2025 Mini Countryman S All4 review

The Mini Countryman S is a fun little SUV.

And little it may be, but this smartly packaged small SUV is practical in ways that you mightn’t expect.

The fun factor is there, the design is extroverted, and it has plenty of the trademark attributes you’d expect of a vehicle from this brand.

But is it worth the money being asked? 

How much does the Mini Countryman cost?

The Mini Countryman lineup consists of a few different choices, including petrol and electric variants. On test here is the Countryman S All4 in Favoured trim, meaning it has a higher output and all the fruit including all-wheel drive.

To see how the Mini Countryman stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

What is the Mini Countryman like on the inside?

This new generation Countryman is bigger in every direction – longer, taller, and wider – and that means it’s also roomier on the inside. 

It measures about 4.5 metres in length, but it’s still smaller than some of the other vehicles in this segment. That could actually be a good thing, as those larger models can be a bit more cumbersome to live with on a day-to-day basis; harder to park, more work to manoeuvre in tight streets… right? That’s why you buy a Mini instead.

And as you’d expect – because it’s always been Mini’s job to be a little different, a little disruptive – the interior has some hallmarks of the brand, which add cuteness and character inside. 

I reckon the interior of this car absolutely delivers on that. It’s bold, fresh, and I love it for that reason. This particular model has an amazing interior trim finish. There’s actual colour in here, which is refreshing to see – not just black on black!

A lovely textured finish runs across the dashboard and extends onto the doors, with a colour shift through the middle of the door trim as well. The beautifully stitched fake-leather seat trim ties it all together, and honestly, whoever specced this car probably read my mind – to me it looks absolutely gorgeous.

Of course, if this bold style isn’t to your taste, there are more conservative trim options available within the Mini range. But I really love this combo. It’s stylish and thoughtful, especially when it comes to usability.

There are big bottle holders in the doors, a wireless phone charger, a small storage tray, cupholders, and even a little covered bin that’s handy for keeping things out of sight. There’s also extra storage down below. One small quirk, though: the centre console isn’t a storage bin, as it’s just an armrest.

As for the dash design, the standout feature is the circular thing – not the steering wheel, but a 9.4-inch OLED touchscreen media system. It’s definitely interesting. I don’t love every aspect of it, but credit to Mini for sticking to its circular design theme.

In front of the driver there’s a head-up display, but otherwise it’s fairly minimalist. The layout of the controls might take a bit of getting used to. There’s a fan controller button, climate control sliders on the sides, and while it’s not the most intuitive system in the world, I found that after a few days of driving, you start to get the hang of it.

For everyday usability, the car comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is a huge plus. There are multiple menus to explore, built-in sat nav (depending on the spec), and the display itself is very responsive.

You can slide up for shortcuts or slide down to adjust key settings, but there’s a lot to go through on that screen, so I’d recommend getting a proper walkthrough at the dealership if you’re considering this car. It’ll make a big difference.

The gear shifter is located under the screen with a park button nearby, and instead of a push-button starter there’s a twist starter. It even gives a little rev when you start it up, which adds to the character.

Another quirky and fun feature is something Mini calls ‘Experiences’. You can change the theme of the screen – for example, switching it to ‘Timeless’ brings up a more conventional display.

There are several themes to choose from: Timeless, Personal, Balance, Trail, Green, Core, and Go-Kart – each with its own visual and musical flair. It’s playful and exactly the kind of detail Mini is known for. It adds that wow factor to the front-seat experience.

Now, jumping into the back seat – if someone asked me to describe my size, “mini” wouldn’t be the first word I’d use – I’m 182cm (6’0”), and with the seat set to my driving position, I still had a little knee room, good foot room, and plenty of headroom. That’s one thing the Countryman has always offered thanks to its boxy design, and this generation continues the trend.

Fitting three adults across the rear bench would be a bit tight since the cabin isn’t particularly wide, and there’s noticeable centre transmission tunnel intrusion.

Rear passengers get directional air vents and two USB-C ports to keep devices charged. There are map pockets, bottle holders in the doors, and a fold-down armrest with cupholders, too. 

