- Mini’s next-generation Countryman SUV debuts as an electric crossover with a range of up to 240 miles per charge.
- The new Countryman Electric wears a sharper exterior design, more minimalistic interior styling, and drops “Cooper” from its name.
- While a gasoline-powered version is said to be on the way. Mini is focusing first on the launch of the electrified model.
Debuting alongside a redesigned Cooper hatchback, the 2025 Countryman SUV marks a turning point for the Mini brand. Not only is it the first time that the company has released EV models ahead of their gasoline-powered counterparts, but it’s also the start of a model year where every Mini model is essentially all new.
Not to mention it’s the first time the model will not wear the Cooper name, with the company opting this time around to simply call it the Mini Countryman. That simplification is part of a larger minimalist strategy with the revitalized Mini lineup, as both the Countryman and Cooper—the brand’s two core models—have received design makeovers that are less visually cluttered than before.
Mechanical Minutiae
A longer wheelbase and larger exterior dimensions stretch the definition of what we’d consider Mini, but the Countryman isn’t jumping up into the mid-size-SUV class. Two models will be offered—although we aren’t sure if both will make the trip across the Atlantic to our shores—with the front-wheel-drive E model coming with a 201-hp electric motor and the all-wheel-drive SE All4 version coming with two motors that combine for 308 horsepower.
As before, the Countryman remains primarily an on-road vehicle, although, with more ground clearance than its Cooper sibling, it’s the one to choose if you do need to traverse anything more than a dirt road. With the more potent powertrain, Mini says the Countryman SE will hit 62 mph in 5.6 seconds but its range estimate is an estimated 225 miles per charge. The E is pokier, with a 62-mph time of 8.6 seconds, but its range is slightly higher at an estimated 240 miles.
Range Is Just Okay
If those range times don’t seem particularly impressive, it’s because they aren’t. Rivals that are already on the market can offer even more driving per charge. The Kia Niro EV, another high-style small SUV, offers an estimated range of 253 miles per charge, and the Tesla Model Y offers up to 330 miles of range.
At a preview event in Germany, Mini told Car and Driver that the SE All4 model will come with a 64.7-kWh battery pack that will be able to accept DC fast-charging at up to 130 KW. The Countryman Electric will also be able to charge on a home AC connection too, at speeds up to 22 KW.
Details on the gasoline-powered Countryman haven’t been announced yet, but we suspect it’ll receive the same powertrain options as the previous-generation Countryman. That would mean a 134-hp turbocharged three-cylinder engine or an 189-hp turbo four on the S trim. The plug-in-hybrid variant isn’t likely to return given the availability of the Countryman Electric.
Fashion Forward
The Countryman’s revised styling is both fresh and instantly recognizable as a Mini, with a bold frame around the front grille, trapezoidal headlamps, and taillamps sporting the Union Jack flag. The S E trim shown in the photos here combines pale green paint with rose gold accents for a pleasing, upscale effect.
A floating roof design mimics that of the Cooper hatchback, but a chunky-looking C-pillar dips down almost to the lower window line and sports a bold All4 logo on the show car. Body surfacing is more sharply creased than before, and there are more rugged design cues such as faux skid plates on the lower parts of the front and rear bumpers.
Big chrome letters spell out Countryman across the rear liftgate, which is a holdover from the previous model, but the font size and spacing emphasize the new Countryman’s width. Big wheels with rose gold spokes complete the look, and overall, the new styling is more upscale than the previous generation model.
The cabin design mimics that of the Cooper, with a minimalistic take on Mini’s traditional styling. The focal point of the interior design is sure to be the large, round display screen that serves as both infotainment and gauge display. Like the Cooper, the Countryman benefits from Mini’s new software interface and provides a ton of opportunity for personalization.
A bank of toggle switches remain on the dashboard, but they’ve been simplified, and the dashboard itself is adorned with a fabric trim panel that is backlit at night by ambient lighting elements. Those elements, by the way, can change color and shape depending on which drive mode is selected.
More fabric trim pieces can be found on the Countryman’s door panels, and in the show car the doors feature a pattern of gold fabric that blends with teal in a sort of ombre pattern that looks quite nice, especially offset against rose gold metal accents. Mini says more sustainable materials have been utilized this time around, including recycled polyester for interior upholstery and carpets. Furthermore, the electric motors that power the Countryman use no rare-earth minerals.
On-Sale Dates Still Approximate
Mini hasn’t announced when the Countryman Electric will officially go on sale in the U.S. but we suspect it’ll launch here in 2024 as a 2025 model. The first models could reach Mini dealerships as early as next spring. The gasoline-powered Countryman, as well as the new Cooper hatchback, should go on sale around the same time. A third model, the upcoming Aceman electric crossover, will join the lineup as well. Mini says the Aceman will debut in April 2024, and we suspect it will get the same electric powertrains as the Countryman.
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Managing Editor, Buyer’s Guide
Drew Dorian is a lifelong car enthusiast who has also held a wide variety of consumer-focused positions throughout his career, ranging from financial counselor to auto salesperson. He has dreamed of becoming a Car and Driver editor since he was 11 years old—a dream that was realized when he joined the staff in April 2016. He’s a born-and-raised Michigander and learned to drive on a 1988 Pontiac Grand Am. His automotive interests run the gamut from convertibles and camper vans to sports cars and luxury SUVs.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
