CASCAIS, Portugal — All the pieces we said in regards to the overgrown size of the 2025 Mini Countryman in John Cooper Works trim that we recently reviewed applies equally to the 2025 Mini Countryman SE ALL4. The previous is powered by gas and the latter is electrical, but each are the identical size. Interestingly, each have in regards to the same variety of ponies, too.
To recap, the brand new Countryman is 5.1 inches longer, 2.4 inches taller and 0.8 inches wider than the second-generation model, which in turn was 8 inches longer and greater than 5 inches wider than the first-generation Countryman. A bit chonky, then.
Our hackles could also be raised by the dimensions of the 2025 Countryman, especially as Mini claims it’s a “Minimalist All-Rounder” — whatever that’s alleged to mean — but after spending a day actually driving the all-electric SE, we got over it. And we predict buyers who care about Mini’s illustrious history like we do will recover from it too. It’s not without fault, however the Mini Countryman is more interesting in electrified SE trim than it’s in suck-squeeze-bang-blow JCW trim.
The Mini Countryman SE boasts twin electric motors, one up front and one on the rear so that every one 4 wheels are powered. Total system output is available in at 313 horsepower (one lone stallion over the JCW’s figure) and a formidable 364 pound-feet of torque (the gas model is nice for 295 lb-ft). That’s sufficient for a 0-60 sprint of 5.6 seconds — a bit behind the top-spec gasser, despite the additional torque, on account of a weight penalty of nearly 600 kilos for a complete curb weight of 4,400 lbs, but still quick.
Feeding power to the 2 motors and contributing mightily to the porky weight is a 66.5-kilowatt-hour battery pack. That’s enough capability to offer as much as 245 miles of range (depending on aspects that include wheel size), which isn’t bad, but in need of all-wheel-drive electric crossover leaders that is perhaps cross-shopped against the Mini, just like the Tesla Model Y Long Range (as much as 310 miles), Kia EV6 (as much as 282) and Nissan Ariya (as much as 272). As all the time, actual range will vary on account of driving style, weather and using accessories and climate control.
Mini claims a maximum charge rate of 130 kW. Again, that’s not bad, and equal to the Nissan Ariya, but far in need of competitors like Tesla (as much as 250 kW), Hyundai and Kia (as much as 235). Considering its newness available on the market, you wouldn’t be unsuitable to expect some specs that truly move the needle as a substitute of being mid-pack. Still, its max rate is sufficient to charge from 10-80% in lower than half-hour in ideal situations, and lots of owners will charge at home using Mini’s 22-kW AC charging option anyway.
Sooner or later in the autumn of 2024, the usual Mini Countryman E will make it Stateside, bringing with it a single 204-hp electric motor powering the front wheels, and we expect it to supply significantly more range. It won’t be as quick, in fact, with a 0-60 time of 8.6 seconds.
The twin-motor Countryman SE we drove felt plenty potent, with the signature electric rush of power that comes on strong right when the pedal is pressed and doesn’t appear to slow until extralegal speeds. The additional weight over the Countryman JCW we drove a unique day but on similar roads means the electrical SE feels a bit more settled over rough pavement, though its suspension continues to be tuned on the firm side.
Mini has long committed to a ride and handling balance that veers to the side of sporty, and that continues to be the case with its electric Countryman SE. The truth is, while in its sportiest Go Kart Mini Experience drive mode, the general experience — accounting for the difference in power delivery — wasn’t unlike that of the JCW model we drove. Until, that’s, we experimented a bit more with Mini Experience Modes and turned on the faux drive sounds that get pumped into the cabin. Along with Go Kart, there’s Core Mode, Green Mode, Timeless Mode, Balance Mode, Vivid Mode and Personal Mode, each of which alters the automotive’s tuning, changes the face of the massive round infotainment screen in the course of the dash and may change interior mood lighting and the sounds contained in the vehicle.
The sounds that Mini selected for Go Kart Mode are awfully techy and futuristic, and don’t sound in any respect like an actual electric motor. Think vintage Star Trek and also you won’t be far off. Fortunately, for individuals who experience the low whoosh of travel by electrons, the sounds will be disabled.
There isn’t a traditional gauge cluster in front of the motive force. A flip-up head-up display offers many of the vital information, like speed and navigation prompts, but almost the entire automotive’s functions are controlled through the aforementioned circular screen. It’s a touch-sensitive unit that we found pretty easy to make use of, though information is frustratingly scattered in numerous areas depending on the chosen Mini Experience Mode. Core Mode best matches the remaining of the inside feel and appear, and that’s our preferred setting.
Under the massive round screen sits a toggle bar that houses the gear selector, a start/stop key that you simply twist to start out the automotive, the Experience Mode toggle and the quantity control. The gear selector offers Reverse, Neutral and Drive/Brake (a separate parking brake button sits to the left), with the D/B mode offering multiple levels of off-throttle braking. As fans of one-pedal EV driving, we put the Countryman SE in its strongest regenerative mode, which also improves efficiency. We didn’t feel any odd sensations while transitioning from regenerative to friction braking.
The remainder of the driving experience is just about what you’d expect from a Mini. The steering is quick but not darty, and while there isn’t a ton of feel transmitting what the tires are doing to the motive force’s hands through the electrical rack, every little thing feels firm and direct. Our tester’s 20-inch wheels look awesome but contribute to the busy ride on bumpy roads.
There’s loads of space inside on account of the vehicle’s growth spurt, and the upright sides and generous amount of glass throughout make for a brilliant and airy cabin. There’s greater than 5 inches of fore/aft adjustment for the rear seat, and the seatback angle may also be adjusted. Mini says each elbow and shoulder room are up by an inch or so, though three-across continues to be going to feel tight back there. The cargo area can also be well-sized with nearly 25 cubic feet with the rear seat in place and pushed forward, and over 56 cu ft with the setback folded down.
Mini is as much about style and individuality as it’s the actual act of driving, and we were immediately smitten with the fun interior decor, which in our test automotive featured a blue-green recycled fabric weave on the dash that artfully blended into a light-weight malt brown to match the faux-leather seating surfaces as a part of the top-spec Favoured Trim.
Base cars will get an Essential Trim package with a starting price of $46,195 (including an inexpensive $995 for destination) that Mini describes as offering “maximum clarity and reduction,” but to us it sounds quite plain with black seats, gloss black and silver accents and a lone textile band on the dashboard. The mid-level option is Classic Trim with black and blue colours with a perforated houndstooth pattern on the faux leather seats. Regardless of what, you won’t see any chrome inside, a serious shift from Mini models of the recent past.
That is what the 2025 Mini Countryman SE All4 is on the whole: a serious shift for the brand, mixing each gasoline and electric powertrains into one model that’s larger than ever before and full of an ever-increasing amount of technology. Mini not means minimalism, no matter what the brand’s marketing materials may say, and it apparently doesn’t actually need to mean mini in a literal sense. The brand is growing up, and with an inexpensive electric range and a roomy-if-still-compact interior, the Mini Countryman SE All4 is well positioned to appeal to buyers on the lookout for a practical but fun and sporty EV for on a regular basis driving duty.
This Article First Appeared At www.autoblog.com
