Mini Countryman S (2024) Review
The not-so-mini Countryman was released earlier this year, and its new appearance and size have its loyal followers debating: Is it better than its predecessor, and if so, in which way? Or have Mini just gone too far? We spent a week with this Leipzig-built crossover.
The Mini brand has always drawn those who prefer something with a bit more personality than the average hatch or crossover. Have the designers gone too far with their latest rendition of the Countryman, or is it so good that it can steal buyers away from other premium players in the segment? We drove the Mini Countryman S ALL4 on gravel, dirt, and twisty tar to offer our verdict.
Styling
Despite the changes to the sheet metal and LED lights, it's still unmistakably Mini. Viewed from the side, one could even argue it has a bit of a wagon vibe going for it, like the discontinued Clubman that I loved. Glass behind the C- and D-pillars allows for better visibility in the rear quarters, and a stunning panoramic glass moonroof, a standard feature, allows for airiness inside the cabin.
At the back, the upright-rectangular LED taillights (with a customisable light signature on our model) hark back to the Mini's Great British roots, but it's a fresh and contemporary take. The widely-spaced Countryman S lettering across the boot lid looks classy, while the scuff plates and roof rails illustrate the Countryman's off-road intentions.The no-cost alloy wheels have a retro-sporty look that works brilliantly with the rest.
Interestingly, the metal strip surrounding the redesigned hexagonal grill is the only rose gold-coloured exterior design feature, but it doesn't look out of place.
Interior
Our test model was decked out in optional "favoured trim", a R36 000 option, that includes the blue (or brown, or beige) leatherette seats, a selection of exterior styling features, John Cooper Works sport seats, steering wheel and seat heating, and anthracite headliner.
A touch of rose gold also finds its way into the charming cabin, applied to the quirky-yet-classy door handles and the rectangular ball-and-socket air vents. But the very first thing you'll notice is the big, multi-talented circular touchscreen, which also works in conjunction with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and features a cute, voice-controlled cartoon assistant.
There is no instrument panel in front of the driver. Instead, a slim heads-up display unit shows your speed, and you can also select other functions (like your music) to be displayed here. Two circular controller dials on both sides of the steering wheel allow you to make selections, and they look exactly like the units in BMW's other products.
The OLED touchscreen offers a myriad of icons and settings, but we didn't quite manage to work our way through it all in one week. If you opt NOT to read the manual, I would give the reasonably intuitive system a score of 7.5 out of 10 for user-friendliness. It's also not that smoothly integrated with the smartphone mirroring apps because of its rounded shape. On its own, however, it works much like an iPhone, where you can swipe up and press and hold icons to add shortcuts for easier access to your most frequently used apps and controls.
The dashboard and doors are covered in a hardwearing, recycled polyester, and there is also a projector-type display behind the touchscreen that lets a choice of lighting patterns fall on the dashboard, selected via the 'Experiences' button on the Mini toggle bar below the circular screen. We found that this also changes the look of your display, but unfortunately, it will pause the audio if you were listening to streaming services like Spotify via CarPlay.
Space and Comfort
The new Countryman is 13 cm longer and 8 cm taller than its predecessor, which translates to much more interior space. The Countryman is built on the same platform as the BMW X1 and X2, which are big on space in the second row.
On our journey to Worcester, we put the eldest teen (a six-footer) directly behind the driver's sport seat, and he had no cause to complain. All this room makes the Countryman ideal for families with older kids or grandparents who regularly drive along. Rear passengers have access to two USB-A sockets and have their own air vents, while the front passengers have an efficient phone-charging tray (the tray forms part of the Comfort Package) and another two USB-A sockets, along with a small storage box for smaller items.
The Drive
Given the Countryman's ground clearance and boxy shape, it will never drive like the Cooper S hatchback, but it's still a really fun car to pilot thanks to its slightly increased track width and permanent all-wheel-drive.
The steering feels quite meaty and direct, but it's a breeze to drive in town or out on the highway. The standard suspension setup is on the harder and sportier side, but it's still reasonably comfortable, even when the Western Cape municipality doesn't always stick to its road-reparation schedule.
Flipping the Experience Mode switch will change the ambience (and throttle response settings to a lesser extent), so you'll have a more 'sporty' feel, like Go-Kart mode. You can switch to the L (for 'loud') setting for a more rorty soundtrack. Our eldest insisted on us activating this noisy mode whenever he was in the car. This forms part of the Mini Driving Sounds that support your driving settings.
Here are five extras for your new Mini Countryman
What I would certainly deactivate is the engine's auto-Start/Stop function (you easily switch if off on-screen by accessing the main menu and then going to settings) as there can be a delay in re-starting, and this functionality doesn't really save enough fuel to justify its inconvenience. This is irksome in most cars, not just this one.
As we always do with crossovers, we took the Countryman S on a dirt-road excursion along the nearby horse and wine farms and it performed passionately and with precision, kicking in its heels and never feeling unsettled.
Performance
The 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbo with 150kW and 280Nm (mated to a 7-speed DCT Steptronic gearbox) is raring to go if you'll let it, but specifying the steering wheel-mounted flappy paddles is a worthwhile option if you're prone to "giving it horns".
The S model is energetic enough, completing the obligatory 0-100 km/h sprint in seven seconds and topping out at 228km/h. This makes highway driving a breeze, and despite its high output, fuel economy is surprisingly good.
Fuel Consumption
When I saw the figure of 7.8 L/100 km on the trip computer, I thought it was too good to be true, but lo and behold, our combined usage was even less when we returned from our 200 km round trip to Worcester. 7.6 L/100 km is frightfully impressive for a 2.0-litre turbo, and one of the reasons it's so efficient is that you don't have to wring the engine's neck to get it going.
Safety
Apart from the usual premium-class safety features such as LED headlights and DRLs, traction and stability control, hill-start assistance, cruise control, and six airbags, the Countryman also features a built-in tyre-pressure monitor, traffic sign recognition, satellite navigation, high-beam assistance, park distance control in the front and rear, and a rearview camera, to name a few. There are a variety of packages available that include varying levels of semi-autonomous driving (up to level 2).
Related: Here are the top 3 safety features on the Mini Countryman.
Competitors
The previous Countryman may have been a bit too niche but now that it's bigger and more practical, it appeals to a a much wider audience. Cars like the top-spec Ford Territory, Kia Sportage, and Hyundai Tucson, along with the premium players like Audi's Q2/Q3, Volvo's XC40 and even Merc's pricey GLA are now its rivals, along with BMW's own X2 and X1 and even the Alfa Romeo Tonale. (Read our shoot-out here!)
The enticing cabin of the Countryman S truly sets it apart from its rivals.
Price
I always play 'guess the price' with my test cars where I don't check how much they cost until I give them back, and I actually thought the Countryman S would be much more expensive; with a base price of at least R850 000, considering all of the standard luxury features.
To my surprise, the Countryman S starts at R785 000 without options, and you could absolutely get away without choosing any extras, and you'd still have a rocking car to drive - but it will be silver! It's the only no-cost colour option.
If you don't believe me, check out the entire list of standard features and optional extras on all three Countryman variants here.
The Verdict
It may not be perfect, but he Mini Countryman S is one my personal favourite SUVs of the year. Even though it's more family-orientated than ever, it still manages to be refreshingly different and fun, even though it is now more Maxi than Mini.
So, if you frequent a variety of road surfaces and still want to have a bit of fun every day of the week, the innovative Countryman S sure hits the spot. You may even find yourself sitting inside the Countryman S in your driveway much longer than you need to.
