By Cam Tait \/ Friday, 1 September 2023 \/ Loading comments<\/p>\n
Hot on the heels of the fifth-generation Mini Cooper comes an all-new version of its big sibling, the not-so-mini Countryman. Arriving on the eve of IAA in Munich, the new Countryman introduces all-electric power to the crossover range for the very first time, with some models offering in excess of 300hp.<\/p>\n
Admittedly, we\u2019ve seen those sort of numbers before with the outgoing JCW, but that model has now been displaced by the arrival of a new all-electric model. The EV is based around a 64.7kWh battery which, if you go for the range-topping Electric SE ALL4, returns 269 miles of WLTP-rated range and powers a 313hp electric motor that sends power to all four wheels. That actually makes it the most powerful Mini around \u2013 even more so than the barmy GP3 \u2013 while a 0-62mph time of 5.6 seconds is just 0.4 seconds slower than the two-seat super hatch. Entry-level Electric E models naturally have a bit less grunt at 204hp, and acceleration drops a fair bit to 8.4 seconds, but on the plus side its range stretches to 287 miles.<\/p>\n
The Electric version may be the most powerful of the range, but it isn\u2019t the quickest Countryman. That honour goes to the 300hp, 2.0-litre turbo JCW ALL4, which will fire you to 62mph in 5.4 seconds. The rest of the combustion-powered models are based around Mini\u2019s 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo engine, developing 170hp in the base-spec Countryman S and 218hp in the S ALL4. And after quietly killing off its PHEV earlier this year, there\u2019s no sign of a hybrid for the new generation; it\u2019s either full combustion or electric.<\/p>\n
Inside, there\u2019s a decent amount of carryover from the new Mini Cooper Electric. There\u2019s the same 240mm in diameter centre display, the world\u2019s first fully-useable circular touchscreen according to Mini, which not only houses the firm\u2019s new ninth-generation infotainment software \u2013 but also displays your speed and charge state, ditching the instrument panel in the process. It should be roomier on the inside, too, given that it\u2019s now 6mm taller and 13mm longer than before. That\u2019s right, Mini\u2019s biggest model is now even bigger. And not a whole lot lovelier to look at, it must be said.<\/p>\n
Good thing that Mini has given the Countryman\u2019s chassis some attention, then. The suspension and damping have been given a once over, while ride quality can be adjusted on the fly through different driver modes. Optional adaptive dampers lower the car by 15mm and can automatically tweak the firmness of the suspension depending on the harshness of the road surface. And like the Mini Cooper Electric, a new Go-Kart Mode has been included to sharpen up the throttle response and dial back the traction control, which your family will no doubt appreciate on the way to an activity-filled holiday in the Peak District – or wherever crossover people go.<\/p>\n
As for pricing, the petrol range kicks off with the Countryman C at \u00a328,500 and rises up to \u00a339,900 for the JCW. That jumps to \u00a341,500 for the base-spec Countryman Electric E and \u00a346,600 for range-topping SE. If you\u2019re quick at getting your order in, Mini says it\u2019ll have the first round of deliveries ready by February 2024. Alternatively, you could nab this 2020 JCW for \u00a332,950 and have it on your drive by the end of the day.<\/p>\n