MINI Countryman Review 2025

BMW has had few qualms about testing the elasticity of its cheeky small car offshoot over the years, but the latest generation of its family SUV has grown in every direction in the drive to snare buyers who considered its predecessor not quite big enough. Find out how effective this maximalism is with our full MINI Countryman review.

Sharing a platform with models including the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer and BMW X1 SUV means that the third iteration of the MINI Countryman is the largest car ever to wear this storied small car brand’s logo. Its 130mm stretch in length over the outgoing Countryman means it’s arguably competing against a larger set of SUV rivals this time around.

Even so, the Countryman’s styling is still unmistakably on-brand, sharing a prominent grille flanked by bold headlights, as well as the ‘floating’ roof design and chunky proportions with the dinky MINI Cooper hatchbacks. Its cartoonish appearance is likely to be a strong draw for buyers looking for something a little less dull.

So what of the latest Countryman's rivals? They include more mainstream competitors such as the Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai, typifying perfectly decent family cars which aren't exactly bursting with personality.

Then there are more upmarket alternatives that are closer in terms of price and premium ethos to the MINI — models such as the Range Rover Evoque and the very popular Volvo XC40.

The upside of the increase in exterior dimensions is more space on the inside. Unlike many of its MINI siblings, the Countryman has a higher-set driving position which is likely to be a welcome change for many buyers.

Despite this there’s good headroom up front and the second row of seats offers enough space to comfortably accommodate adults. Sliding rear seats (standard on pricier models) mean you can alter the balance between rear legroom and boot space, as well as recline the rear seatbacks.

The Countryman also inherits much of the latest dashboard layout from the latest mini MINIs, which means a large, circular central touchscreen display that houses the driver’s key information as well as the usual infotainment functions.

There’s also the worthwhile option of a head-up display (HUD) directly in front of the driver to inform them of important data, such as speed and fuel level, that feels far more convenient than glancing across at the giant disc.

There are three petrol engine options for the MINI Countryman, as well as electric versions that we will review separately. The entry-level Countryman C has a three-cylinder, 1.5-litre, mild hybrid engine producing 170PS, with the mid-range S and sportiest John Cooper Works (JCW) using four-cylinder, 2.0-litre alternatives, generating 218PS and 300PS respectively.

Both S and JCW models come with All4 four-wheel-drive as standard, while all versions of the Countryman are fitted with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox as standard — there’s no longer a manual option.

Driving the Countryman provides a flavour of the fun that’s usually one of the key reasons that buyers go for a MINI over a more conventional alternative. It steers well and doesn’t roll about like a taller SUV might, although there’s no escaping that this is still a relatively large and heavy car.

Specification also plays a big part in how it drives, with firmer suspension on the JCW and adaptive dampers on Countrymans in Sport trim, so choosing the right model and wheel option goes a long way to determining how it drives and rides.

The MINI Countryman continues to offer something a little different from the vast range of conventional SUVs and with even more space inside it’s a more practical proposition too. The main stumbling block is price — if the lower-powered Countryman C meets your needs then it’s a sound choice, but the more powerful Countryman S is close to £35,000 before you get near the options list.

Whether you’re a keen driver or just like the idea of an SUV that isn’t an uninspiring box on wheels, the MINI Countryman manages to retain the spirit of fun that seems to be a big hit with buyers of the smaller models.

Its steering is reasonably sharp and has a good weight to it, offering a good balance of resistance without making it a big effort to drive. There’s a decent amount of feedback through the wheel, although versions with smaller wheels are better in this respect.

Body roll is also kept well in check even on the least powerful Countryman C versions, although if you do decide to push it a little harder through a series of bends you can sense that this is a relatively big and heavy car.

Ride quality across the MINI Countryman range is on the firm side of comfortable, although choosing a model with adaptive suspension can help dial some of this out — smaller wheel sizes also help. It’s worth considering what kind of balance you require between ride and handling before making any specification choices.

The trio of power options for the petrol-fuelled MINI Countryman are labelled C, S and John Cooper Works — usually truncated to JCW for ease.

Entry-level Countryman C models are fitted with a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged engine with mild hybrid assistance, mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox as standard, with no manual alternative.

Producing 170PS and 280Nm of torque is enough for the MINI Countryman C to complete the 0-62mph benchmark in 8.3 seconds and on to a 132mph top speed. For many this will be more than sufficient, offering useful acceleration and decent refinement, although if you plan to regularly load up with people and luggage it may be worth considering a more powerful option.

Using a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged unit, also with mild hybrid assistance, is the MINI Countryman S. With 218PS and 360Nm of torque it is usefully quicker, with the 0-62mph dash taking only 7.1 seconds and a top speed of 142mph. Standard All4 four-wheel-drive boosts traction although it does contribute to a near-100kg weight gain.

Topping the range is the MINI Countryman JCW which develops 300PS and 400Nm of torque from the same 2.0-litre engine, albeit without the mild hybrid tech. Top speed is 155mph, with a rapid 5.4-second 0-62mph time. This turns the Countryman into something of a hot SUV and although it doesn’t feel quite as quick as the figures would suggest, it never feels short of grunt.

