The Mini Countryman plug-in hybrid offers enough electric range for urban commuting and petrol power for a weekend getaway, all in a cool-though-expensive little SUV package.
Brand mismatches are the new normal. Mini makes cars that aren’t small, in the same way Porsche makes models that aren't dedicated sports cars. Does that make them any less valid? In the case of the Mini Cooper S Countryman, not one little bit.
James Wong finds out whether the diesel-powered Countryman is the one to buy.
A plug-in hybrid Mini is destined for Australia early next year and the early signs are all positive.
Sponsored by MINI MINI has released its first electrified model, the 2019 MINI Countryman S E ALL4, a plug-in hybrid EV (PHEV). At $57,200 before on road costs, this version is $3300 more than the Cooper SD ALL4 diesel, but that premium gives you the benefit of a small a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine on the front axle, and an electric motor at the rear...
Smallest to largest, bottom to top, here's the Mini range. Although some of the models mightn’t be all that small anymore, there’s still a link between the three-door and the biggest, baddest Countryman.
There's no doubt, the MINI family is growing in all directions. If you've settled on the badge but can't decide on the model, here's a look at what each offers.
Small SUVs, especially 2WD variants, are something of an anomaly in the makeup of the modern motoring landscape. They rarely offer the same space or practicality as a comparable hatchback, and they almost never deliver driving ability or comfort anything like that of an SUV. Therefore, in objective terms, they don’t seem to do anything especially adeptly – on paper at least...
Mini's fastest-ever production car, the new Clubman JCW, will touch down in Australia before the end of 2019, priced from $57,900 before on-road costs. Powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, the Clubman JCW now makes 225kW and 450Nm, an increase of 55kW over the outgoing model. The engine is shared with the BMW X2 M35i, as is the eight-speed automatic transmission...
The 2020 Mini Countryman has been spied on the streets of Munich, previewing the car's mid-life refresh. As with the revised 'LCI' Mini Hatch range, the Countryman appears to be wearing a fresh grille and front bumper. The headlight internals also look different, although the design team's yellow-and-black camouflage makes it hard to nail down exactly what's changed...
Mini has detailed the updated John Cooper Works versions of its Clubman wagon and Countryman crossover, which both get beefier performance amongst other upgrades. Headlining the changes is what lies under the bonnet – a 225kW/450Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine borrowed from the related BMW X2 M35i, the most powerful engine fitted to a production Mini...
Mini Australia has announced pricing and specifications for its first electrified model Down Under, the Countryman Plug-In Hybrid, also known as the Cooper S E All4. Priced from $57,200 before on-road costs, the plug-in hybrid version of Mini's crossover is $3300 dearer than the Cooper SD All4 diesel, and $2700 less than the flagship John Cooper Works performance variant...
If you are like me and were tasked with the job of teaching your kids to drive, you will know that the hardest thing about getting a licence is the reverse park and the hill start. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t got a clue about going round corners, correct braking techniques or travelling at speed on a highway in traffic, so long as you nail those tricky slow-speed manoeuvres...
