Overview
MINI Countryman patrons have quite a bit to be enthusiastic about with the brand new era line-up.
Not solely has the fan favorite grown – turning into way more household pleasant within the course of – it now affords extra selection than earlier than with higher personalisation choices, varied mannequin grades and the choice of turbocharged petrol or electrical motivation. Win-win.
In a latest showcase of the Mini Cooper and Countryman vary in Melbourne, GoAuto was afforded the prospect to pattern a number of U25-series Countryman variants, together with the flagship JCW (turbo-petrol) and SE Favoured All4 (battery electrical).
With value tags within the excessive $70K the Countryman duo examined doesn’t come low-cost, however actually affords a lot in the best way of kit, expertise, security – and area.
Sharing its UKL2 platform with the BMW X1 means the Countryman is extra sensible than ever earlier than. It now measures 4444mm (+131mm) in size, 1843mm (+22mm) in width, 1661mm (+104mm) in top, and with a 2692mm (+22mm) wheelbase.
Resultantly, there’s a noticeable enhance in roominess within the passenger cabin and up again, with 505 litres cargo capability within the petrol and 460 litres in electrical fashions.
The draw back to the additional measurement is that the Countryman is barely slower in its newest iteration. The turbo-petrol JCW now accelerates from standstill to 100km/h in 5.4 seconds (-0.3sec) and the SE Favoured All4 5.6 seconds. We doubt you’ll discover…
Whereas we have now detailed the Mini Countryman JCW beforehand, a fast recap exhibits motivation from a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol mill creating 221kW (-4kW) and 400Nm (-50Nm) with gasoline consumption averages between 8.0-8.6 litres per 100km (WLTP). Kerb weight is 1723kg.
The 2000-odd kilogram battery-electric Mini Countryman SE makes use of a dual-motor setup to supply 230kW and 494Nm, a 63.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and a driving vary of as much as 462km (WLTP). Charging time is listed at 29 minutes towards the usual 20-80 per cent measure.
Each variants examined are all-wheel drive.
Driving Impressions
Melbourne actually turned on the water works for our Mini drive day.
From the second we arrived till the time we went residence the rain didn’t cease. Standing water and sodden tarmac was the order of the day, Mini’s wiper motors put to good use alongside the heater and demister – and naturally the All4 all-wheel drive system.
In a manner, although, the foul climate did us a favour. The slick roads confirmed simply how effortlessly Mini’s all-wheel drive system dealt with itself, even when the heavier SE in the end lacked the dedication of the petrol-powered JCW; which appeared near unflappable in even probably the most attempting of situations.
Each Countryman variants provide direct and well-assisted steering with a tighter ratio than earlier than. It makes for an agile and involving drive that helps the Mini to shrink round you. And, in sitting increased than earlier than, it’s simply as straightforward to park as ever – a bonus contemplating its latest development spurt.
We discovered the journey to be agency, however forgiving sufficient, with enough compliance on pockmarked roads – a marked enchancment over the outgoing mannequin. Tyre noise is remarkably nicely contained, the one actual intrusion to the Countryman’s cabin the sound of heavy rain on the entrance windshield glass.
Energy supply is clean and nicely metered, the SE providing progressive acceleration in live performance with the place of the pedal – and never the binary expertise we’ve come to count on from some battery electrical fashions. Each the JCW and SE are brisk, and have ample in reserve for overtaking, although the expertise tends to lose its similarities there.
Sportier Mini fashions have all the time been famend for his or her cheeky exhaust be aware and characterful engines, however the latest Countryman JCW is extra subdued than we recall. Funnily sufficient, we needed extra ‘bark’ from the petrol-powered SUV and fewer, err ‘tone’ from the electrical mannequin, whose sound generator is nothing wanting naff, even distracting, and greatest left switched off.
The Mini’s regenerative operate works nicely, even in sportier driving situations, and isn’t within the least ‘grabby’ in the best way some electrical autos could be. Deceleration within the Countryman SE and JCW alike is powerful, each providing bigger disc rotors for improved stopping energy and an impressively well-modulated pedal.
In the event you’re studying the above as ‘the Countryman is extra refined than earlier than’, you then’re proper. It feels way more premium and is fantastically put collectively. We discovered the match and end arduous to fault, and the supplies – even these comprised of recycled plastics – to be of a top quality becoming a automobile that prices near $80K on-road.
We additionally admired the Mini’s human-machine interface (HMI), the readability of the 9.4-inch centre display screen, nifty head-up show and correct superior driver help techniques every a credit score to their varied engineers.
Driving any trendy automobile appears to be a lesson in tolerance that requires an IT diploma to fettle, however not the Countryman. The central display screen and its menu techniques are concise, logical, and take little or no time to acclimatise too. The graphics are tremendous crisp and the touchscreen extremely responsive – oh, and we actually love the voice assistant ‘Spike’ (and we’re positive the youngsters will, too).
However maybe the most important takeaway from our transient drive of the brand new Mini Countryman is simply how shut the highway really feel – and the possession expertise – is between petrol and electrical. The hole between every powertrain is nearer than it has ever been, which means there aren’t any actual losers in terms of making your buy.
Petrol or electrical, we’re sure you’ll get pleasure from the brand new Mini Countryman as a lot as we did. Win, win, win!
