MINI Countryman SE ALL4 Review
24 Aug 2024|5,530 views
What We Like
Plentiful space for all onboard (as well as their belongings)
Charming interior design
Still one of the better handling crossovers on the market
Effortless power from electric motors
Good electric range
Unique and playful personality
What We Dislike
Ride can feel a little harsh on smaller roads
Infotainment system can be initially confusing for non-tech-savvy users
The (automotive) world outside seems like it's filling up increasingly with impassioned chatter. "Cars are growing way too large!" "Electrification should never supersede combustion power!" A lot of it feels like it could be directed towards MINI's largest member, especially in its current iteration.
Yet behind the wheel of the all-new Countryman SE, all that fades away into the background. Life here is much quieter - and filled with vibrant technicolour.
Effortlessness reigns once you're out on the road; space for the family is aplenty. You even get a chirpy, blobby blue dog accompanying you as your virtual assistant. If the defining qualities like joy and amusement are still here, is this not still a car you can confidently call a MINI?
We'll get the elephant out of the room first: The MINI Countryman has gotten quite the growth spurt.
A growth spurt to the tune of an extra 130mm in length and 80mm in height, in fact. In terms of sheer physical presence, we're talking the sizing territory of cars like the BMW iX1 and Mercedes-Benz EQA now. (In fact, it's wider than the latter).
More rugged styling aside, the fact that 20-inch wheels now fill the Countryman SE's arches nicely is further proof of how much the car has grown
You could have made the case that the first-gen Countryman looked more like a raised hatchback, but in its third generation now, this is well and truly in crossover (or even compact SUV) territory. Those, by the way, are 20-inch wheels that the car is riding on. 20! On a MINI! The fact that they don't look like they're bursting into the arches simply reinforces how much the car has grown.
Embracing a far boxier style than before, the Countryman now also exudes a heightened air of muscularity.
Thank those chunky front and rear bumpers - but also its newfound love affair with angularity rather than roundedness, which you'll see infused into its octagonal grille, large almond-shaped head lights, and blocky taillamps.
Nonetheless, what's great is that it hasn't lost its modern MINI-esque (capital letters, we emphasise) visual identity, even as it steps into larger and more tech-heavy territory. Think Jack Union-light signatures are a little too on the nose? Some clever tech infused into the Countryman opens you up to two other patterns too.
The biggest MINI yet, Part Two: Genuinely spacious and practical
It's not hard to see where all that extra size has gone when you step inside the car.
Shedding any pretensions of physical mini-ness has allowed the Countryman to fully embrace its mission as a family car, and in this third generation, practicality is undeniably one of the defining qualities. That still wasn't something you could have said super confidently of past Countrymans.
Longer wheelbase aside, the fact that the centre console is slightly recessed in the middle is an added boon for the comfort of the middle passenger. The Countryman's wide boot and fold-flat seats also mean that you can carry a proper road bike along for the ride - yes, inside the car, not on top of it
While a lengthened wheelbase, relatively flat floor, and the car's flat roofline mean that three adults will fit comfortably in the rear, that's not all.
Give the electronic tailgate its time to raise fully, and you'll be greeted by a generous 460-litre boot, which can be expanded to 1,450 litres with the 40:20:40 second row folded flat. Transporting your bicycles on the MINIs of yesteryear would have necessitated a rack on the roof. Here, we actually managed to fit a standard-size road bike into the rear without any dismantling. Again - in a MINI!
But without losing its sense of joy
Still, the Countryman doesn't forget its remit as a playful crossover.
Task it to MINI to make a cabin look and feel different - especially with the new circular centrepiece: A rounded 9.4-inch infotainment display. The Start/Stop button even simulates the motion of turning good ole' keys from the past. And since sustainability is now a new goal, a knitted texture clothes the dash and doors, with the latter featuring a captivating ombre blue-orange scheme.
The Experience Modes provide endless fun with their own visual and audio landscapes; our favourites were Timeless (for the aesthetics), and Go-Kart (which is the car's Sport Mode)
But back to the infotainment. Circular screens are already uncommon in the tech world, but what makes this setup extra charming is the fact that MINI's latest operating system has been largely calibrated to the shape. Adding on to the endless fun of the system are the total of eight 'Experience' modes - three that switch up the Countryman's driving character (more on that in a bit), and five more that are just 'for show'.
