mini logo is being projected onto the ground, adding a bit of visual flair.

The rear end of the Countryman SE looks nothing like its predecessors and is facing a lot of criticism from brand loyalists. The taillights and the lettering add a bit of style to an otherwise very generic and boring design that is dominated by flat surfaces.

Just like up front, the tail lights can change their look depending on the driver’s preferences.

Lighting in the back is more easily distinguishable between the different driving modes.

Interior

The Mini Countryman shares its interior with the Mini Cooper we already thoroughly reviewed, so хере we will focus only on the differences between the two.

One of the best bits about driving a Mini are the endless customization options, meaning you'll rarely see two identical cars on the road. Ironically, the interior of our Countryman has the exact same colors as the Mini Cooper SE we tested, the company clearly have settled on a setup for the review cars.

The Mini Countryman SE has a vivid interior with colors splashing everywhere, creating a fantastic setting for the driver and passengers. Most of the materials look to be of high quality and are well put together. Sadly, that premium perception doesn't stand the test of touch as a bunch of them feel quite rough when you run your finger down them. However, the build quality is indeed fabulous as there are absolutely no creaks or rattles.

The sportier seats we tested feature thick bolstering to comfortably hug you in place.

The steering wheel is the same chunky one as in all BMW models and is easy to operate, but the materials are subpar and don't suit a vehicle with premium ambitions.

Behind the steering wheel you have a "boost" paddle, which unleashes the full power instantly for 10 seconds, allowing you to quickly overtake without having to activate sport mode.

As in many modern vehicles, the gauge cluster is not behind the steering wheel, but rather integrated into the multimedia display.

Optionally, you can get a head-up display, which isn't actually projecting on the window, but instead uses a separate piece of glass sticking out of the dashboard. This is due to the almost upright windshield, but is also a far cheaper solution to implement. Its readouts change depending on your drive modes and it’s clearly visible even in very bright lighting.

The main display is the centerpiece of the entire interior. It is a giant circle right in the middle of the dashboard, sticking out prominently. It is a nod to previous generations, which all sported a circular element there. Here it controls almost all features of the Mini, but it is sadly slow to respond and leaves a lot of unused space due to its oval shape.

Below the center screen you can find the only buttons in the interior, which control vastly different functions, despite being placed on the same plate. Gone is the switch a la airplane toggle to start the car and instead you turn a fake key. Then you choose which gear you need by pressing a switch, while the parking brake is a separate button to the side.

There is another button labeled "Experiences," which is what BMW now calls its drive modes. The renaming is apt as they change a number of things, including the ambient lighting.

The center console between the two passengers is, thankfully, not the abomination that it is in the Mini Cooper SE. You get a real armrest that can be used by both passengers and some usable storage space below it. Sadly, the cupholders are still shallow and wide, meaning that most drinks will spill all around.

The center console is much more usable than in the Mini Cooper SE.

There is the option to equip your Mini Cooper SE with a Harman/Kardon sound system, which offers great audio experience and is very well integrated into the design of the interior.

The rear seats are the biggest improvement compared to previous Countrymans. As the model has grown significantly, so has the rear, allowing the second row passengers to enjoy a more comfortable ride. Even our 1.95 m (6’4”) tall reviewer has plenty of room to spare. The seats themselves adjust to multiple positions, letting you decide between an upright seating position or a more inclined one.

The rear is spacious for all kinds of passengers.

On the flip side, there aren't many amenities in the back. There are two USB-C ports, two air vents, as well as an armrest with cupholders and that’s about it. At the end of the day, the Countryman is the entry-level model in BMW’s lineup, so some sacrifices should be made.

Storage & practicalities

Trunk space is not exactly huge in the Countryman, but more than enough for a Mini. With the seats up, the capacity is 460 l, which is not groundbreaking for the segment, but isn’t bad either. The boxy design of the rear end allows you to utilize that space fully.

Below the trunk floor is some storage space for smaller items like charging cables and a medical kit.

With the rear seats folded, the trunk capacity goes to 1,450 l, which is respectable and on par with bigger vehicles, allowing you to even big items like fridges and dishwashers.

Interestingly, the Mini Countryman can be equipped with a tow hitch, allowing you to tow up to 1,200 kg braked load. This is a big benefit for an electric vehicle, especially of that size, which adds a substantial amount of practicality to the Countryman and is a big bonus over rivals.

