MINI Countryman SE 2024 Review

For now, just one petrol option is offered for the 2024 MINI Countryman family and the JCW performance hero. Three levels of specification will be joined by less performance-focused versions also in a number of spec choices that come in under the $67,990 plus on-road costs starting price.

But it’s the electric range that’s really interesting.

Priced from $64,990 plus ORCs, the 2024 MINI Countryman E offers a decent 64kWh battery sending power to a single motor on the front axle and offering about 462km of range on a single charge.

However, the Countryman SE gains an extra motor and with it the All4 boot badge denoting four-wheel drive. Pricing starts from $72,990, rising to $77,990 plus ORCs for the JCW Sport (don’t get too excited – the first full-fat JCW MINIs are still on their way).

We saddled up the mid-range Favoured, which has a huge amount of kit and style for $75,990 plus ORCs.

Perhaps most importantly, the MINI Countryman’s price – even in range-topping SE JCW Sport – sneaks in under the luxury car tax threshold for fuel-efficient cars, so your cash will go further.

The 2024 MINI Countryman is generally very well equipped, but as this one has the flagship SE powertrain it gets even more.

The range-topping SE JCW Sport gets a few sporty additions which, aside from the sports brakes, are largely aesthetic for an extra $2000.

Therefore, the SE Favoured mid-range SE is probably the version that represents best value for money.

All versions get the unique 9.4-inch round touch-screen, fully digital driver’s instrument cluster, heated front seats, panoramic glass roof, wireless device charging and wireless smartphone mirroring.

On top of that, the Favoured gains an upgrade from six speakers to 12 and a Harman Kardon stereo system, more supportive JCW sports seats with electric adjustment in the front row, heated steering wheel and UV filtering glass.

It also has more premium interior materials and styling including our favourite knitted dash and door trim textile, which fades from Dark Petrol blue into a classy Vintage Brown.

With so much gear loaded in as standard there’s not a lot left to pick from the options brochure, but customers can play with exterior design and a choice of two wheel designs in either 19- or 20-inch diameter (18-inch is standard), a range of paint colours along with matching or contrasting roof and mirror cap tones.

There’s also a couple of interior design themes to choose from at no extra cost.

As with all MINI cars, the new Countryman is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty while S and SE versions get an eight-year/160,000km guarantee for the 64kWh battery.

Servicing an all-electric MINI is relatively affordable given the lack of combustion engine needing attention. A four-year capped-price package will cost $1202, while a six-year deal is $1753.

Also like BMW models, the MINI uses condition-based servicing intervals, meaning it will calculate when a visit to a dealership is required depending on how the vehicle has been used and driven.

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has not yet put the 2024 MINI Countryman under its safety microscope, nor has Euro NCAP.

However, the BMW iX1, which shares a majority of the MINI’s mechanicals, platform and technology, scored the maximum five-star rating in 2022 with a respectable 86 and 88 per cent score in adult and child occupant protection respectively.

The iX1 also scored a very impressive 94 per cent for driver assistance systems.

The excellent score was partly due to the high level of standard safety kit including a sophisticated type of autonomous emergency braking (AEB) as well as adaptive cruise control and a very unusual augmented reality feature that presents the driver with animated direction markers over the image of the road via that lovely central screen. It works very well in practice.

That said, only the JCW petrol Countryman gets the full suite of safety systems including MINI’s Driving and Parking Assistant Plus, with all others requiring an extra-cost option to add the adaptive cruise control that works down to stop-and-start traffic, a 360-degree camera with 3D view, and lane keeping assistance.

This could potentially affect an ANCAP result if assessed.

Standard are curtain airbags for both rows of seating and a central airbag between the two front occupants, blind spot and lane change warnings, rear cross traffic warning and braking, rear collision prevention and a clever exit warning which flashes LED lighting in the door and dash to alert the occupant if another road user is approaching as the door is opened.

The Countryman also has a camera-based attentiveness/fatigue monitoring system, tyre pressure monitoring, dusk-sensing headlights with high beam assistance and rain-sensing wipers.

