The new Mini Countryman is here, and you can have it as a full EV

So, you’ve seen the new Mini Cooper? Well now it’s time for the equally new, but not-so-mini, Mini Countryman.

And for the first time ever, you can now have the Countryman as a full EV. The Countryman E gets a 64.7kWh battery and a single 201bhp motor for 287 miles of range, a 0-62mph time of 8.6 seconds and a max charging speed of 130kW. Above that is the Countryman SE ALL4 with its 309bhp twin-motor setup and 5.6s headline sprint, although max range drops to 269 miles in the pursuit of power. 

But don’t worry, because you can still have a petrol-powered Countryman too. The Countryman C gets 168bhp, the S ALL4 gets 215bhp and the JCW ALL4 (now we’re talking) makes a cool 296bhp. Hopefully we’ll get more detail on that sporty version in the near future, but it sounds like there will be an adaptive suspension system that lowers the Countryman by 15mm.

There are 20-inch wheels on offer if you so wish too, and the rest of the styling is heavily influenced by the new Cooper. There’s the same octagonal grille, the same LED lights front and rear (which give you a choice of signatures at both ends) and a remarkably similar interior. 

Seriously, go and compare this with the new Mini Cooper – they’re practically identical in here save for the air vents and door handles. And the space of course. This new third generation Countryman has grown six centimetres taller and 13 centimetres longer overall, and that translates to more shoulder and legroom in both rows of seating.

That round OLED touchscreen is included in the Countryman too, with no dial in front of the driver unless they spec the optional head-up display. Instead, the top of the screen displays things like speed and your remaining charge, while the lower half deals with navigation, climate controls and apps.

Like in the Cooper there are different modes to choose from too, with TG’s personal favourite being *ahem* ‘Personal Mode’. This allows you to pick any picture to use as the screen’s background, and the optional projector hidden behind the screen will then pick out the dominant colours and display them across the knitted dashboard.

We’re told there will be three trim levels in the UK – Classic, Exclusive and Sport – and that deliveries should start taking place in February 2024. Prices start at £28,500 for the combustion-engined Countryman, but you’ll be paying upwards of £40k for the electric version. Ouch.