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Crossover has expanded to Qashqai size for third generation but promises to be a truer Mini than before

The new Mini Countryman is emphatically not mini. It’s the biggest Mini yet, in fact, and it looks it.

It’s more like a Maxi Countryman. With that established, prepare yourself for an angry missive about how the brand has scandalously veered away from its roots and heritage.

Except… well, it turns out that size really isn’t everything. Because in how well it embodies the renewed spirit and ethos of the Mini brand, building on its past and a sense of upbeat, optimistic fun, this car totally feels like a Mini.

This is the third-generation Countryman, and the SUV has grown notably from the Mk2, which in turn grew notably from the Mk1. At 4433mm, it's 120mm longer than the 2016 car and more than a third of a metre longer than the 2010 original.

It’s the first car in a revamped line-up as Mini accelerates its transition to being fully electric, and its growth makes room for the new, electric-only Aceman crossover. Also coming are the all-new electric three-door Cooper hatchback and heavily updated versions of the three- and five-door ICE Coopers.

The growth also moves the Countryman up into a lucrative class: while previous versions had SUV styling but really competed with family hatchbacks, it has now firmly entered Nissan Qashqai territory.

The Countryman will be sold in both electric and petrol forms. It will be a few weeks before we can talk about the EVs, though.

Our first outing instead comes in the range-topping John Cooper Works, which uses a 2.0-litre turbo four that offers 296bhp and 295lb ft.

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If you’re after a more sensible engine, there’s also a 1.5-litre turbo triple offered with front- or four-wheel drive.

DESIGN & STYLING

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The Countryman continues to use the same multi-powertrain BMW Group UKL2 platform as the closely related BMW X1 and BMW X2, and it’s now being built beside those crossovers at BMW’s Leipzig plant, rather than in the Netherlands as previously. For a good trivia fact, that makes this the first Mini to be made in Germany.

The challenge in creating a modern Mini is designing something that looks modern but also clearly evokes the 1959 original – and that challenge is heightened when the car in question is a chunky SUV.

With expectations somewhat in check, this new Countryman is a job well done, at least to these eyes. That said, when you first see it in the metal, it somehow looks even bigger than you expect, due to the chunky C-pillars and boxy rear roofline.

The Countryman is the first Mini model to feature Mini's new design language, which is defined as 'charismatic simplicity'. According to the firm, that's because it offers fun design elements while also featuring a stripped-back aesthetic including the removal of chrome and the use of more recycled and recyclable materials.

The octagonal radiator grille has been given more presence at the front, while the silhouette is deliberately more boxy and upright. There are chunky wheels and beefed-up wheel arches to reinforce that SUV presence, while the C-pillar design feature varies depending on the powertrain and trim.

There are also new LED headlights and tail lights, which you can customise – so if you don't like the Union Jack design at the rear, you can switch it for another one.

The John Cooper Works model, such as our test car, features a host of extra exterior styling details, including a bespoke grille and aerodynamic elements and special badges on the C-pillars. But you won’t find any chrome bodywork: it’s all about a stripped-back aesthetic and recyclable materials now.

INTERIOR

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The interior is a clever and well-realised mix of modern minimalism and just enough retro touches to keep the Mini faithful happy. It’s bright and open and feels premium while still quirky and fun.

As you would expect, there’s plenty of space, too. It’s roomy up front and adults should have no problem in the rear, particularly as the rear seats can be shifted back and forth by as much as 13cm. 

The boot is a decent shape and has a capacity of 460 litres, which is more space than in the Nissan Qashqai. Fold the rear seats down and the storage increases to a definitely-not-mini 1450 litres. There's plentiful storage cubbies in the main cabin too. 

You sit in that classic raised SUV position, so visibility is good and it’s easy to get comfortable. The dashboard uses a two-tone textile that’s made with recycled polyester, with different designs for the various specs and trims. In the John Cooper Works, it’s sporty JCW black and red (a colour scheme that also extends to the sports seats).

It’s certainly minimalist, being dominated by a 9.4in infotainment screen, proudly trumpeted by Mini as the first round OLED touchscreen in a production car – although, well, you name another car with any kind of round screen. Go on, I’ll wait.

It’s a nice change from a Tesla-aping giant slab, though, and of course it echoes the large central speedo of the original Mini. In fact, on first experience, you’re so taken by it that it takes you a moment to notice that the instrument cluster and most of the other dash-sited controls have been removed.

As in a Tesla or the Volvo EX30, the speedo is displayed at the top of the touchscreen. It actually works quite well, with the round shape making it easy to find at a glance. And if that’s not to your taste, your speed is also shown on a sharp head-up display (standard on the JCW but optional on some lower trims).

