This is the 2025 Mini Countryman, and just like the new Cooper, Mini is revealing it in electric form first.
However, unlike the Cooper, the Countryman is growing in size by a lot. It’s now 5.1 inches longer, 2.4 inches taller and 0.8 inch wider than before. Its longer wheelbase and wider track width really accentuate the growth in size. For reference, the new Countryman is very similar in size to the new Niro.
Mini’s new Countryman wears its size well, as it does so with a combination of ruggedness and high fashion all-in-one. Its colored accents, large wheels, distinctively shaped headlights and simplistic body lines come together to create a classy but still forward-thinking look. Since Mini is introducing electric versions of the Countryman for this generation, it focused on reducing the coefficient of drag versus the old model, and it’s gone from 0.31 to 0.26 in the new car.
Two electric versions are being revealed now, including the Countryman E and Countryman SE ALL4. The basic E has a single electric motor good for 204 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, which gets you from 0-62 mph in 8.6 seconds. The sportier Countryman SE has two electric motors for all-wheel drive, which boosts output to 313 horsepower and 364 pound-feet of torque. This gets you a rather quick 0-62 mph time on just 5.6 seconds and a top speed of 112 mph.
Range for the single-motor E is 287 miles on the WLTP cycle, while the SE takes a hit down to 269 miles – both are packing 64.7 kWh battery packs. Expect those range figures to be lower in EPA testing. Charging the electric Countryman offerings will be even more convenient than the electric Coopers, as the maximum charge rate is a solid 130 kW. Mini claims that’s good for a 10-80% charge in under 30 minutes. And if you’re at home, the Countryman features rapid 22 kW AC charging if you have the right hardware to support it.
There will be gasoline variants of the Countryman at the end of the year, too, with the base model and an upgrade model adopting the S ALL4 moniker. Mini says they will use updated and more powerful engines. Europe will get a diesel version, and there will also be a John Cooper Works performance variant at some point down the road.
When it comes to fun driving, Mini again promises the Countryman will be an engaging to-drive crossover. The standard suspension is tuned for enthusiastic driving, but there’s an optional sport Adaptive Suspension that lowers the car 15 mm, and the maximum tire width is increased to a wide 245-section-width for additional grip, especially when paired with high-performance summer tires. You can choose wheels from 17-20 inches in diameter, with the smallest 17-inch option being an aero-optimized design for maximum range.
The Mini Countryman’s interior is a pretty landscape of colorful textiles and minimalist design. Just like the Cooper, the Countryman features Mini’s new round OLED touchscreen in the center for all car controls – you can read our deep dive on the tech and all its quirky and cool features here. Inside the car is where you’ll notice the extra space Mini has allowed for with the crossover’s larger footprint. Mini is claiming more space everywhere, from the front seats, to the rear and in the cargo area, too.
Mini stepped it up a level with its driver assistance systems in the new Countryman. A number of optional extras increase its capability, as you can select adaptive cruise control and lane centering to help steer through highway curves for the first time. Additionally, the Driving Assistance Professional package allows for hands-free highway driving at up to 37 mph, similar to many BMW models today.
Pricing and availability of the electric Countryman models is still to be determined, but just like the Cooper, expect them to hit the market in the 2025 model year after production of 2024 Minis wraps up.
Source: www.autoblog.com