Just because a car maker relies on retro design to sell its products, it doesn’t mean it can pass off old parts and dated technology underneath the skin.
The new MINI Countryman S E is anything but old. You might not guess it from the clunky name, but it’s the first plug-in hybrid MINI ever, and yet another model from the brand that’s likely to cause a stir among enthusiasts of the original fifties Mini.
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We can gloss over that, though, as this car isn’t targeted at those purists. It’s a family-sized MINI with a three-cylinder engine and electric motor that together produce 221bhp. Yet despite the power, this SUV promises up to 134mpg – and it’s difficult not to be intrigued by that. We’re driving the petrol-electric Countryman for the first time in Spain, to see if it’s as good on the road as it looks on the spec sheet.
The Countryman S E uses the same powertrain as the plug-in BMW 2 Series Active Tourer. That means a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine paired with a rear-mounted electric motor, so the Cooper S E can hit 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds – four-tenths faster than a Cooper S.
Much of that off-the-line pace is down to its four-wheel-drive system, with the electric motor exclusively powering the rear axle. It actually means that in maximum electric mode (at speeds of up to 78mph), the Countryman can be driven using only the rear wheels. The electric range is quoted at ‘up to 25 miles’, although as always you’ll find around 15-18 miles a more realistic figure.
Some of the clever tech can help extend that, however. For example, when sat-nav guidance is activated, the system works out the most efficient parts of the route to run solely on electric power, ensuring it isn’t drained by the time you reach a city. Our test route involved a fair amount of urban driving, and it’s here where the Countryman excels. The powertrain is smooth and silent, and only lead-footed stabs at the throttle will wake the petrol engine below 40mph. It feels just as swift as the figures suggest – at speeds of up to 60mph at least.
Push harder, however, and the electric motor’s effectiveness diminishes, and at motorway speeds the Countryman starts to feel more like a Cooper with some extra weight on board. Despite the characterful three-cylinder soundtrack, it struggles to justify the hot S badging on its bootlid.
No Countryman is particularly light, but at 1,730kg, the hybrid has a sizeable 130kg weight penalty over an equivalent Cooper S. But MINI has done a good job of disguising the extra bulk in the bends – it feels almost as agile, grippy and composed as the normal car, and far better resolved than a larger Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. The MINI’s steering actually benefits from the weight increase, feeling a bit less darty, too. Unfortunately it’s the ride that suffers; it’s already firm for a crossover, but the damping felt even stiffer in the PHEV. We’ll reserve judgement until we try it in the UK, however.
Elsewhere, the plug-in Countryman doesn’t shout about its eco credentials. Other than a few slightly garish logos, it looks largely the same as the standard car, and despite minimal compromises in space, it’s still an accomplished crossover. Interior quality is first-rate, as it should be – this Countryman costs more than £29,000 (after the Government grant) before you’ve gone anywhere near the options list. Still, that’s quite a lot less than a BMW i3 REx.
There’s only one spec to choose from, but most buyers will add the desirable Chili pack (£2,750), which includes heated front seats, extra storage and LED headlights. Standard kit is pretty generous, however, with all cars getting alloy wheels, air-con, sat-nav, Bluetooth an cruise control.
- Model: MINI Countryman Cooper S E ALL4
- Price: £29,085 (inc. Gov grant)
- Engine: 1.5-litre 3cyl turbo petrol plus electric motor
- Power/torque: 221bhp/385Nm
- Transmission: Six-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
- 0-62mph: 6.8 seconds
- Top speed: 123mph
- Economy/CO2: 134.5mpg/49g/km
- On sale: June