2025 Mini Countryman S First Drive Review: Expanding The Car, Expanding The Brand

The 2025 Mini Countryman is the most important Mini ever produced by the British model. Why? Mini says it was dropping prospects to different automakers as their households outgrew the model, so it elevated the Countryman’s dimension to compensate. Is that this an excellent transfer that may herald new prospects, or a step too far that strays away from Mini’s unique ethos? Having already pushed the John Cooper Works and electrical SE fashions, CarBuzz had an opportunity to drive the Countryman S at Mini Takes the States, an owner-centric occasion that crosses a number of US states on a street journey.

With no confirmed base mannequin beneath it, the Countryman S now acts because the entry level to Mini’s SUV. It is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 241 horsepower, a considerable 52 hp enhance over the outgoing S mannequin. These additional horses are tasked with carrying much more weight, practically 160 kilos to be precise. On Colorado’s and Utah’s beautiful mountain roads, we realized if the larger Countryman nonetheless seems like a correct Mini.

Exterior: Bigger, However Nonetheless Small

The third-generation Countryman, dubbed the U25, is considerably bigger than the F60 mannequin it replaces. It grows by over 5 inches in size, although the wheelbase stays the identical. The brand new mannequin is greater than 4 inches taller and a couple of.7 inches wider – and this turns into noticeable while you park it subsequent to the outgoing Countryman. This can be the largest Mini ever, however it’s nonetheless small when put next with the market. The Alfa Romeo Tonale is over three inches longer, whereas a BMW X1 is nearer in dimension (even a smidge wider), it is nonetheless greater than two inches longer than the Mini.

Mini did not simply enlarge the automotive, it additionally matured the styling. The U25 is extra boxy than its predecessor, resulting in a design that is funky however not too cutesy. Three customizable headlight and taillight patterns can change how the automotive appears at evening, whereas 9 exterior colours (5 of that are new) assist it stand out through the day. The carryover colours embody Melting Silver III, Midnight Black II, Nanuq White, and British Racing Inexperienced IV, which is pictured right here. Of the outdated colours, BRG is our favourite, and stands out as a traditional Mini shade. The brand new hues all look nice too: Chili Purple II, Smokey Inexperienced, Blazing Blue, Indigo Sundown Blue, and Slate Blue. These colours may be paired with a physique coloured roof or a contrasting one in Jet Black, Vibrant Silver, or Glazed White.

There are two type themes to select from: Basic or Favoured. Basic comes with 18-inch silver Asteroid Spoke wheels that appear like they belong on a rental automotive. Choosing the Favoured finishes the 18-inch wheels in Vibrant Silver, which appears extra like rose gold. We a lot choose the 19-inch Kaleido Spoke two-tone wheels, that are $600 additional on the Signature Plus or a no-cost improve on Iconic. The 20-inch Windmill spoke wheels (pictured) are $1,200 on Signature Plus or $600 on Iconic, however we do not love how they give the impression of being with the remainder of the styling.

Inside: Quirky Goes Digital

To associate with Mini’s largest exterior, the Countryman will get the corporate’s most tech-forward inside. A brand new 9.4-inch round show appears good, although its performance is much less so. There’s noticeable lag when executing sure duties, although the system feels snappier than after we first examined it. Over-the-air-updates ought to theoretically enhance it. We would like a number of extra buttons for features similar to fan pace and temperature, requiring fewer menus. Mini’s digital assistant can be utilized for numerous duties, and may be set to appear like a Cooper or a British bulldog named Spike. It could actually additionally inform jokes, reply questions, or take photographs on the Fiat model by saying it “likes overtaking them.”

Regardless of the way you configure it, no cows had been harmed within the making of this inside. The Basic type will get black or gray Vescin Perforated vegan seats with fabric and blue accents, whereas the Favoured upgrades to full Vescin JCW Sport Seats in Beige, Classic Brown (pictured), or Darkish Petrol. These distinctive colours are paired with numerous knit surfaces on the sprint, that are constituted of recycled supplies and needs to be waterproof. Heated seats come customary, and you will get a therapeutic massage seat on the motive force’s facet.