Mind you, these are rather elaborate and dazzling shows, though - each carries along its own dashboard light-projection and ambient lighting theme in tow. The system is so well thought-through that even the head-up display changes in tandem and keep the visuals consistent.
While the calibration of the latest OS to the rounded screen is tastefully done, there's no denying that wrapping one's head around it entirely requires some learning. Thankfully, there's also Spike to rely on now
The caveat? The sheer multitude of different screens and apps means wrapping your head fully around everything requires both patience and a willingness to learn. The upshot? The visual experience is so well done that you'll never get bored.
Thankfully, all those extra bits fade quite seamlessly into the background if you so wish - and besides, getting comfortable with relying on the voice assistant makes it easy to forget you don't have physical buttons for your A/C's fan speed. From a broader perspective still, it's hard to think of anyone doing dashboards the way MINI has. You really get the sense that the designers had fun.
Raised hatchback or proper crossover?
With just how big the Countryman has become, one might expect its driving character to have taken a backseat this time round.
And certainly, when you're perched behind the wheel - staring out over its chunky bonnet - it's hard to shake off the reality: You're piloting a crossover of sizable proportions, and not some lower-riding supermini. In this fully electric, dual-motor iteration, the car also comes in at a hefty two tonnes already when unladen.
Yet the Countryman also persists resolutely as one of the nicer-handling crossovers today, with its electrification in this SE variant, even making the experience more pleasant.
At lower speeds, the Countryman's stiffly-sprung suspension means that the ride quality can sometimes feel a bit harsh
Unsurprisingly, the car's suspension is more stiffly-spring than that of the average crossover. And while its steering rack doesn't offer hot-hatch levels of quickness and feedback, it does feel quite direct.
Furthermore, the Countryman does nail down a traditional MINI strength: Of offering a nicely set-up driving position. The delightful result of all these traits: You still get the sense that it enjoys being pushed hard.
It's a quality befitting of the car, since it has the firepower to match too.
Get the car up to speed, however, and the Countryman SE is an excellent cruiser - with the ability to go the distance too. Our driving patterns would have returned more than 400km of electric range
Courtesy of its dual electric motors, 230kW (or 300-over mechanical horses) is nothing to scoff at, no matter what class of car you're looking at. That, coupled with the instancy of torque, means that a good shove to the accelerator pedal still results in the sort of head-pinned-back effect for those on board (sprinkled with yelps of surprise and amusement).
On the note of passengers, the unsurprising flipside to the car's stiffer suspension, however, is the fact that the ride can feel a tad harsh over roads that have seen better days. Here's where the might of electrification comes into play: With the car driven more sensibly, don't be surprised to still see those in the rear lulled into drowsiness by its silence. Once the Countryman is cruising at expressway speeds, it's also excellent and refined, and starts to feel more composed in its bigger-car element.
400km might just be the golden figure for the electric ranges of modern EVs, and the Countryman SE hits the mark squarely to offer drivers assurance. Playing around relentlessly with the car's different Drive Modes (can you blame us?), we were even on track to surpass the line slightly.
Big in size, big on personality
While the chatter is now perhaps far less intense than before, the Countryman's status as a bit of a brand-heretic remains in the fact that so much is still made of its size today. (Admittedly, we, too, contribute to the discourse.) Time, however, has proved MINI's decision to bring the car into its family was right all along: Just look at how many it continues to sell.
Instead of holding on to any pretensions of physical mini-ness, it's not hard to see why MINI has gone all out in letting the Countryman grow.
Big, but bigger still on personality: The Countryman SE stands out today still as one of the most captivating electric crossovers on the market
Even if it doesn't quite match the comfort or passenger-centricity of other born-and-bred family crossovers, there's no denying it's better equipped than before to haul the entire household - and their belongings - along for the ride. It's worth noting too that this particular Countryman SE ALL4 is superbly equipped - with our only gripe being the lack of a sunroof. And as far as electric crossovers go especially, few match the vibrancy and uniqueness it exudes so effortlessly.
In pursuing a bigger audience, the Countryman hasn't lost its colourful sparkle. Fun has always been on the cards for its parent brand - and that still feels like it's second nature in this larger car now. Though much bigger now in physical size, its playful and inimitable personality has been amplified by a greater magnitude too.
By that token, you'd be hard-pressed to not call this a MINI still.
Here are a few other electric crossovers on the market to consider!
