MINI Countryman Electric Review

The latest MINI Countryman is a much more substantial car than the original. It's bigger, more mature and far better suited to family use, and in electric form it makes more sense than any MINI EV before it. Earlier electric MINIs were charming but compromised. The MINI Countryman Electric feels like a proper one-car household option, with enough rear-seat space, a useful boot and enough range to cope with more than just urban driving.

A lot of the appeal comes from the way it looks and feels. Outside, the MINI styling is still obvious, but the Countryman now has a squarer, chunkier stance that gives it more presence. Inside, it's far more memorable than most rivals. The circular OLED screen, fabric dashboard and playful use of colour give it a sense of identity that many electric SUVs simply do not have. This is one of those cars where the cabin can sell the car before you have even turned a wheel.

There are two electric versions. The MINI Countryman E is the front-wheel-drive entry point with 204PS, while the MINI Countryman SE ALL4 adds four-wheel drive and 313PS. Both are usefully quick, and both offer competitive range, but neither is the class champion on outright distance or charging speed. There are alternatives from Kia, Hyundai and Tesla that do better on cold numbers alone.

What makes the MINI Countryman Electric so appealing is that it doesn't feel like a car bought purely on logic. It has warmth and a sense of occasion that many family EVs lack. Prices are now much more competitive than they were at launch too, which makes it easier to justify. It still is not the bargain choice in this class, but it no longer feels overpriced.

Choosing the best MINI Countryman Electric is refreshingly simple because there's only one battery size to think about. The main decision is whether you want the cheaper single-motor E or the quicker dual-motor SE ALL4, and which trim gives you the best mix of equipment and value.

For most buyers, the sweet spot is the MINI Countryman E Exclusive. The E already has enough performance for everyday driving, and it delivers the best range in the line-up. Exclusive trim is also where the interior starts to feel especially rich, with smarter upholstery and a more upmarket finish than the entry-level car, without tipping the price too far upwards.

The MINI Countryman SE ALL4 is the one to choose if you want stronger acceleration or the added reassurance of four-wheel drive, but it's more of a want than a need. It's undeniably brisk, yet the standard E is already quick enough for normal family use.

In simple terms, E Classic is the sensible entry point, E Exclusive is the best all-round choice and SE ALL4 Sport is the indulgent one.

The MINI Countryman Electric starts from £33,005 for the E Classic. From there, the E Exclusive is £35,505 and the E Sport is £36,705. If you want the more powerful SE ALL4, prices begin at £36,505 in Classic trim, rise to £39,005 for Exclusive and top out at £40,205 for Sport.

That makes the MINI Countryman Electric much more competitive than it first appeared at launch. It's still not the cheapest electric SUV of this size, and cars such as the Kia EV3 undercut it, but it no longer looks awkwardly expensive. Against the closely related BMW iX1 in particular, the MINI makes a strong case for itself if you prefer style and personality over a more conventional premium feel.

The BMW iX1 is the most obvious alternative because it shares much of its hardware with the MINI Countryman Electric. If you want the same basic engineering wrapped in a more familiar premium-badge package, the BMW is worth a look. The MINI, though, has the more distinctive cabin and the more interesting interior.

A Hyundai Ioniq 5 suits buyers who care more about comfort, interior space and charging speed than design flair. A Kia EV3 makes a lot of sense if range for the money is your top priority. The Tesla Model Y remains the pragmatic choice for outright practicality and charging-network convenience, even if it feels less interesting inside. If you want something a little more conventional but still family-friendly, the Skoda Elroq also deserves a place on the shortlist.

The MINI Countryman Electric makes most sense if you want your family SUV to feel like something you actively wanted, not something you simply settled for.

The MINI Countryman Electric is more practical than its design-first approach might suggest. Up front, there's a good driving position, plenty of adjustment and enough width to stop the cabin feeling narrow. The upright shape also helps visibility, so it feels easy to place in town despite being much larger than older Countrymans.

Rear-seat space is respectable. Adults can sit comfortably in the back, and the longer wheelbase means it feels much less compromised than previous versions of the Countryman. It's not the roomiest car in this class, but it's family-usable in a way that some more style-led alternatives are not.

Boot space is 460 litres, which is decent without being exceptional. It's enough for a weekly family shop, a pushchair or a couple of larger suitcases, and the square shape makes it easier to use than the raw figure suggests. Fold the rear seats and capacity rises to 1,450 litres. There's underfloor storage for charging cables too, which helps keep the main luggage area tidy.

If practicality is your top priority, a Tesla Model Y or Hyundai Ioniq 5 gives you more outright space. Even so, the MINI Countryman Electric does enough here to back up its price. It's not a fashion item pretending to be a family car. It's a family car that happens to feel more interesting than most.

The MINI Countryman Electric measures 4,445mm long, 1,843mm wide & 1,635mm high. That makes it much larger than older Countrymans and puts it firmly into the family SUV category rather than the small crossover class MINI once occupied. The wheelbase is 2,692mm.

In real terms, it's similar in size to a BMW iX1 and not far off some cars from the class above. That's good news for passenger space, but it also means the MINI Countryman Electric no longer feels especially mini. If you’re moving up from a hatchback, it may feel bigger than expected. If you are downsizing from a larger SUV, it should feel manageable.

