2023 MINI Countryman

Mini fans tend to love their cars, but there often comes a time when most of the need more room than the Mini Hardtop can manage. Enter the Mini Countryman. One-half of the British Automaker’s line of (slightly) larger vehicles, the Countryman scales up the Mini format into a tiny crossover while its sister, the Clubman, stretches it into a small wagon. Of the pair, the Clubman is the more Hardtop-like to drive, but the Countryman offers a larger interior and the brand’s widest array of powertrains, including Mini’s only plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

First introduced in 2010 and comprehensively redesigned in 2017, the Countryman hasn’t changed much since then and is starting to show its age. 2023 brings a new “Untamed” special edition on Cooper S and PHEV SE models, with Momentum Grey or Nanuq White paint and a lovely Highland Green interior, but no other changes. Its aging software and platform mean Android Auto compatibility is still missing, as are some important active-safety features. A new Countryman is due in 2025,  likely with a fully electric version, but the current Countryman will continue until at least early 2024. 

Just 169.7 inches long, the Countryman is big by Mini standards but a small fry in crossover land. Because its model range varies so much, it also competes with a wide array of pint-size SUVs. BMW’s new-for-2023 X1 and aging X2, which use versions of the same platform architecture and engines are both direct competitors, as are the Mazda CX-30, Mercedes-Benz GLA and Volvo XC40. The low-end Countryman trims vie with cheaper machines like the Hyundai Kona and Kia Soul, while the hot John Cooper Works (JCW) version battles the Hyundai Kona N and Mercedes-AMG GLA.

Given that it’s bigger and taller than the other Minis but uses the same engines, it’s not surprising that the Countryman is a little less engaging to drive than they are. However, while it’s more about comfort and room than go-kart handling, the Countryman is still plenty of fun and more engaging than most small crossovers. The underpowered base three-cylinder model is temporarily unavailable thanks to supply chain issues , which makes the 189-horsepower Countryman Cooper S the default choice. The PHEV SE and especially the JCW offer positively frenetic performance, but both start above $45,000.

Fun is important, but most Countryman buyers are after fun plus space, and here it does not disappoint. This is a tiny machine, but apart from the Mercedes GLA, it has a bigger back seat than most competitors. There are only 18 cubic-feet of luggage space behind the rear seat, but that’s more than the GLA or XC40. While it only drinks premium, the Countryman also returns decent fuel mileage, and the PHEV SE can eke out 18 miles of pure electric range. Notably, the SE is the only PHEV currently offered in this segment.

There are some shortcomings though, including the lack of tech and active-safety gear. Safety scores are also so-so, and while the JCW provides vigorous fun, its ultra-stiff suspension means a harsh ride. It’s also not cheap. Supply chain problems and price increases mean the cheapest Countryman you can get in early 2023 is the $35,945 Cooper S, and the PHEV SE now starts at almost $50,000. For Mini fans with growing families there’s plenty of appeal, but those prices put the Countryman in competition with larger and better-equipped popular-brand crossovers.

Performance: 12/15

The Countryman offers four different turbocharged powertrains, but supply chains have restricted the availability of the base 134-horsepower 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine. Since this motor is overmatched by the Countryman’s weight, it’s not much of a loss. The Cooper S Countryman’s 2.0-liter four makes a much healthier 189 hp and 206 pound-feet of torque. That’s good for zero-to-60 times of around 7.2 seconds, which isn’t exactly fast but isn’t slow either.

Front-wheel drive is standard on the Cooper S and all-wheel drive (AWD) optional. Front-wheel drive models get a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) while AWD All4s get an eight-speed automatic. There’s no manual transmission option at the moment. 

The plug-in Cooper SE Countryman bundles the 1.5-liter triple from the base model with an 87-hp electric motor for a combined total of 221 horsepower and 284 pound-feet of torque. All4 AWD is standard on the SE, and it uses a six-speed automatic transmission. It’s almost a full second faster to 60 mph than the Cooper S, and the instant rush of electric torque makes it more fun, too. 

