Written by Luke Wilkinson Published: 27 March 2024 Updated: 27 March 2024

Overview

We’ve finally been let loose in the new MINI Countryman on UK roads – and we’re pleased to report that it was worth the wait. The third-generation model might have grown over its predecessor, but MINI hasn’t allowed the car’s latest bulking session to smother its fun-loving character.

Now, the Countryman is a truer rival for the likes of the Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage. It has more space in the cabin, more space in the boot and a range of efficient powertrains that includes a pure-electric options. There’s also a performance model, called the JCW. It serves up 300hp and brings a fresh challenge to the Cupra Ateca – and you can learn more about it in our dedicated MINI Countryman JCW review.

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Despite setting its sights on some of the most popular family SUVs on the market, the Countryman will appeal to a more upmarket niche. Its fit and finish can easily compete with that of the Mercedes GLA and Audi Q3 – and it’s arguably the most distinctive and interesting car in its class thanks to MINI’s unusual design and technology choices.

Scroll down to find out why the new MINI Countryman stands out from the crowd so much – and why you should consider putting it near the top of your shopping list if you’re in the market for an SUV.

What’s it like inside?

The Mk3 Countryman is the first MINI – and indeed the first car – to feature a circular infotainment system. MINIs have always had circular displays as their leading interior themes, but this one comes with a 24cm-diameter touchscreen rather than a rectangular screen mounted in a circular bezel. It’s weird.

It really works well, though. The graphics are crisp, and the screen is both responsive and resistant to glare. It’s a little slow to switch between menus and drive modes, but we put that down to it being an early build car. It’s brand-new tech – and we expect load times will improve as MINI rolls out software updates during the car’s life.

The screen is incredibly customisable, too. You have eight different ‘Experience Modes’ to choose from, including a racy ‘Go-Kart’ option and a classic Mini-aping ‘Timeless’ setting that dresses the infotainment screen with a magnolia-faced speedo.

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It’s quite a fun addition. Each mode is also accompanied by its own artificial engine sound, dedicated ambient lighting (if you ticked that option box) and unique calibrations for the throttle response and steering weight. You adjust the settings using a physical switch on the centre console.

Sadly, the ‘Experience Mode’ switch is one of the few physical buttons left on the Countryman’s dash – and we’d have much preferred it if MINI had used that space for some physical climate controls instead. Instead, you adjust the temperature using two tiny sliders at 5 and 7 o’clock on the screen, which is just awkward.

MINI’s counter argument for this oversight is that you can use its ‘Hey MINI’ voice control system instead. It isn’t the most reliable system on the market, though, especially if you’re asking it to decode an accent from outside the safety of the M25. Mercedes has the edge in this department.

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But MINI has made great strides in the practicality department. This is the biggest Countryman yet – it’s 145mm longer, 64mm wider and 104mm taller than the car it replaced, which means there’s more space inside than your average Countryman owner will know what to do with.

Leg and headroom is generous everywhere and the two front seats are so far apart that occupants could perform a rousing rendition of the chicken dance and not even graze elbows. It’s vast. Plus, you can move the rear bench backwards forwards by 13cm to help you balance rear passenger comfort against boot space.

The Countryman’s boot can hold 480 litres of clobber with the rear seats in place and up to 1,390 litres with the bench folded. That’s first figure’s 14 litres less than you get in the Nissan Qashqai and a massive 101 litres smaller than the Peugeot 3008. But neither of those cars have this much character, so we’re prepared to move past that.

MINI Countryman engines

The new Countryman is available with a choice of three petrol engines. The cheapest option is a 1.5-litre three-cylinder unit producing 170hp and 280Nm of torque. It’s called the Countryman C, it’s front-wheel drive and a can dash from 0–62mph in 8.3 seconds.

Above that, there’s the four-wheel drive Countryman S ALL4. It’s powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that churns out 218hp and 360Nm of torque. The extra grunt (and traction) can shove the car from 0–62mph in 7.1 seconds.

At the top of the range, there’s the Countryman John Cooper Works, which you can read about in our dedicated review. For the sake of context, it has a more powerful version of the S’s 2.0-litre four-banger with 300hp and 400Nm of torque. That’s enough for a rather sprightly 0–62mph time of 5.1 seconds.

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Every engine is yoked to an automatic gearbox. You can choose between standard and sport specification on non-JCW cars, with the latter trim adding paddle shifters that allow you flick through the gears yourself. That’s the closest you’re getting to a manual option, though – there’s no stick-shift option in the car’s range.

If you’re environmentally conscious (or you’re simply looking to dodge the congestion charge), the Countryman is also available with a pair of pure-electric powertrains. If you’re interested in learning more about them, follow this link to our MINI Electric Countryman review.

What’s it like to drive?

