One take a look at the brand new Countryman is sufficient to know Mini has its mojo again.
It’s instantly identifiable, however there’s one thing… totally different about it. The small print are crisper and extra assured, for an general much less blobby beast.
There’s extra happening right here than simply an exterior overhaul. Below the pores and skin, the brand new Countryman rides on a brand new platform shared with the most recent BMW X1 designed to ship a extra grown-up drive than earlier than.
Together with a full suite of driver assists, one thing sorely missing within the final mannequin, it encompasses a flashy inside paying homage to the primary New Mini beneath BMW possession and, by extension, the legendary unique.
Though it’s doable to have the brand new Countryman with electrical energy, the Countryman E and SE haven’t hit Australia but. As an alternative, the three-cylinder Countryman C is main the cost – how does it fare?
How does the Mini Countryman evaluate?
View an in depth breakdown of the Mini Countryman in opposition to equally sized autos.
Mini
Countryman
How a lot does the Mini Countryman price?
The Countryman kicks off under $50,000 in Australia, and even the mid-spec Traditional on take a look at right here is $52,990 earlier than on-roads with a beneficiant listing of normal tools.
| Mannequin Variant | Countryman C | Countryman S |
|---|---|---|
| Core | $49,990 | |
| Traditional | $52,990 | $58,990 |
| Favoured | $55,990 | $61,990 |
| JCW Sport | $63,990 |
Costs exlude on-road prices
To see how the Mini Countryman traces up in opposition to the competitors, take a look at our comparability device.
What’s the Mini Countryman like on the within?
Mini has all the time carried out attention-grabbing interiors, however the brand new Countryman takes it to the subsequent stage.
We regularly discuss showroom enchantment. The large round display combines with some actually attention-grabbing design particulars and supplies to set this aside from its rivals on first look, which is able to instantly win come patrons over at a standstill.
Key model contact factors just like the little toggle switches on the base of the dashboard are again for 2024, whereas the steering wheel has a novel design relative to the BMW X1 alongside which it’s constructed.
There’s loads of area up entrance, with generously padded armchairs for the driving force and passenger. Massive drivers gained’t battle to get snug, and the seating place affords a commanding view over different site visitors by way of the upright windscreen.
Fairly than a small automobile dressed up in SUV garments, it seems like a extra purpose-built crossover.
The round touchscreen appears cool, but it surely takes some getting used to. The local weather controls, and supplementary gauges are across the edges, whereas your fundamental infotainment features are housed within the center.
BMW deserves credit score for placing the hassle into making all of the graphics and animations distinctive, and the vary of themes for the system are a sometimes Mini contact. I really like the format that provides you a retro speedo in the midst of the automobile specifically.
There are some irritating quirks to the system, although. To unlock the total performance of the digital assistant, which could be activated utilizing Hey Mini, you have to be signed in to a web based account, for instance.
It’s not fairly on the extent of pay-to-play heated seats, but it surely’s one other instance of know-how holding drivers hostage. This time, Euro NCAP hasn’t even mandated it.
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UK mannequin pictured
It may also be onerous to work out easy methods to entry sure features, that are buried in the identical maze of menus you get in different BMW merchandise, however with an added layer of cutesy obfuscation.
Whereas we’re whinging, the pop-up head-up show hiding behind the wheel the place the instrument binnacle would often sit is reasonable and nasty, and is difficult to see for those who’re awkwardly proportioned. Given it is a model new automobile, it’s odd Mini hasn’t gone to the difficulty of getting it projected onto the windscreen.
Cupboard space up entrance is a giant leap ahead from the final automobile. There’s no standard bin between , however you get slightly bin between the seats permitting you to cover valuables. You additionally get cupholders, and spacious door pockets for bottles. A wi-fi telephone charger beneath the sprint is backed by twin USB-C ports.
Rear seat area is a big enchancment right here relative to the final Countryman. This can be a genuinely usable SUV, with area for absolutely grown adults within the rear… offered the driving force isn’t an olympic basketballer.
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UK mannequin pictured -
Tall youngsters will have the ability to get snug again there, and there’s loads of headroom regardless of the panoramic sunroof on our Traditional tester. USB-C ports and air vents function, as does a fold-down central armrest, and the upright home windows make for fairly an ethereal feeling inside.
It’s value conserving in thoughts the comparatively small rear door opening, nevertheless. It’ll make it tougher to load a toddler right into a rear-facing seat, and means anybody with restricted mobility must be a bit extra versatile to climb in or out.
ISOFIX factors function on the outboard rear seats, and there’s a trio of prime tether factors for youngster seats again there. The bench additionally slides to unencumber extra boot area.
Mini formally quotes a boot capability determine of 500 litres, which expands to 1450 litres with the second row of seats folded.
What’s beneath the bonnet?
The bottom engine within the Countryman is shared with entry-level variations of the BMW X1 – it’s a punchy little three-pot, making 115kW of energy and 230Nm of torque.
| Mannequin | Mini Countryman C |
|---|---|
| Engine | 1.5-litre 3cyl turbo |
| Energy | 115kW |
| Torque | 230Nm |
| Transmission | 7-speed dual-clutch auto |
| Pushed wheels | Entrance-wheel drive |
| Weight | 1520kg (kerb) |
| 0-100km/h | 9.0 seconds |
| Gas financial system (declare) | 6.8L/100km |
| Gas financial system (as examined) | 8.2L/100km |
| Gas tank measurement | 45L |
| Gas requirement | 95 RON |
How does the Mini Countryman drive?
