Mini Countryman SE ALL4 Review: Matured But Still Very ‘Mini’

What we like:

Looks more sophisticated

Still retains Mini’s fun-vibes

Comfortable

What we dislike:

Interior materials can be hard to clean

OLED screen is a fingerprint magnet (but which isn’t?)

No more airplane style toggle switches

Truth be told, I was never a fan of the Mini Countryman in both the first (R60) and second (F60) generations. I felt that they looked slightly oversized and sat too high to wear a Mini badge. Some may also say the same of my own Mini Clubman, but to each their own, right?

However, I was eager to try the third (U25) generation that was tested here for two main reasons – it was a full electric model and it donned Mini’s new design ethos called ‘Charismatic Simplicity’.

In the flesh, the Mini Countryman SE ALL4 in its shade of Smokey Green and its gold (or bronze) two-tone roof with matching trim looks great. Pictures do not do this car justice.

There is nothing mini about this car, if its size that we are talking about. It is the largest Mini in production at over 4.4m in length and wider than 1.8m width wise. But look at it and you can identify it as a Mini straight away. It does not have circular LED daytime running lights like the rest of the Mini line-up but this had always been the case for the Countryman models. It has two oblong headlights which features an illuminated ‘ring’ in standard mode (which can be changed and personalised now!).

The rear still features a Union Jack-esque taillight which has a rather cool pixelated effect. Like the headlights, these can be personalised as well.

In my opinion, the side profile of the car looks the best. It still has the plastic black bumper trim around the wheel arches that are always found on Minis. However, it is now less chunky and accentuates the 20-inch (yes, 20!) Windmill Spoke 2-tone rims that looks minimalistic. The Countryman has an air of refinement and I think it has a classier, slightly up-market feel to it.

There are still some other Mini quirks on the exterior, such as the two-tone roof, which somehow, only Mini can pull it off without looking overly wannabe. It was also interesting that there’s an ‘ALL4’ badge along with a hill-terrain like motif on the rear quarter panel glass. Very unique and also a subtle way of reminding others that this Countryman SE has an ALL4 all wheel drive system.

Naturally, being built on the BMW UKL2 platform, there are some parts that are evidently from the BMW parts bin. The door handles, electric seat buttons and interior signal and wiper stalks are exactly the same. In fact, the car door closes with the same thud as a BMW X1 or X2, but a solid one that is.

It is on the inside where the cheeky Mini vibes is showcased. The interior upholstery is a unique shade of brown, Vescin Vintage Brown, to be exact. Again, it feels like leather but it is made of an environmentally friendly vegan material. The JCW sport seats are also supportive yet comfortable.

However, one of the main highlights would be the design of the dashboard and the door panels. It comes in a shade of blue and it is wrapped in a fabric or canvas-like material that makes the interior less of a dreary place to be. The two-tone colour concept also continues on the inside where the dashboard is blue and it transitions to a brown, similar to that of the seat upholstery, with the midpoint being the driver’s door. How cool is that!

Even the steering wheel has its third spoke replaced by a canvas strap.

Storage space is aplenty and the centre cubby hole comes with a lid and a strap. Even opening of a storage compartment is done in a fun Mini fashion.

In keeping with the ‘Charismatic Simplicity’ ethos, Mini has reduced its usage of chrome components and this means that the interior switches no longer feature the airplane style toggles. The new design is still interesting but I guess this is the new way forward.

One thing that has remained, is the circular infotainment system. Mini has finally filled up the circular surface area completely instead of having an odd rectangle in the middle of the circle. Touted as the first round OLED display, the 9.4-inch screen is where everything with regards to the car is controlled. This includes air conditioning, drive modes, media, vehicle status and more! (Again, there is some BMW-style lingo here!)

What’s cool about the OLED screen is its clarity and where you can control eight different drive modes. Putting it into go-kart mode (aka Sports mode) generates a ‘yeeee-hah!’ through the Harman Kardon speakers. Might sound gimmicky to some, but it does make the experience a bit more fun and light-hearted.

The Countryman SE ALL4 is powered by a 66.5 kWh battery that powers two electric motors. There is 308 bhp and 484 Nm available, which propels this SUV to 100 in 5.6s. Definitely not a slouch!

Range is ranked at 433 km which is sufficient for Singapore use throughout the usual work week or school runs.

The Countryman retains some driving traits that Minis are known for but I must be kidding if I said that it still handles like a go-kart. Weighing two tonnes, the electric drivetrain does weigh the car down and this can be felt in corners. However, the car rides better than most EVs and can still be pushed hard – fast down a straight line in stable comfort and also relatively tight around corners with its ALL4 system.

At S$250,888, the Mini Countryman SE ALL4 is in a class of its own. It is definitely still a ‘Mini’ in all aspects.

The Mini Countryman has matured in this latest iteration and is now a proper contender in its class.

Photos by James Wong

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