At the centre of the technology suite in the 2024 MINI Countryman is its new circular information and entertainment touch-screen.

Measuring 9.4 inches, it’s not the largest in the automotive world, but its shape is certainly unique and it stands proudly floating forward of the dashboard as a nod to the original MINI and a very cool centrepiece.

There’s no digital instrument display or any kind of conventional cluster for that matter, instead opting for a head-up display (HUD) for vital information, supplemented by the central screen.

Due to the MINI’s immediately recognisable steep windscreen rake, the HUD projects information in line with the bonnet so it’s not a true head-up display but it’s still better than glancing down at gauges.

With the arrival of the 2024 Countryman comes the latest version 9.0 of the MINI operating system, and it’s a slick and sharp set of apps and features. Choices of up to seven ‘Experiences’ switch up the style of graphics and some driving characteristics depending on the mode.

We love the charismatic sounds or ‘earcons’, as MINI has dubbed them, which signify the selection of each different Experience. There’s also Spike – a virtual dog that personifies the MINI assistant, allowing conversational voice control functions.

Wireless device charging as well as cordless smartphone mirroring is included as standard, while MINI also offers a number of application-based features such as remote information, Amazon Alexa integration and the concierge service.

Using the application, the Countryman can be locked and unlocked remotely, as well as offer vehicle status information such as battery charging and climate control options.

Finally, MINI is now offering the ‘selfie’ camera that’s offered in some BMW models as well as the MINI Cooper and imminent Aceman, allowing occupants to take a picture of all on board or perhaps snap an image of someone up to no good.

The first fully-electric MINI Countryman has two powertrain options – the 2024 MINI Countryman E with a single electric motor and front-wheel drive, or the SE which gets a motor on each axle for All4 all-wheel drive and some impressive performance.

All versions store power in a 64kWh lithium-ion battery, which in the case of the SE is capable of powering the all-wheel drive system with up to 230kW and 494Nm – that’s about the same as a high-performance turbo four-cylinder petrol such as the Honda Civic Type R or the four-cylinder Ford Mustang EcoBoost.

As another comparison closer to home, the Countryman JCW’s turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder produces 233kW and 400Nm.

The Countryman SE’s drivetrain is shared with BMW’s fraternal SUV twins – the iX1 and iX2 xDrive models offering similar performance and efficiency but wrapped up in a very different package.

Officially, MINI claims the 150kW two-wheel drive 2024 MINI Countryman E has a maximum range of 462km (WLTP), while the marginally more electron-thirsty SE can still travel a respectable 432km.

During our time with the Countryman, it indicated it was more than capable of completing the claimed range in a single charge although dreadful weather conditions called for a more sedate (and therefore efficient) driving style.

MINI claims an official WLTP drivetrain efficiency figure of 16.8-18.5kWh/100km for the SE.

Our test MINI reported consumption of less than 17.0kW/100km with just the driver on board, no luggage and a combination of traffic and country driving up to 80km/h, which is commendable.

Charging speeds are about average for the Countryman, taking a claimed 29 minutes for an 80 per cent top-up at the maximum 130kW rate, while an 11kW plug at home will take about 6.5 hours for a full charge.

Our initial impressions of the 2024 MINI Countryman at its international launch in Portugal in February were positive, and we’re happy to report the combination of good performance, a balance of dynamic and comfort suspension tuning, along with competitive practicality, remains when on local roads.

With a decidedly soggy and cold Melbourne day we were glad of the Countryman’s All4 four-wheel drive system which couldn’t be flustered despite a few stabs of the throttle to test acceleration.

The initial sensation of a full-throttle blast is not scintillating but the consistency of acceleration as the speed climbs is the really memorable characteristic.

There’s also plenty of MINI’s trademark charisma and a steering system that is precise and confidence-inspiring with enough weight to be fun but not so much that it becomes tiresome. Front-end turn-in is fast and responsive and encourages the driver to have fun at the wheel.