There’s no mistaking the engine within the Countryman C for something however a three-cylinder.
It has a decided, offbeat thrum that buzzes into the cabin if you’re driving round city, but it surely’s endearing reasonably than annoying. It’s a fairly keen engine too, with loads of torque from low down within the rev vary to get you up and rolling in site visitors.
There’s a touch of hesitation from the dual-clutch transmission off the mark, particularly when you’ve got auto begin/cease lively. It takes a beat to fireplace the engine and interact, which seems like a yawning break for those who’re making an attempt to shoot throughout an intersection.
When you’re rolling, the transmission is easy and good. Regardless of its small displacement and middling outputs, there’s all the time loads of punch beneath your proper foot to dart into gaps in site visitors.
It’s assured sufficient to carry a gear if you aren’t in a rush, and kicks down well if you want extra.
Experience high quality is correct on the cash for a small-ish SUV that isn’t aiming to place the game in Sports activities Utility Car.
It floats properly over pimply metropolis streets, and has a barely springy feeling that cushions massive potholes or pace bumps in a manner its predecessor couldn’t.
Mixed with gentle steering, stable visibility by way of the upright home windows, and a powerful suite of cameras and sensors, the snug trip makes for a succesful metropolis SUV.
At 4444mm lengthy, the Countryman is barely barely longer than a Kia Seltos. That makes it straightforward to fit into tight parking areas.
It’s greater than a one-trick pony. Even with a titchy little three-pot engine, the brand new Countryman is happier on the freeway than earlier than due to its extra grown up underpinnings, shared with the most recent BMW X1.
The physique is properly settled on the authorized restrict, and also you lastly get a full suite of lively driver assists within the Countryman. That corrects one of many greatest omissions from the final mannequin.
With adaptive cruise management and lively lane-centring borrowed from BMW, it’ll now keep a set hole to the automobile in entrance of you, and actively work to be sure to’re sitting smack-dab in the midst of the white traces. It’s tech that’s been round for a very long time in rivals, however has been conspicuous by its absence from the Mini lineup.
The trip stays properly managed, however the three-cylinder engine must work onerous to overhaul or haul up hills with a household on board. Highway noise is healthier suppressed than earlier than, though there’s nonetheless a touch of wind rustle from the upright windscreen pillars and mirrors.
Tyre noise continues to be noticeable on coarse chip nation highways, as is commonly the case in European vehicles.
What do you get?
The Countryman C Traditional is the mid-spec trim for the entry-level drivetrain.
Core normal tools:
- 18-inch Asteroid Spoke silver alloy wheels
- Automated LED headlights
- Automated high-beam
- LED tail lights
- Handsfree powered tailgate
- Physique color or Jet Black facet mirrors and roof
- 9.4-inch OLED touchscreen infotainment system
- Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Mini Clever Private Assistant
- 6-speaker sound system
- Twin-zone local weather management
- Keyless entry and push-button begin
- Traditional Trim Design components with Piano Black highlights
- Sport steering wheel
- Sport seats
- Gray/Blue or Black/Blue fabric upholstery
Traditional provides:
- Panoramic glass sunroof
- Mini augmented actuality navigation
- Heated entrance seats
- Adaptive cruise management
- Parking Assistant Plus
- Encompass-view digital camera
- Steering and Lane Management assistant
- Inside digital camera
Is the Mini Countryman secure?
The 2024 Mini Countryman hasn’t been crash examined by ANCAP or Euro NCAP at this stage. The associated BMW X1 has a five-star ranking primarily based on testing carried out in 2022.
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BMW X1 crash take a look at
All Countryman variants include the next security tools:
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Blind spot monitoring
- Lane change warning
- Exit warning
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Clever emergency name
- Rear collision prevention
- Entrance sensors
- Reversing digital camera
Greater-spec Traditional variants add:
- Adaptive cruise management
- Parking Assistant
- Encompass-view digital camera
- Automated Pace Limiter
- Inside digital camera
- Drive recorder
How a lot does the Mini Countryman price to run?
The Countryman is backed by the identical five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee supplied throughout the Mini vary.
| Mini Countryman | |
|---|---|
| Guarantee | 5 years, limitless kilometres |
| Service intervals | 12 months or 20,000km |
| 5yr service plan value | $2275 |
CarExpert’s Tackle the Mini Countryman
The brand new Countryman is Mini at its finest, taking an in any other case regular automobile and turning it into one thing a bit extra particular.
There’s extra substance than ever behind the model too, with a extra spacious inside that includes probably the most attention-grabbing inside know-how $50,000 should buy you in Australia.
You’re nonetheless paying extra for a Mini than a extra mundane, extra sensible mid-sized SUV, however there’s sufficient happening right here to justify the extra premium value.
The Traditional on take a look at right here shapes as a worthwhile improve over the bottom Core, given it brings a wholesome serving to of additional luxurious and security to the desk.
Is the three-cylinder sufficient engine? For those who’re spending most of your time on the varsity run, the reply is sure.
However if you wish to profit from the additional area on supply right here and hit the freeway, the additional cash for the four-cylinder is cash we’d be spending.
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