What We Like
Plentiful space for all onboard (as well as their belongings)
Charming interior design
Still one of the better handling crossovers on the market
Effortless power from electric motors
Good electric range
Unique and playful personality
What We Dislike
Ride can feel a little harsh on smaller roads
Infotainment system can be initially confusing for non-tech-savvy users
The (automotive) world outside seems like it's filling up increasingly with impassioned chatter. "Cars are growing way too large!" "Electrification should never supersede combustion power!" A lot of it feels like it could be directed towards MINI's largest member, especially in its current iteration.
Yet behind the wheel of the all-new Countryman SE, all that fades away into the background. Life here is much quieter - and filled with vibrant technicolour.
Effortlessness reigns once you're out on the road; space for the family is aplenty. You even get a chirpy, blobby blue dog accompanying you as your virtual assistant. If the defining qualities like joy and amusement are still here, is this not still a car you can confidently call a MINI?
We'll get the elephant out of the room first: The MINI Countryman has gotten quite the growth spurt.
A growth spurt to the tune of an extra 130mm in length and 80mm in height, in fact. In terms of sheer physical presence, we're talking the sizing territory of cars like the BMW iX1 and Mercedes-Benz EQA now. (In fact, it's wider than the latter).
More rugged styling aside, the fact that 20-inch wheels now fill the Countryman SE's arches nicely is further proof of how much the car has grown
You could have made the case that the first-gen Countryman looked more like a raised hatchback, but in its third generation now, this is well and truly in crossover (or even compact SUV) territory. Those, by the way, are 20-inch wheels that the car is riding on. 20! On a MINI! The fact that they don't look like they're bursting into the arches simply reinforces how much the car has grown.
Embracing a far boxier style than before, the Countryman now also exudes a heightened air of muscularity.
Thank those chunky front and rear bumpers - but also its newfound love affair with angularity rather than roundedness, which you'll see infused into its octagonal grille, large almond-shaped head lights, and blocky taillamps.
Nonetheless, what's great is that it hasn't lost its modern MINI-esque (capital letters, we emphasise) visual identity, even as it steps into larger and more tech-heavy territory. Think Jack Union-light signatures are a little too on the nose? Some clever tech infused into the Countryman opens you up to two other patterns too.
The biggest MINI yet, Part Two: Genuinely spacious and practical
It's not hard to see where all that extra size has gone when you step inside the car.
Shedding any pretensions of physical mini-ness has allowed the Countryman to fully embrace its mission as a family car, and in this third generation, practicality is undeniably one of the defining qualities. That still wasn't something you could have said super confidently of past Countrymans.
Longer wheelbase aside, the fact that the centre console is slightly recessed in the middle is an added boon for the comfort of the middle passenger. The Countryman's wide boot and fold-flat seats also mean that you can carry a proper road bike along for the ride - yes, inside the car, not on top of it
While a lengthened wheelbase, relatively flat floor, and the car's flat roofline mean that three adults will fit comfortably in the rear, that's not all.
Give the electronic tailgate its time to raise fully, and you'll be greeted by a generous 460-litre boot, which can be expanded to 1,450 litres with the 40:20:40 second row folded flat. Transporting your bicycles on the MINIs of yesteryear would have necessitated a rack on the roof. Here, we actually managed to fit a standard-size road bike into the rear without any dismantling. Again - in a MINI!
But without losing its sense of joy
Still, the Countryman doesn't forget its remit as a playful crossover.
Task it to MINI to make a cabin look and feel different - especially with the new circular centrepiece: A rounded 9.4-inch infotainment display. The Start/Stop button even simulates the motion of turning good ole' keys from the past. And since sustainability is now a new goal, a knitted texture clothes the dash and doors, with the latter featuring a captivating ombre blue-orange scheme.
The Experience Modes provide endless fun with their own visual and audio landscapes; our favourites were Timeless (for the aesthetics), and Go-Kart (which is the car's Sport Mode)
But back to the infotainment. Circular screens are already uncommon in the tech world, but what makes this setup extra charming is the fact that MINI's latest operating system has been largely calibrated to the shape. Adding on to the endless fun of the system are the total of eight 'Experience' modes - three that switch up the Countryman's driving character (more on that in a bit), and five more that are just 'for show'.
Mind you, these are rather elaborate and dazzling shows, though - each carries along its own dashboard light-projection and ambient lighting theme in tow. The system is so well thought-through that even the head-up display changes in tandem and keep the visuals consistent.