Practicality: Increasing The Model

The Countryman’s bigger dimension yields 25% extra cargo area inside, which ought to maintain some consumers with the Mini model. There may be 16.2 cubic ft of area behind the second row with sizable storage underneath the ground. Folding the rear seats opens the storage as much as 51.5 cubes, greater than the earlier Countryman’s 47.6 cubes. We famous that folding the seats may be performed in a 40-20-40 break up, however requires you to tug three tabs situated close to the underside of the rear seats, requiring some stretching and contorting to get all of them down. Rear legroom is down by 0.6 inches per the numbers, however it feels roomier than the outgoing mannequin.

Efficiency: Extra Energy, Much less Alternative

Mini has solely introduced a single configuration for the 2025 Countryman within the US market: the Countryman S ALL4. This mannequin makes use of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, tuned to ship 241 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. That represents a considerable enhance over the outgoing mannequin, which solely produced 189 hp and 206 lb-ft of torque. Energy is routed to ALL4 all-wheel-drive as customary through a one-choice-only seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Mini claims a 6.2-second 0-60 mph time (a full second faster than the outgoing mannequin), which we didn’t have the chance to check for ourselves, however we imagine the Countryman S to be a bit of faster. That is additionally the primary Countryman to obtain a tow ranking of three,500 kilos.

Mini will promote a much less highly effective front-drive Countryman C with 170 hp in different markets, however that mannequin has not been confirmed for the US but. If you’d like a extra highly effective Countryman, the John Cooper Works and electrical SE fashions have been reviewed individually.

Gasoline financial system is rated at 24/32/27 MPG metropolis/freeway/mixed, which is a slight enhance from the earlier Countryman S ALL4 (23/31/26 MPG). On a several-hour drive via Colorado, we managed greater than 33 MPG, besting the EPA ranking.

Driving Impressions: Cross Nation Mini

Driving alongside Colorado’s beautiful mountain roads, the Countryman proved to be an ideal companion. It is quiet and cozy for lengthy freeway stints, however enjoyable when it is time to sort out turns. The steering is lighter than what you will see that within the smaller Cooper, however putting the automotive in its Go-Kart mode corporations it up considerably. This can be the most important Mini ever, however it nonetheless feels agile sufficient to maintain inside the traces on slender mountain passes. Our tester didn’t have the $500 Dynamic Damper Management suspension, however it felt comfy and managed regardless.

The powertrain feels punchy, besides off the road, the place there’s a modicum of turbo lag. We additionally famous that the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission may be caught off guard in sure passing conditions, requiring a number of seconds earlier than shifting to the suitable gear. Mini surprisingly excluded paddle shifters on the S, so you’ll want to improve to the JCW if you wish to shift your self. The engine makes a satisfying growl when pushed, although a lot of this noise comes from the audio system, and it quiets down when cruising. After driving all three Countryman variants, the S is probably the most broadly interesting, although we choose the punchier efficiency of the electrical SE.

Pricing & Verdict: Going Premium

Mini has all the time performed in an empty sandbox with the Countryman, by no means competing straight with equally sized crossovers. The Countryman competes above the standard mainstream choices, however it’s not fairly a luxurious car both. A Countryman S ALL4 Signature Plus begins at $38,900 (not together with a $995 vacation spot charge). The Iconic trim provides $3,200, bundling energy seats, Harmon Kardon audio, bigger wheels, extra security options, and extra, for tha worth. The BMW X1, which shares a platform with the Countryman, is simply a bit costlier at $40,500, and comes with a extra prestigious badge. Efficiency is similar, nonetheless.

There are some extra choices that pull the Countryman S above $45,000, bordering on entry-level luxurious territory. Given the high-quality inside and refinement, we expect Mini justifies the excessive worth level. The Countryman feels on par or nicer than a low-end Audi Q3, Mercedes-Benz GLA, or the X1 that it shares a platform with. It takes the Mini model to new heights in additional methods than one.