Typical for BMW, the Mini Countryman SE doesn’t have a frunk (front trunk), despite having a lot of empty space up front.

Driving experience

Mini has become an epitome of pure driver enjoyment and fun behind the wheel. Sadly, this sensation is dumbed down to the bare minimum in the new Countryman SE. It has grown significantly in size and weight and that has naturally made it lose its agility. It is no longer an zippy small vehicle to squeeze between traffic and rip through corners, but is now a sophisticated SUV that takes up an entire lane and drives its passengers in peace.

We still test the SE JCW version that can accelerate quickly and offer more stability in the corners, but if you are a Mini purist, this is not the vehicle for you. The Countryman has adopted new traits in order to appeal to new customers, but if you want to have the unfiltered Mini experience in an SUV version perhaps the upcoming Aceman will be the one to consider.

As for what it is, the Countryman SE handles its big heavy body well and manages to hide some of its weight in the corners. The car dives confidently and pulls out of it with ease thanks to the great suspension settings and good power output on all wheels.

What makes it subjectively better than the competition is the virtual lack of bodyroll. The chassis seems to stay in place and doesn’t lean and twist too much in the corners. However, when braking or accelerating, the weight transfer cannot be compensated quickly enough by the suspension and the Countryman pushes into one of the axles.

One thing that remains as a nod to the go-kart feel of the original Minis is the excellent steering feedback you get, especially when pushing the Countryman to its limits. You know precisely what is going on underneath the car and can communicate with it easily what to do to continue driving in your desired path.

The ground clearance of 147 mm is not massive, yet the small wheelbase allows the Countryman SE to handle some lighter off-roading. The skid plates and durable bumpers allow you to go through rough terrains with confidence, whereas the ALL4 AWD makes sure you never get stuck. The Countryman SE is not a vehicle you'll take on a mountain trail, but one you can take off the paved roads and enjoy with trust.

As we mentioned in the Mini Cooper review, the driver assistants interfere severely and turning them off is a chore. Beeping when going over the speed limit is deafening, while the lane-keep assist may easily cause a crash by making your steering heavy, instead of preventing it by allowing you to switch lanes in an instant. The procedure of switching these assistants off takes a few clicks and the laggy infotainment doesn’t make things easier.

Tech features

As we already mentioned, Mini uses the same unit we already thoroughly reviewed in our Mini Cooper SE review, so we will cover just the basics here.

The display is bright and with great image quality, but the processor is underpowered and menus take a while to load, which is unacceptable for any modern car, especially one with premium ambitions.

The top part of the screen is dedicated to the gauge cluster, where you find your speed, all active systems and important readouts, as well as the error/caution messages. It is well integrated, but still remains a compromise compared to a traditional gauge cluster.

The lower part of the screen is dedicated to multimedia and all other functionalities and here we should mention that it is really painfully slow to respond in the initial minutes after startup. In our previous review we mentioned this lag might be because the car was a pre-production model, but the Countryman SE ALL4 is not one of those and the lag is still sadly present.

The home screen of the Mini consists of many menus and presets, which are uniquely designed for the Mini, but ultimately have the same functionalities as all other BMW models with the iDrive 8.5 system.

One gimmicky feature the Countryman offers is the off-road experience, which allows you to see how tilted your vehicle is while driving on a rough terrain and see your exact coordinates.

Although you get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, they are incorporated abysmally and are clearly an afterthought. The circular display is an issue and instead of figuring out a way to incorporate the systems, Mini engineers just put a very tiny square in the middle of it for the phone system and went on with their lives. It's so poorly done it doesn't belong in any type of car. The previous generation integrated the same system in a similar circular display much better, so the developers have no reason to get away with this.

Ride comfort

The ride of the Mini Countryman SE is smooth, yet direct. It translates uneven road surfaces into the interior, but it smooths them out just so you can feel and adjust accordingly. Big potholes are felt harshly inside as the weight of the Countryman makes it bounce a few times after impact, but the general feeling you get is of a firm, yet comfortable ride.

Cabin noise

The cabin of the Countryman SE is well-insulated and doesn’t transfer much from the ambient world. Wind noise is the main concern as the boxy design accounts for strong resistance and poor aerodynamics. However, the build quality accounts for no rattles inside, creating the illusion of an even quieter ride.