Improving the practicality are back seats that can slide forward if you want to expand boot space or passenger room. It’s a split 60/40, and you can also adjust the recline or incline of the seat backs, and even fold down a ski port if needed. The outer seats have adjustable recline levels too. Be mindful of the middle seatbelt though: it comes down from the roof behind the seats and isn’t the neatest solution when in use.

There are ISOFIX child seat anchors in the window seats, and three top-tether points too, meaning you can make it work as a small family SUV. 

And the boot space is great, too. The S has an electric tailgate and there’s actually quite a bit of space – Mini quotes a boot capacity figure of 505 litres, which expands to 1530 litres with the second row of seats folded.

There are shopping bag hooks, storage sections on the sides of the boot area, and even more storage space under the boot floor.

One downside, though: there’s no spare wheel. That might be a deal-breaker for some.

To see how the Mini Countryman stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

For a bit of context, here are the details of all the petrol-powered Mini Countryman variants, in terms of the engine, performance, acceleration and fuel use.

The Countryman S, then, clearly occupies an impressive middle-ground position in terms of power and on-paper efficiency, and the addition of an extra cylinder and AWD might make the step up from a C model a fair bit easier for some.

On test, though, I saw a notably higher consumption number across a mix of urban, stop-start, open road and freeway testing – 10.1L/100km. Not terrific. And it needs premium fuel, too!

To see how the Mini Countryman stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

How does the Mini Countryman drive?

What you’re looking for in the Mini Countryman will ultimately determine which version is right for you.

If you want something lively, joyful, and more affordable, then the base model with the smaller engine and less power and torque might be the best fit, especially if you live in the city and don’t need all-wheel drive.

However, if you’re after something with a bit more zest – and I mean bite-into-an-orange-skin levels of zest – then the Countryman S could be the one to go for. It offers significantly more power and torque, plus all-wheel drive which really helps get that extra power to the ground in slippery conditions or on unsealed roads.

This is a very sharp-handling little car. It grips beautifully, delivers strong performance, and even has a decent engine note – especially in Go Kart mode.

But as fun as it is, there are some considerations you should keep in mind.

The ride comfort is one. I test every car I review on a particularly bumpy street near me, and yes – this is a Mini, so you can expect a firmer ride. It has 19-inch wheels with Continental EcoContact (245/45/R19) rubber, for reference.

And while I wouldn’t head to the Simpson Desert in this car, it does have 202mm of ground clearance, meaning the occasional kerb jump or camping track should be easily accounted for.

You do feel more of the road surface coming into the cabin, rather than being fully isolated from it. However, this firmness results in excellent body control and handling, meaning you do get a more enthusiastic experience than in other similarly sized and priced small SUVs. But it might be too hard-riding for some.

Plus, there is a significant amount of road noise intrusion on rougher surfaces. So if you’re thinking about this car and you know you have some coarse-chip roads you’ll regularly be driving on, go hunt them out on the test drive.

The steering is direct and quick, but it’s also a little twitchy on centre, no matter what mode you’re in. Admittedly, it is very playful and nicely responsive when you’re hustling. But you might find the steering action a bit disconcerting when you’re trying to park or just do the commute.

As for the powertrain, the dual-clutch automatic transmission is reasonably manageable. There is hesitation at lower speeds, especially in stop-start traffic or when you’re trying to reverse into a parking spot, but you get used to it. 

One thing that might take longer to adjust to is the brake pedal feel, which has an airiness at the top of the pedal, so you need to press it more before the brakes really start to bite.

Overall, this small SUV is genuinely enjoyable to drive. If you want something that’s fun to steer and more charming than a conventional SUV, it could be the perfect choice. But you have to bend on some of those other considerations like quietness and comfort.

To see how the Mini Countryman stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

What do you get?

Each trim grade in the Countryman range allows for plentiful customisation, as is the Mini way.

ABOVE: Countryman S All4 Favoured

2025 Mini Countryman Core equipment highlights:

Driving Dynamics and Technology

• AC Charging Professional, 22kW
• Mode 3 and Mode 2 charging cables
• Electromechanical parking brake with Auto Hold

Exterior

• 4 x exterior paint options
• 3 x roof and mirror options
• 18-inch alloy wheels
  • Asteroid Spoke Silver

Upholstery

• Grey/Blue Cloth/Vescin
• Black/Blue Cloth/Vescin

Infotainment

• Mini Connected Services
• DAB+ digital radio
• Head-up display
• Personal e-SIM with 5G
• 9.4-inch OLED central display
• Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
• Wireless phone charger

Comfort and Experience

• Adjustable, folding rear seats
• Dual-zone climate control incl. rear vents
• Auto tailgate with kick function
• Comfort access with Digital Key
• Luggage compartment net
• Mini Experience Modes
• Extended ambient lighting
• Steering wheel heating
• 4 x USB-C ports
• 2 x 12V ports
• Auto-dimming, folding exterior mirrors
• LED headlights
• LED daytime running lights
• Roof rails in Black
• Floor mats in Velour
• Sliding front armrest

Core Extras

• Cruise control
• Parking Assistant
  • Front, rear parking sensors
  • Rear camera
• 6 speaker, 100W sound system
• Sport seats
• Sport steering wheel
• Classic Trim Design Elements, Piano Black
• Classic Trim Interior Styling, Dark Blue/Black

Countryman Classic adds:

Exterior

• 7 x exterior paint options
• 3 x roof and mirror options

Classic Extras

• Adaptive cruise control
• Parking Assistant with Surround View
• Automatic Speed Limit Assistant
• Steering and Lane Control Assistant
• Interior camera
• Augmented Reality (AR) navigation
• Seat heating, front
• Panoramic glass sunroof

Countryman Favoured adds:

Exterior

• 9 x exterior paint options
• 3 x roof and mirror options (Countryman E)
• 4 x roof and mirror options (Countryman SE)
• 19-inch alloy wheels (Countryman E)
  • Kaleido Spoke, Vibrant Silver/Black
• 20-inch alloy wheels (Countryman SE, $NCO)
  • Windmill Spoke, Vibrant Silver/Black

Upholstery

• Beige Vescin
• Dark Petrol Vescin
• Vintage Brown Vescin

Favoured Extras

• Harman/Kardon premium sound system
  • 12 speakers
  • 365 Watts
• Panoramic glass sunroof
• John Cooper Works seats
• Active Seat Functions, driver
• Electric front seats with memory
• Sun protection glazing
• Headliner anthracite

JCW Sport adds:

Exterior

• 2 x Sport stripes options
• 19-inch alloy wheels
  • Runway Spoke Black
• 20-inch alloy wheels ($NCO)
  • Flag Spoke Silver/Black

Upholstery

• JCW Black Vescin/Cord

JCW Sport Extras:

• John Cooper Works steering wheel
• John Cooper Works exterior styling
• John Cooper Works interior styling, Black/Red
• John Cooper Works sport brakes

To see how the Mini Countryman stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

Is the Mini Countryman safe?

The Mini Countryman achieved the maximum five-star ANCAP score in 2024, with strong results across all of the scoring categories.

Countryman E standard safety features:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Exit warning
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Intelligent emergency call
• Rear collision prevention
• Front parking sensors
• Reversing camera

Countryman E Classic adds:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Parking assistant
• Surround-view camera
• Automatic speed limiter
• Interior camera
• Drive recorder

The Countryman has seven airbags fitted – dual front, front centre, front side and full-length curtain coverage. 

To see how the Mini Countryman stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

How much does the Mini Countryman cost to run?

Mini Australia backs its models with a five year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. The brand also includes three years of roadside assistance at no extra cost.

Buyers can choose to option a five-year, 80,000km servicing package for $2250 for all current Mini models sold new. The vehicle has a sensor in the car that will advise the driver when it is due for maintenance, as there are no ‘set’ intervals. But you can bank on it being every 12 months or so. 

That $2250 fee is just basic cover. Some additional fees may be applicable for consumables like filters, wipers and other parts.

To see how the Mini Countryman stacks up against the competition, use our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Mini Countryman

There is a lot to like about the Mini Countryman S for the right customer.

It isn’t going to suit everyone – that’s part of the point of it!

But for the money, it makes a decent argument as a punchy, fun and practical small SUV.

CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Mini Countryman. Click here to get a great deal.

Click the images for the full gallery

MORE: Explore the Mini Countryman showroom