While the calibration of the latest OS to the rounded screen is tastefully done, there's no denying that wrapping one's head around it entirely requires some learning. Thankfully, there's also Spike to rely on now
The caveat? The sheer multitude of different screens and apps means wrapping your head fully around everything requires both patience and a willingness to learn. The upshot? The visual experience is so well done that you'll never get bored.
Thankfully, all those extra bits fade quite seamlessly into the background if you so wish - and besides, getting comfortable with relying on the voice assistant makes it easy to forget you don't have physical buttons for your A/C's fan speed. From a broader perspective still, it's hard to think of anyone doing dashboards the way MINI has. You really get the sense that the designers had fun.
Raised hatchback or proper crossover?
With just how big the Countryman has become, one might expect its driving character to have taken a backseat this time round.
And certainly, when you're perched behind the wheel - staring out over its chunky bonnet - it's hard to shake off the reality: You're piloting a crossover of sizable proportions, and not some lower-riding supermini. In this fully electric, dual-motor iteration, the car also comes in at a hefty two tonnes already when unladen.
Yet the Countryman also persists resolutely as one of the nicer-handling crossovers today, with its electrification in this SE variant, even making the experience more pleasant.
At lower speeds, the Countryman's stiffly-sprung suspension means that the ride quality can sometimes feel a bit harsh
Unsurprisingly, the car's suspension is more stiffly-spring than that of the average crossover. And while its steering rack doesn't offer hot-hatch levels of quickness and feedback, it does feel quite direct.
Furthermore, the Countryman does nail down a traditional MINI strength: Of offering a nicely set-up driving position. The delightful result of all these traits: You still get the sense that it enjoys being pushed hard.
It's a quality befitting of the car, since it has the firepower to match too.
Get the car up to speed, however, and the Countryman SE is an excellent cruiser - with the ability to go the distance too. Our driving patterns would have returned more than 400km of electric range
Courtesy of its dual electric motors, 230kW (or 300-over mechanical horses) is nothing to scoff at, no matter what class of car you're looking at. That, coupled with the instancy of torque, means that a good shove to the accelerator pedal still results in the sort of head-pinned-back effect for those on board (sprinkled with yelps of surprise and amusement).
On the note of passengers, the unsurprising flipside to the car's stiffer suspension, however, is the fact that the ride can feel a tad harsh over roads that have seen better days. Here's where the might of electrification comes into play: With the car driven more sensibly, don't be surprised to still see those in the rear lulled into drowsiness by its silence. Once the Countryman is cruising at expressway speeds, it's also excellent and refined, and starts to feel more composed in its bigger-car element.
400km might just be the golden figure for the electric ranges of modern EVs, and the Countryman SE hits the mark squarely to offer drivers assurance. Playing around relentlessly with the car's different Drive Modes (can you blame us?), we were even on track to surpass the line slightly.
Big in size, big on personality
While the chatter is now perhaps far less intense than before, the Countryman's status as a bit of a brand-heretic remains in the fact that so much is still made of its size today. (Admittedly, we, too, contribute to the discourse.) Time, however, has proved MINI's decision to bring the car into its family was right all along: Just look at how many it continues to sell.
Instead of holding on to any pretensions of physical mini-ness, it's not hard to see why MINI has gone all out in letting the Countryman grow.
Big, but bigger still on personality: The Countryman SE stands out today still as one of the most captivating electric crossovers on the market
Even if it doesn't quite match the comfort or passenger-centricity of other born-and-bred family crossovers, there's no denying it's better equipped than before to haul the entire household - and their belongings - along for the ride. It's worth noting too that this particular Countryman SE ALL4 is superbly equipped - with our only gripe being the lack of a sunroof. And as far as electric crossovers go especially, few match the vibrancy and uniqueness it exudes so effortlessly.
In pursuing a bigger audience, the Countryman hasn't lost its colourful sparkle. Fun has always been on the cards for its parent brand - and that still feels like it's second nature in this larger car now. Though much bigger now in physical size, its playful and inimitable personality has been amplified by a greater magnitude too.
By that token, you'd be hard-pressed to not call this a MINI still.
Here are a few other electric crossovers on the market to consider!
Car Information
MINI Countryman Electric SE ALL4 66.5 kWh (A)
$253,888
CAT B|Electric|5.4km/kWh
Horsepower
230kW (308 bhp)
Torque
494 Nm
Acceleration
5.6sec (0-100km /hr)
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- Biggest MINI Yet
- Biggest On The Inside Too
- With A Vibrant Interior To Match
- On The Go
- Big On Personality
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