The JCW is much faster than any other Countrymen, with 301 hp and 331 lb-ft on tap from a modified version of the Cooper S’ 2.0-liter four. Different drive modes, standard AWD and a sport-tuned suspension to help put all that power down, and it’ll rocket to 60 mph in about 4.7 seconds, much faster than the other Countrymen and faster than the Mazda CX-30 Turbo, Hyundai Kona N or Mercedes-AMG GLA 35. The only downside? A rock hard ride and plenty of noise, even compared to the raucous Kona N.

While it looks and feels like a Mini, the Countryman isn’t quite as engaging to drive or eager a handler as the smaller Minis. Its visual ruggedness also doesn’t equate to off-road talent. With only 6.5 inches of ground clearance, all-season tires and no hill descent control, it’s best kept on the pavement or very light terrain.

Fuel Economy: 13/15

With front-wheel drive, the 2.0-liter Cooper S Countryman returns 28 mpg combined according to the EPA (24 city, 33 highway), while AWD Cooper S models return 26 mpg combined (23 city, 31 highway). These figures are basically identical to the temporarily unavailable 1.5-liter triple, and above average for this class. The BMW X2 does a little better than the Countryman and the non-N Hyundai Kona even better, but the hybrid-only Lexus UX is way out in front of all the other tiny utes with up to 39 mpg combined.

The SE PHEV offers a great combo of punch and efficiency, with 29 mpg in combined driving and up to 18 miles of pure electric range. No other vehicle of this size offers a PHEV option, but Hyundai does build a fully electric Kona, and there’s also the Chevy Bolt EUV for those interested in full electrification. The next-gen Countryman will include a full electric.

The JCW is predictably the least-efficient Countryman, but considering its energetic performance, figures of 23 mpg city, 30 highway and 26 combined are actually pretty good, and superior to the Mazda CX-30 Turbo, Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 and the Hyundai Kona N.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 7/15

The 2023 Mini Countryman has not been evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which detracts marginally from its overall score. It does get mostly “Good” marks in testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), but doesn’t earn Top Safety Pick status. The Countryman also gets good marks in evaluations by the European New Car Assessment Program (EuroNCAP), an EU Agency that performs similar tests, but it hasn’t been reevaluated since 2017.

Like the other Minis, the Countryman loses a bunch of points for its lack of active-safety technology. Lane departure warnings, forward collision warnings and automatic emergency braking are standard but few other driver-assist features are standard and a relatively small number are optional. Adaptive cruise control and parking assist are optional, but not currently available due to supply chain issues. Blind spot monitoring isn’t offered at all. Most competitors, like Hyundai, Mazda and Mercedes-Benz, offer more standard or available active-safety gear.

Comfort & Room: 13/15

Like most other small crossovers, Countryman’s forward cabin has plenty of room even for tall drivers and comfortable, supportive seats. The real difference from the other Minis (even the Clubman) and some other pint-size utes, is in back. There’s fractionally more headroom than the Clubman, but much more legroom, up to 37.6 inches to the Clubman’s 34.2 This is also more than the crossover’s closest competitors, the Kona (35.2), CX-30 (36.3) and X2 (36.7) but a little less than the Mercedes-Benz GLA (38.4).

All of these vehicles are small to the point of being called “subcompact” in some cases, but the Countryman and GLA boast decent rear seat space even by the standards of SUVs one size larger (the BMW X3 has 36.4 inches of rear legroom). The Countryman’s rear doors also make it easier to get kids in and out than the other four-door Minis, but they’re still not “big.”

Infotainment: 10/15

An 8.8-inch infotainment screen is standard, and the Countryman also uses a pretty oval-shaped digital instrument panel. Ambient lighting accompanies the infotainment inputs and the gauges and screens look bright and crisp. Mini’s trademark toggle switches, well-labeled and easy-to-use, remain a staple of the experience. 

Like the other Minis, the Countryman’s screens run a modified version of parent-company BMW’s iDrive infotainment system, but an older iteration than the iDrive 8 found in the BMW X1. It isn’t difficult to operate, but some displays and settings are a little too buried in menus. Apple CarPlay is theoretically optional, but due to supply chain issues you can only currently configure the Cooper S Countryman in the Signature 2.0 trim, which includes it. Android Auto, however, is not offered in any model.