Sound level tests are carried out with a specialized sound level meter placed in the car's cupholders. The test is conducted with air conditioning and radio off and while maintaining a steady speed.

Acceleration and braking

Contrary to the Mini Cooper SE, the Countryman SE ALL4 sends its power to all four wheels. With the bigger power output and the boost paddle the Countryman SE propels itself to 100 km/h in 5.29 seconds, which is slightly faster than what the manufacturer claims and a whole second quicker than the smaller Cooper.

Braking is really bad, though. A full stop from 100 km/h takes a whopping 40 m (131’3”), which is a terrible result. The testing conditions were near optimal and even then the Countryman SE underperformed and felt anything but secure. There was no initial bite to the brakes and, as we repeated the test a few times braking performance dropped even further.

Acceleration and deceleration are measured with a RaceBox device inside the car. Testing is done with a single person inside the car, with air conditioning and traction control off.

Consumption

The design of the Countryman SE suggests it won’t be an efficiency champion and combined with the small battery of 64.6 kWh usable capacity, the range prospects were never amazing. It does okay at all speeds, but is far from the best. For our detailed opinion on the Mini Countryman SE’s efficiency check out our dedicated range test article.

We measure consumption by driving at constant speeds on an identical test route during the day. Testing is conducted with air conditioning, all safety systems and radio on. The data comes from the vehicle's board computer. Specific testing parameters such as ambient temperature are mentioned in the text on a case by case basis.

We now suggest you use the widget below to find out the Mini Countryman SE ALL4’s range in every combination of speed and temperature you might need. We've used our real world tests and a complex model to provide an estimate that should be as close to the actual performance as possible.

Charging speed

Even with a low ambient temperature, the Mini Countryman Easily reached its peak 130 kW charging power. This power is not the greatest in the segment and some rivals do better, but with a smaller battery a full charge still doesn’t take that long to complete.

Competition

Small SUVs are at an all-time high in terms of sales and available models, so the Mini Countryman SE should have a huge number of potential customers. Despite growing in size, the Mini Countryman SE remains a tad bit smaller than its main competitors. We are not sure brand loyalists will be very fond of it, although some of them might appreciate the extra comfort as they've grown older.

The first competitor of the Mini Countryman SE is the Hyundai Ioniq 5. The Korean is slightly bigger and can be equipped with bigger batteries, enabling longer range. The outside of the Ioniq is more recognizable, yet the interior of the Mini is more pleasant to sit in. Charging is faster in the Ioniq 5 but in credit to BMW engieneers, the efficiency of the Hyundai is lower so its bigger battery don’t really result in much longer range.

The second competitor comes from BMW’s own stable in the face of the BMW iX1. The two vehicles are virtually the same and mostly differ in design.

Hyundai Ioniq 5 84kWh AWD 2024 - • BMW iX1 xDrive30 2022 -

Verdict

The Mini Countryman SE ALL4 is a great overall vehicle, which has sadly lost its Mini DNA. The car itself is a fantastic daily companion that can tackle almost any challenge thrown at it, but it just doesn’t have that X-factor Mini is so famous for. There are no silly gimmicks and weird quirks and the Countryman just feels grown-up and mature. Whilne not a bad quality in itself, this is just not what we expect to get from the brand.

The driving experience is predictable and on the sportier side, but still remains civilized enough for daily activities. The interior is well-built, despite being made primarily out of cheaper materials, which creates a mixed sensation in the passengers. The increased size of the Countryman is justified by the spacious interior, which is comfortable for all sizes of passengers.

When you’re faced with the dilemma of choosing the Mini Countryman SE ALL4 or some of its competitors, you will have to mainly look at the subjective differences, as all rivals in the segment offer almost identical qualities. The Mini shines with a distinctive exterior and fancy interior, but when it comes to the driving experience it has lost its competitive edge.

Pros

• Spacious back seat.
• Tow hitch.
• Direct steering feedback.
• Rich individualization options for the inside and outside.
• Unique lighting features no other manufacturer provides.
• Different infotainment outlooks depending on the mode.

Cons

• Laggy and slow infotainment.
• Terrible braking.
• Slow charging times.
• Unimpressive range on a single charge.
• Many materials are cheap and feel bad to touch.
• High price.
• No frunk.