Brilliant. We sent our biggest MINI sceptic on the UK launch for the Countryman and, after spending a day in the car, he returned a changed man. If you’re serious about driving but you need something practical to carry your family around in, the Countryman should be near the top of your list.

The new Countryman might be larger than the old car, but it’s surprising how much it shrinks around you on the road. This is partly because MINI fitted it with a super-quick steering system. You barely need to use more than a quarter turn of lock once you’re out of the city, which helps to mask the car’s bulk on a twisty road.

The steering is incredibly responsive off-centre, too. It reacts the second you tickle the wheel, so the Countryman feel far more eager and excitable than, say, a SEAT Ateca or Kia Sportage. Plus – and this is increasingly rare in cars these days – MINI hasn’t completely isolated the driver from the road.

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The Countryman transmits the texture of the road through its wheels, along its steering column and into your palms. We won’t regurgitate MINI’s marketing material and try to convince you that it’s anywhere as engaging as an original Mini (or indeed a first-generation MINI Hatch), but the experience is eons ahead of its competitors.

MINI teamed its stellar steering system with an equally driver-focused suspension setup. Like all BMW products, the dampers are set on the firm side of comfortable. That means the Countryman doesn’t exactly glide over imperfections, but it doesn’t crash into them either. It shrugs over dents with the same sort of deliberate control as an Olympic powerlifter.

And because its suspension is stiff, it corners well. The Countryman’s body remains remarkably level when cornering – and there’s loads of grip, even on the front-wheel drive models. Don’t get us wrong, if you drive like a complete idiot the front end will wash away from the apex of the corner like it’s sitting on the horizon of a strong current. But it’ll hold its line long after the Qashqai and Sportage have given up the ghost.

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We’ve only tried the Countryman’s 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine thus far. Thankfully, it’s a real cracker. It has a surprising amount of pulling power for such as small unit. Mat the gas on your way out of a bend and, when the turbo wakes up, you’ll ride an entertaining wave of torque to the next corner. The wheel even squirms around in your hands, as the front wheels sniff out the stickiest Tarmac.

It sounds good, too. MINI hasn’t completely stifled the engine with sound deadening and silencers, so you can hear it yap and whistle on the other side of the firewall when you’re working it hard. MINI also managed to engineer a few charming rattles into the engine and gearbox that magically vanish when you’re not driving like a hoon.

MINI’s drive modes are worth a mention, too. The company tells us they adjust the car’s powertrain, steering and suspension calibrations (if you opt for a car fitted with adaptive dampers). But, having fiddled with the modes extensively, we really struggled to tell them apart. The only one that’s noticeably different is Go Kart mode.

What models and trims are available?

The Countryman range is split into three tiers. The standard car is available with MINI’s C and S engines, and they can be tickled with the company’s Classic, Exclusive or Sport exterior design packages.

Above these, there’s the JCW, which is only available in Sport trim, and the Electric Countryman, which you can specify in any of the three design packs. It’s worth highlighting that the JCW also features a more comprehensively upgraded amount of standard equipment, including a quad-exit exhaust and bigger brakes.

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All feature alloy wheels, dual-zone climate controls, Vecsin artificial leather seats, an unusual knitted recycled textile interior finish, heated steering wheel, sat-nav, Android Auto, Apple Carplay and a host of passive and active safety equipment.

Most of the Countryman’s options are bundled into packs – Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 – in order to make it easier to comply with WLTP fuel efficiency regulations.

What else should I know?

The Countryman’s infotainment system certainly looks swanky, but you’ll probably find it quite difficult to use upon first encounter. That’s because it’s the only screen in the cabin – and it displays everything, including speed, media and navigation instructions. It takes a while to looking in the middle of the dashboard to check your speed.

Happily, MINI can sell you a head-up display as an optional extra. It’s part of the company’s Level 1 option pack and it adds a dinky flip-up screen ahead of the driver that displays your speed and navigation instructions. We think it’s an option well worth having because it makes the cabin a lot more familiar and user friendly. We appreciate that MINI retained this option when rivals such as the Volvo EX30 and Tesla Model Y have ditched driver displays altogether.

The infotainment system runs on the latest MINI Operating System 9. This is relatively simple to use on the surface, but it quickly becomes more complex when you dive into the sub menus. It was also intentionally designed to look and feel similar to a modern smartphone. You can even stream video and play games on it.

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In addition to its unusual drive modes, MINI gave the screen a further gimmick in the shape of two cutesy avatars for its voice control system. You can choose between a cartoon MINI, or an animated British bulldog called Spike. Like the AI assistant in the Smart #1, though, Spike’s voice doesn’t match his adorable looks, which is a shame.

The final thing to note is that MINI is trying to make itself a more sustainable brand. As well as the recycled textiles and artificial leather used to trim to cabin the inside, the Countryman’s alloy wheels are also made from 70% recycled material.