MINI Countryman

Published · Researched 2026-09-21

The new Countryman wants to be two cars at once: the last of the old Mini charm and the first of the electric future. Right now it's mostly the second thing wearing the first thing's clothes — and the clothes don't quite fit yet.

The facts first. The third-generation Countryman (2024) moved to BMW's FAAR platform, grew to 4.45 metres, and now offers a proper electric version alongside the petrols. The SE ALL4 electric makes 308 horsepower, hits 60 in 5.4 seconds, and for 2026 gets a silicon-carbide inverter and a slightly bigger battery for up to 467 km WLTP. The petrol range runs from the 1.5-litre C to the 300-horsepower JCW. Prices start at $45,200 for the electric SE in the US. It's built in Leipzig, shares its bones with the BMW X1, and it's the biggest Mini ever made — which, depending on your view, is either growth or betrayal.

The electric version's problem is arithmetic. 212 miles of EPA range from a 65 kWh battery at $45,000-plus is, as Autoblog puts it, "not particularly impressive" — the EV6, Model Y and even the Volvo EX30 go further for similar or less money. The 2026 update adds about 35 km, which helps without fixing the fundamental value equation. If range per dollar is your metric, the Countryman loses.

But — and this is the thing the spec sheet misses — the Countryman SE might be the most likeable EV in its class. Autoblog's reviewer, who describes most EVs as appliances, writes that the Mini "actually makes me want to drive". Owners praise the solid build, the punchy power delivery, the smooth ride and the handling. It has character in a segment of white goods. For the buyer who wants an EV with a personality, that counts for a lot.

The catch is the electronics. The early cars' complaint pattern is software: the OS 9 infotainment freezing and rebooting, a steep learning curve that owners mention unprompted, cold-start transmission hesitation on the petrols, HVAC actuator faults. One 2025 JCW owner on Edmunds reports a nightmare — pedal non-response, touchscreen freezing, brakes not releasing, then transmission and AC failure — though the review's own timeline doesn't add up (it claims 25 months of ownership on a 2025 car reviewed in 2026), so treat the chronology as unreliable even if the frustration reads as genuine. More concretely, NHTSA recall 24V104000 covers 2025 Countrymans for an integrated brake-system fault that can kill power brake assist, ABS and stability control — dealers replace the unit, and any 2025 you're considering must have proof it's done.

The generational split matters for used buyers. The 2017–2023 second-generation car (F60) is the known quantity: mature BMW B38/B48 engines, years of owner data, and the 2019–2024 cars are widely rated the dependable ones. The 2024–2025 third generation is the gamble: better tech, nicer cabin, unproven record. The 2026 EV, with the range fix, is the new-car pick if you must have the latest.

Practical notes: no spare tire (owners complain), narrow-feeling seats (owners complain), and a size that has one owner saying it "feels like a boat" next to the Mini promise. The go-kart marketing meets a two-tonne crossover; adjust expectations accordingly.

Who should skip it? The range-anxious — 212 miles EPA is the dealbreaker it looks like. The buyer who needs their infotainment to be invisible — OS 9 isn't there yet. And anyone considering a 2024–2025 without verified brake-recall completion and updated software.

Who's it for? The driver who'll pay a premium for character: the SE ALL4 is genuinely fun, well built, and distinctive in a car park full of Model Ys. Buy the 2026 for the range bump, or buy a 2023 — the last of the proven generation — and let someone else debug the new one.

Sweet spot: 2023 (proven gen 2, used value) or 2026 (fixed gen-3 EV, new). Years to avoid: 2024–2025 launch cars until the brake recall and software maturity are documented. The Countryman is a Mini for people who outgrew Minis — just make sure you're buying the sorted one.