Euro NCAP assessed and crash-tested the MINI Countryman in 2024 and awarded it the full five stars. It achieved an 83% score for adult occupant protection, 87% for child occupant protection, 81% for vulnerable road user mitigation and 79% for safety assist.

Even the basic MINI Countryman Classic specification models have a high level of safety equipment, including lane keep assist, rear collision prevention and dynamic cruise control.

The towing capacity of the MINI Countryman is very much engine-dependent. The least powerful Countryman C can haul 1700kg of braked trailer while the Countryman S ups this to 2000kg.

Forget towing anything too heavy with the Countryman JCW as it’s limited to a paltry 750kg ceiling.

Those greater exterior dimensions of the latest MINI Countryman mean the interior space on offer is good, if not quite the roomiest of SUVs of this size.

Up front there is plenty of headroom with enough legroom for to stretch out —elbow room is also good. It’s a similar story in the rear as the Countryman is now big enough for two six-feet tall adults to get comfortable, although three adults across the rear bench would be something of a squeeze.

Versions fitted with the sliding rear seat allow for even greater amounts of legroom when the boot isn’t full as well as enabling children in the back can be brought forward for easier reaching them as required.

The boot itself offers 450 litres of capacity in the Countryman C and S, yet 505 litres in the JCW. Fold the rear seats over and those competitive figures increase to 1450 litres and 1530 litres respectively. Sadly, the available space itself isn’t the most practical of shapes and the boot lip is relatively high from the ground.

The MINI Countryman has a distinctive interior design, with the circular central instrument display and the use of fabric finishes to the dashboard that make a pleasant change from the typical acres of black plastic.

It’s a similar story with the seats which use a pleasing mix of materials, while the minimalist approach to the design of the door trims also helps to make the cabin feel modern and fresh. However, there’s still a fair amount of relatively cheap-feeling plastic in evidence which takes away some of the Countryman’s premium feel.

All versions of the MINI Countryman are fitted with a 9.6-inch centrally-mounted touchscreen infotainment system which also houses the instruments, although a head up display is available as an option which displays instrument information in front of the driver.

The system includes DAB, navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and the MINI Intelligent Personal Assistant which uses intelligent voice control. The display is attractive to look at, with the circular theme harking back to the original Mini, although in terms of physical size it is smaller than some rivals.

The OLED display is bright and clear and the menu systems are logical, but there is no physical controller, and although you can change the display so that just the key instrument information is shown, it can feel crowded at times if you need other functions to be displayed at the same time.

The MINI Countryman C starts at £28,820 for the Classic trim, with the Exclusive version at £31,320 and the Sport at £32,520.

Upgrade to the MINI Countryman S All4 and you’ll need £34,820 for the Classic, £37,730 for the Exclusive and £38,930 to get behind the wheel of one in Sport guise. The range-topping MINI Countryman JCW All4 is £41,655.

Those prices put the Countryman somewhere in the middle of most of its rivals — relatively close to alternatives such as the Nissan Qashqai but less than the Volvo XC40 or Volkswagen Tiguan.

As for used examples there is currently a somewhat limited supply as the car was only introduced in 2024, but we found some low mileage examples for sale at up to £3,000 below list price, so it may be worth shopping around for a nearly-new version.

Running costs for the MINI Countryman will be relatively low, although the specification you choose will play a part in how substantial the bills are. The 1.5-litre Countryman C has the best fuel consumption, with a claimed 45.6-47.9mpg, but at the other end of the scale the JCW version can only claim 35.3-36.2mpg thanks to its extra power and four-wheel-drive.

Servicing costs may also be higher for the pricier models, while insurance groups range from 20 for the Countryman C in Classic trim all the way up to 30 for the JCW.

Also keep in mind that the premium car tax of £410 paid annually between years two and five from the car’s first registration is applicable to models costing in excess of £40,000, so choose your options wisely if you want to avoid going over that threshold.

Essentially, there are three trim levels within the MINI Countryman range of Classic, Exclusive and Sport, although some of the features applicable to them will vary depending on whether you go for the C, S or JCW engine.

Also note that the Countryman JCW is only available in Sport specification.

Standard kit on the MINI Countryman Classic includes LED head and tail lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, a 9.6-inch infotainment screen with DAB, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, integrated navigation, climate control, lane-keep assist, rear collision prevention, forward collision warning, dynamic cruise control, reverse assist, an electrically operated tailgate, automatic wipers, a heated steering wheel and heated door mirrors.

Upgrade to the MINI Countryman Exclusive for sports seats, 18-inch alloy wheels and a body-coloured roof.

Choose the MINI Countryman Sport if you’d like a black contrasting roof, 19-inch alloy wheels, adaptive suspension and automatic gearshift paddles fitted behind the steering wheel.

Additionally, MINI Countryman models with the S engine also feature All4 four-wheel drive.

At the top of the range, the MINI Countryman John Cooper Works Sport adds larger-diamater brakes, JCW-specific 19-inch alloy wheels, a JCW four-exit exhaust, a Harman/Kardon audio system, JCW adaptive sport suspension, a head up display, a reversing camera, automatic main beam and wireless smartphone charging.