Beneath the screen is a small number of physical controls that also echo the original Mini, with a twist ignition, an audio volume dial and toggles for the gear selector and the Experience modes (which we will come to in a moment). Below those is a wireless smartphone charger, two cupholders and a small storage cubby.

The infotainment is based on the latest BMW system but customised to fit the round screen, and it works well, with the native apps making full use of the unusual space. The top of the screen is reserved for the details you would usually find in the instrument cluster, while key systems such as the heating are nestled around the edge.

In our test car, the software was a little laggy. There was a notable loading time when I switched between apps, and if I changed the look, it would sometimes revert to the old display briefly.

Hopefully those were just early-days foibles. The usability could certainly be improved in places, though. The temperature appears as a curved bar that looks like a slider, but tapping it launches a pop-up box.

Ultimately, I would prefer a few extra physical buttons, in part because the minimal switchgear that is there is pleasingly tactile. There’s also voice control, which summons Spike, Mini’s dog-shaped personal assistant. Your kids will love him.

Those Experience modes, then: there are eight in total, which you scroll through using a toggle switch. Each has its own graphic set – so, for example, Go Kart is all JCW black and red and tacho display, while Timeless is a sepia-tinged imitation of a classic Mini speedo.

Each has its own audio jingle when selected, too, most of which sound like they were sampled from a Super Nintendo.

Three of the experiences, Go Kart, Core and Green, also adjust the driving settings – think Sport, Normal and Eco. So Go Kart alters the engine response, engine sound and suspension tuning to offer a sharper drive.

ENGINES & PERFORMANCE

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The John Cooper Works uses a BMW Group 2.0-litre turbo four-pot that produces 296bhp and 295lb ft of torque. It sits at the top of the petrol line-up.

Below it, the 2.0-litre four-cylinder Countryman S All4 has 215bhp going to both axles and the 1.5-litre three-cylinder Countryman C has 167bhp at the front axle.

There are also two electric options: the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive Countryman E with 201bhp and the dual-motor, four-wheel-drive Countryman SE All4 with 309bhp. 

Three trim levels will be offered: Classic, Exclusive and Sport.

Our first taste of the Countryman comes in top-level JCW form. BMW’s turbo four isn’t the most characterful engine out there, but the power delivery is decent and it’s responsive.

Acceleration is brisk if you want it – the official 0-62mph time of 5.6sec feels achievable – and the turbo offers a good slug of torque if you call for it.

Inside the car, the engine note is accompanied by some ‘racing-inspired’ artificial additions, which generally add to the hot hatch feel and slightly uncouth character of the JCW. Not too uncouth, though: there’s still the premium aura of a BMW Group product here.

RIDE & HANDLING

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If you spend any time talking to a Mini employee, they will inevitably mention the desire to offer “classic go-kart handling”. That promise is one of the foundations the brand was built on, and it seems particularly important to keep given the continued growth of the cars themselves.

Still, go-kart handling is a big ask for an SUV, but you can feel the effort made to add some dynamism and playfulness here. The steering is direct and responsive, allowing for easy adjustments and a quick turn-in. It feels sharper than the X1 while still remaining stable. Turn in to corners and there’s still a lot of weight to the control, but you can certainly have some fun.

The firmed-up suspension on this JCW model does make the ride stiff in places, especially if you opt for Go Kart mode, but not unforgivingly so. It helps with composure in bends, while the four-wheel drive system helps balance traction without robbing the car of feel.

The tyres have been increased in width slightly to offer extra grip: our car sat on optional 20in wheels and didn’t feel too brittle over bumps.

MPG & RUNNING COSTS

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Given its sporting pretence, the John Cooper Works isn't the Countryman to pick if you want to maximise your fuel economy. 

It has an official WLTP fuel economy of 34.0mpg (along with CO2 emissions of 188g/km), compared with 38.2mpg for the S All4 and 40.9mpg for the entry-level C.

So far, we've driven the JCW only in Portugal, and our test route wasn't long enough to assess how accurate that figure is.

VERDICT

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The Countryman JCW makes much play of its sporting ambitions, but don’t expect a full-on driver’s car.

It absolutely isn’t a hot hatch (we will be looking to the Cooper brothers for that), but it is a practical family hauler that brings some enjoyable performance to the table.

Plus it offers a real alternative to many other brands, blending premium sheen and practical, sensible SUV sizing with a sense of youthful exuberance.

It’s very definitely not mini, then, but it’s emphatically a Mini.

James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Acting magazine editor

James is Autocar's acting magazine editor. Having served in that role since June 2023, he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the world's oldest car magazine, and regularly interviews some of the biggest names in the industry to secure news and features, such as his world exclusive look into production of Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets.