Don’t diss it til you drive it, but the electrified MINI Countryman SE ALL4 is emotionally on-point for the brand
The MINI brand is young, fun and dynamic and isn’t defined by specific engines or drivetrains. This means it is eminently suited for alternative powertrains, such as electrification, which seems to be the current flavour of these past few years — no pun intended!
Of course, certain MINI traits have to persist through every iteration, such as each model’s fun-to-drive quality, and it is no exception with its very own chunk soul brother, the Countryman SE ALL4 “SUV”.
Don’t sniff at it, though, because the Countryman achieves a rather slippery 0.26Cd in spite of its shape.
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Marie Kondo’s ‘bin-everything’ philosophy may have been binned by most folks these days, but this doesn’t mean there’s nothing else that can “spark joy” in one’s life.
Any MINI purchase is an emotional one — as opposed to merely empirical — because you’re always led by your heart, not your brain. The brand had to put a lot more effort into its electrified models than merely building a ‘car’ around a tablet screen.
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It has clearly succeeded because the new Countryman SE ALL4 is a great example of the brand adapting its distinctive DNA to electrified models — this big MINI proves to be big in fun as well!
Like all the great automotive archetypes, you’ll buy a MINI because it’s a MINI, nothing more, nothing less. If you’re thinking, “Oh, I could get a…”, then I’m sorry, you should look elsewhere because you’re probably not ready to take that plunge into MINI ownership just yet.
Design and tech elements that could be regarded as kitschy in other brands are perfectly suited to MINI’s fun and funky personality.
This writer has been a big fan of the chunky Countryman since its very first iteration because the brand managed to inject a generous dose of MINI-ness into its practical proportions.
You don’t jump into the Countryman and feel you’re in yet another electric appliance because the visual, physical and even digitalised touch-points endow it with vibes that are on-point for the brand.
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The dashboard is stylishly textured, with tasteful “Vibrant Silver” brushed gold accents throughout the cabin that create a nice contrast in colours with the saddle-coloured seats.
Taking centre stage is a 240mm fully digital OLED touchscreen, albeit executed in MINI’s familiar round form.
All the car’s features are controlled via the screen, including access to the brand’s Spike avatar, but best of all, we like how intuitive and engaging everything is to use.
The cockpit-style drive and transmission controls have been shifted to a panel in the centre fascia, which frees up space in the centre tunnel for storage.
We particularly like the covered storage bin, which comes complete with a strappy pull-tag.
The Countryman SE is a gregarious, grin-inducing companion for the family, with its 2692mm wheelbase offering decent accommodation for all on board. However, in true MINI form, its body is pushed out to all four corners with very little overhang at either end, which makes for a dynamic, squared-off stance.
Remember we talked about the different elements that work together to create a decidedly MINI ambience?
Even something like selecting a drive ‘Experience’ elicits a fanfare from the car, where it applauds and cheers you on as you engage ‘Go-Kart’ mode. It’s also possible to toggle through other different ‘moods’, including Green and Core, which come with their matching ‘skins’.
An electric vehicle never needs prodding to transform from zzz to zing, and the SE’s 313hp and 494Nm easily pass muster.
There’s a zippyness to the SE that lets you “make it so” as it magically manifests to wherever it needs to be, be it a gap in traffic or passing a slow-poke in the fast lane.
Naturally, being a MINI, it’s possible to drive it with sufficient verve, especially once you acclimatise yourself to the instant reactivity of the electric powertrain in response to ‘go’ pedal inputs.
Zap to the corner, lift off for the brake regen to work as you dive into the corner, and then get on the accelerator again with the ALL4 all-wheel drivetrain helping you punch out of the corner, come rain or shine.
It’s got the soundtrack down pat, too, with subtle nuances in the electronica’s tonal range to correspond to the accelerator angle.
This means it’ll go from grumbly and grousing at quarter ‘throttle’ to full-on, full-choral rage mode when you’re flat-out. Sound sets the mood for driving as much as the sensation of speed, so you’ll have the appropriate accompaniment to your hard-driving shenanigans.
With its rugged good looks, aesthetic ensemble and cheeky dynamics, the Countryman SE is a grown-up MINI with all the charm of its cherubic, smaller siblings, and that’s something worth ‘zinging’ about.
MINI COUNTRYMAN SE ALL4
Battery 66.5kWh (Gross), 400V
Power 313hp
Maximum torque 494Nm
0-100km/h 5.6secs
Top Speed 180km/h
WLTP range (combined) 433km
Kerbweight est. 2-tonnes