Impressive traction and cornering grip is also a welcome personality trait given Victoria’s climate and it’s easy to understand what’s going on at the road surface thanks to a torque distribution system calibrated for communication rather than outright pace at the cost of all else.

Weighing in at about two tonnes, the Countryman SE has a little of the common EV bump and thump in its ride, but the chassis is nicely tuned to deliver a balance of ride comfort. Primary ride is excellent while the secondary ride was particularly good at dealing with Melbourne’s potholes, which seem to be increasing by the second.

Scrolling through the various drive modes is great fun, and while the novelty may fade in time, we enjoyed sampling the different synthetic sounds during our time with the MINI, piped into the cabin via the excellent 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

There are faster EVs on the market, but few manage to strike such a good balance of fun and comfort as the Countryman SE while critically rolling in a good dose of practicality, too.

With an all-wheel drive system and a 171mm ground clearance, the 2024 MINI Countryman is the most capable model in the MINI family for now when it comes to off-road driving.

However, with tyres more focused on performance and asphalt grip, don’t be fooled by the ‘Country’ in its name.

While the model probably has some decent all-terrain ability and comes with a Trail experience driving mode, the lack of a full-size spare tyre and limited charging options out in the bush suggest one might want to stick to unsealed trails not too far from civilisation.

That said, we’d love to test the go-anywhere ability given more time with the car. And it looks like MINI is developing a genuine off-road version, too.

What goes on inside the 2024 MINI Countryman SE is as interesting and impressive as its exterior and driving dynamics.

With exterior dimensions growing in all directions compared with the version that launched in 2017, combined with the advantages of an electric drivetrain and some clever design, the new-generation version has lots of space for a small SUV.

The front row is particularly spacious with heaps of headroom and a lightness to the cabin boosted by pleasant pale colours and a standard panoramic roof.

Chunky and near-vertical front pillars can be a little obstructive, especially when negotiating tight suburban roundabouts, but visibility is otherwise good.

Second-row passengers will also be happy with similarly generous and relaxing spaces offered behind the front row.

Door pockets are decent for all and able to accommodate a bottle all-round, while the rear passengers are also treated to a pair of USB-C sockets and a clear view out.

We love the unique touches applied to practical features such as the little fabric strap for opening the central storage bin and the generous centre console storage space with a shelf for wireless device charging.

The biggest boot available in any Countryman for now is at the back of the petrol-powered versions where you’ll find a 505-litre cargo area – big for the small segment. A little space is robbed by battery and rear motor packaging, but the SE still manages to offer 460 litres of space, which expands to 1450L with the 60/40-split rear seats folded.

Despite being the smallest in the range, it’s still more than a 50-litre improvement over the previous generation.

But the best part about the Countryman’s proportions and size once again comes down to balance. It’s grown enough to bring practical advantages, but it hasn’t become cumbersome or too big for its Pirelli boots.

Gradual growth is just part of normal model evolution with each new generation for almost all manufacturers, gaining centimetres in all directions, but the constant upsizing often balloons vehicles out of the sweet spot or segment that established them popularity in the first place.

However, MINI’s Countryman has not only grown into a really compellingly sized SUV, the simultaneous arrival of full-electric drivetrains has combined for a double punch.

And its ‘Charismatic Simplicity’ design is a third right hook out of nowhere.

In range-topping SE variety, the new 2024 MINI Countryman is both fun and comfortable, but also packs in people and things easily while returning efficient use of power as part of the bargain.

It’s not yet a competitor to full footloose adventure machines in terms of space or all-terrain ability, but it has never suited fun-loving families and adventurous couples better.

Add to that a huge range of variants and levels of specification if the SE Favoured isn’t quite right, along with that head-spinning styling, and the MINI Countryman has introduced a new EV option that’s impossible to ignore.

2024 MINI Countryman SE All4 Favoured at a glance:
Price: $75,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Two asynchronous electric motors
Output: 230kW/494Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 64kWh lithium-ion
Range: 432km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 16.8-18.5kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Not tested