The centrepiece is the circular OLED display in the middle of the dashboard. It looks superb, the graphics are crisp and it gives the MINI Countryman Electric an identity all of its own. It's one of the most visually distinctive infotainment setups on sale.

The software itself is mostly slick. The screen responds quickly, smartphone connectivity is built in and the various MINI Experience Modes genuinely make the cabin feel different depending on which one you choose. It all adds character, and it suits the brand.

The drawback is usability. Too many key functions, especially climate settings, live in the screen rather than on simple physical controls. There's a small row of toggles beneath the display, but it's not always as intuitive as it should be on the move. This is one of those systems that impresses at first glance and then asks for a bit more patience in daily use than the best Hyundai or Kia setups.

The MINI Countryman Electric uses materials more imaginatively than most rivals. Even the cheaper versions get a knitted textile dashboard and a mix of finishes that feel properly considered rather than merely decorative. Exclusive trim adds richer upholstery and a smarter cabin theme, while Sport versions bring a more aggressive black-and-red look with John Cooper Works-inspired detailing.

Not every surface feels soft, and some of the woven trim is slightly coarse to the touch, but the overall effect is distinctive and refreshingly different from the usual sea of dark plastics. The synthetic upholstery also feels convincing. If interior design is high on your priority list, very little in this class is as memorable.

The MINI Countryman E uses a single front-mounted motor with 204PS and does 0-62mph in 8.6 seconds. The MINI Countryman SE ALL4 adds a second motor, four-wheel drive, 313PS and a 0-62mph time of 5.6 seconds. Both are usefully quick, but the SE ALL4 is the one that feels genuinely brisk.

MINI now quotes the E at 262 to 310 miles WLTP combined, while the SE ALL4 is rated at 267 to 289 miles. That makes the single-motor E the range pick of the line-up, while the faster SE ALL4 gives away a little efficiency in return for the extra performance and traction.

In real-world terms, the MINI Countryman Electric should comfortably manage more than 200 miles in mixed driving, with the E the better choice if longer trips are part of your routine. It's competitive rather than class-leading on range, but it's good enough for most buyers.

MINI still likes to talk about go-kart handling, and while the MINI Countryman Electric is too big and heavy to feel like a hot hatch, it's still one of the more alert electric SUVs in this price bracket. The steering is quick, the body stays tidy in corners and the SE ALL4 in particular feels satisfyingly rapid when you want to make progress.

The trade-off is ride comfort. The suspension is firm and there's a slight bouncy edge at lower speeds that some buyers will notice straight away. It never feels crude, but if your priority is a soft, relaxed ride, a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Skoda Elroq will suit better.

Around town, good visibility and the higher seating position make the MINI Countryman Electric easy to live with. On the motorway, it settles down well and feels stable, with only a little wind rustle from the upright body shape. Country roads are where it feels most MINI-like, because it responds with more enthusiasm than most electric SUVs. It's not the most comfortable option in the class, but it's one of the least forgettable.

The MINI Countryman received a full five-star rating from independent safety organisation Euro NCAP in 2024. Occupant protection is strong, child safety performance is good and the car comes with the sort of core driver assistance technology buyers now expect in this class.

Standard safety kit includes lane-keeping assistance, forward collision warning and parking assistance, while higher trims and options add extra convenience and driver-assistance features. In everyday family use, the MINI Countryman Electric is competitive here, even if some rivals make more of a headline out of their assistance tech.

Every MINI Countryman Electric can AC charge at up to 11kW and DC rapid charge at up to 130kW. MINI quotes 29 minutes for a 10% to 80% DC charge and 6 hours 30 minutes for a full charge at 11kW. On a more typical 7kW home wallbox, a full charge will take roughly 10 to 11 hours.

In cost terms, a full overnight charge on a cheap home tariff can be very reasonable, while rapid charging on the public network is far more expensive. The MINI Countryman Electric therefore makes most financial sense for buyers who can charge at home regularly and use public charging only occasionally.

The MINI Countryman Electric comes with a three-year unlimited-mileage vehicle warranty. The high-voltage battery is covered for eight years or 100,000 miles. That's broadly in line with what buyers now expect from a premium-badged EV.

MINI uses condition-based servicing rather than a simple fixed annual schedule, so the car monitors wear and maintenance requirements according to how it's used. That should suit owners with variable mileages and helps keep servicing a little more tailored than a rigid once-a-year routine.

Insurance groups for the MINI Countryman Electric run from 23 to 24 (of 50) for the single-motor E and 31 to 32 for the SE ALL4. That spread looks fair enough. The entry-level E should be manageable by class standards, while the much quicker and more expensive SE ALL4 will cost more to cover.

It's worth checking quotes before signing up, especially if you're younger or moving up from a smaller hatchback, because the faster versions clearly sit in a different bracket.

The MINI Countryman Electric costs £200 a year in Vehicle Excise Duty after year one.

For EVs, the Expensive Car Supplement applies only if the list price is more than £50,000, and adds an extra annual charge for five years from the second year of registration. The standard MINI Countryman Electric range sits below that threshold, so most versions avoid it, but options could still push a car over the limit. That's worth checking carefully on heavily specified examples as this could cost a further £440 annually.