Navigation is optional and adds $1,000 to the price on the Cooper S Countryman Signature and JCW Signature, but it’s included on the SE PHEV.

Cargo Space & Storage: 12/15

With 17.6 cubic-feet of space behind the rear seats and 47.6 with them folded, the Countryman has more cargo room than any other Mini, but only by .1 cubic-feet over the Clubman. Both compare well on cargo volume to similarly sized crossovers like the CX-30 (20.1 and 45.2), Kona N (19.2 and 45.8 cubic-feet) and Mercedes GLA (15.4 and 50.5) but SUVs that are only a little larger, like the Volvo XC40, start to offer more cargo volume. Also, for the price of the SE PHEV, you could also get a Kia Sportage PHEV that’s got a whole lot more room inside for both passengers and cargo.

There isn’t a ton of small item storage space in the Countryman, but most of its competitors aren’t much better. Chunky roof rails are included for mounting cargo boxes and other carrying accessories, which makes this the handiest Mini in this regard.

Style & Design: 7/10

The Countryman has the same cheeky vibe and basic style of the smaller Minis, but looks a little more serious and suggests more go-anywhere capability with rugged crossover pretensions like its big plastic fender flares. It looks good even if it’s a paper tiger where off-road adventure is concerned. It’s not quite as harmonious a design as the other Minis and looks bigger than it actually is thanks to those tall-and-round proportions. It’s not a bad look though, and Mini’s many personalization options and color choices (our favorite is Sage Green) are things other automakers don’t offer.

Like the other Minis, the Countryman’s interior is a retro-cool array of round dials and toggle switches, with clever ambient lighting. Higher trims with nicer upholstery feel appropriately premium, but the entry-level versions don’t feel quite as fancy as the price.

Is the 2022 Mini Countryman Worth it? Which Countryman is the Best Value?

Mini has raised prices several times since announcing the 2023 models, and supply chains have also limited some of the configuration choices. At the moment, the least expensive way into a Countryman is the front-drive, $35,945 Cooper S (including a $995 destination fee), though it’s possible to find models at dealerships with options for a little less as the prices have varied throughout the model year. AWD is a $2,525 addition on the Cooper S but standard on the SE and JCW.

Since the Signature 2.0 Trim is now the default option (including CarPlay and a panoramic sunroof) on the S and JCW, the Iconic trim costs more, $5,175 in fact. It adds navigation, a head-up display, premium audio, wireless charging and a much wider array of interior and exterior personalization options.

For the best combo of performance and efficiency, it’s hard to beat the SE Countryman PHEV, but it also starts at a towering $49,535, which puts it in direct competition with much larger mainstream PHEVs like the Toyota RAV4 Prime and Kia Sportage, which are just a better value overall. At the very least, the SE gets the Iconic package as its standard trim.

The JCW also starts at $46,070 and offers smile-inducing performance at a lower price tag than the Mercedes-AMG GLA35 or GLA45. With BMW’s X2 M35i now dropped, there’s also no rival at the BMW dealer. The Kona N, however, severely undercuts all of these vehicles and offers a delightful driving experience of its own. It also comes with more standard equipment and much longer warranty coverage.

Editor’s Note: Mini has raised prices several times since the 2023 models were announced, so these prices reflect the cost at the time of this writing in February 2023.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the Mini Countryman?

The Mini Countryman is generally less expensive to insure than its competitors. According to our data, a typical 30-year-old female driver with clean record can expect an average annual premium of $1,979 for a Countryman Cooper S, though this averages all 50 states. JCW buyers can expect an annual premium of around $180 more. That compares to $2,220 for the Mercedes-Benz GLA, $2,267 for BMW’s X2 sDrive28i and $1,938 for the Hyundai Kona N, but only $1,872 for the Mazda CX-30 Turbo. Visit our car insurance calculator for a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses.