2025 Mini Countryman SE ALL4 First Drive: The Biggest, Heaviest Mini in History
The brand’s first all-wheel-drive, electric SUV isn't very mini.
It takes a second look to confirm the new Mini Countryman SE ALL4 is indeed electric powered. Inside and out, the SE appears all but identical to the Countryman S ALL4, the entry-level model in the all-new Countryman lineup which has a 241 hp, 295 lb-ft internal combustion four-cylinder engine under its hood.
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But that doesn't mean the SE ALL4 is chock full of compromises, like the current generation Mini Cooper SE , an EV that's derived from an internal combustion engine vehicle. On the contrary, the Countryman SE ALL4 feels like an EV honed for life in the modern urban jungle. That's due in large part to the fact its BMW-developed platform—shared with the recently launched BMW X1 and new X2 SUVs—has been designed from the outset to accommodate both ICE and EV powertrains.
The dual-motor, all-wheel drive Countryman S ALL4 packs a 313-hp, 364-lb-ft punch that gets it, in a smooth and silent surge of acceleration, to 60 mph in less than 5.6 seconds, according to Mini. Under the floor is a battery pack with usable energy storage of 66.45 kWh that should give it an EPA-rated range of about 220 miles and whose 130 kW peak charge rate means it can be taken from a 10 percent state of charge to 80 percent in 30 minutes on a fast charger.
That power and performance means the Countryman SE ALL4 will easily run with the pack on urban freeways. And while its estimated range isn't a match for that of a Tesla Model Y , the Countryman SE ALL4 will nevertheless take you at least 100 miles further than any Mini EV yet launched. Is that far enough? That depends. Obviously, if you're looking for something that will cope with regular long-distance runs on the Interstate, the Mini Countryman SE ALL4 isn't for you. But if you want something that looks cool and can haul you and your stuff around the 'burbs in sunshine and in snow this Mini EV is worth a closer look.
Whether powered by an internal combustion engine or e-motors, the newest Countryman is significantly bigger all around than the outgoing model: 4.7 inches longer, 0.9 inch wider, and 3.9 inches taller, with a wheelbase that's grown 0.9 inch. Inside there's 1.2 inches more shoulder room for the driver and front seat passenger, and rear seat shoulder room has been increased by an inch. The rear seat can be slid back and forth by 5.1 inches to increase rear seat legroom or luggage capacity.
The new Countryman is the biggest car ever to carry the iconic Mini badge; big enough, in fact, to be officially categorized as an SUV in the U.S. The Countryman SE ALL4 also is the heaviest Mini in history, the battery pack pushing the overall mass to a claimed 4,409 pounds, three-and-a-half times the weight of the original 1959 Mini .
This is also the first Mini to offer Level 2 driver assistance technology, the first Mini to be built in Germany (at BMW's Leipzig plant), and the first car in the world whose instrumentation and infotainment display is a circular OLED touchscreen. The Countryman SE ALL4 boasts a couple of other firsts, too. Not only is it the first electric powered four-door, five-passenger SUV from Mini, but also the first Mini EV with all-wheel drive. And that makes it fun to drive.
With as much power as the sportier John Cooper Works Countryman and a total of 23 percent more instant-on torque from the e-motors at the front and rear axles, the Countryman SE ALL4 more effortlessly scoots away from a standing start and punches harder out of tight turns than its internal combustion engine siblings. It's a scant two-tenths of a second slower to 60 mph than the JCW, and while its 112 mph top speed is well down on the 155 mph claimed for its performance-oriented sibling, unless you're on an autobahn no one will know or care.
Through the twisties the SE ALL4 doesn't quite have the initial turn-in response or mid-corner tenacity of the JCW, mainly because its Pirelli PZero tires are optimized for lower rolling resistance than outright grip. But it feels better balanced—the EV powertrain delivers a 50-50 front to rear weight distribution compared with the 57-43 of the internal combustion engine models—and disguises its weight well on the change of direction as the battery is mounted low in the chassis.
As with the other Countryman models, the SE ALL4 offers eight different "experience" modes, three of which, in addition to creating different moods on the round OLED screen like the others, also change the powertrain, steering, and damping characteristics from the default drive mode to modes that promote more efficiency or deliver a sportier feel.
In the default drive mode, the Countryman SE ALL displays mild lift-off regenerative braking which can be increased to allow one pedal driving by a further downward flick on the shifter toggle under the OLED screen. Both levels of regen are higher in the sport mode. As is standard practice on many EVs, the brake-by-wire system initially uses regen to slow the car when you hit the pedal and actuates the mechanical braking system only when you need more retardation. The transition between regen and mechanical braking is smooth, and the pedal feel consistent throughout.
While the John Cooper Works Countryman allows you to indulge your inner hoon with fake pops and crackles from the exhaust should you so desire, the Countryman SE ALL4 offers a selection of electronic soundscapes to accompany what you're doing with your right foot. The good news is you can turn them off, and instead enjoy the impressive quietness in the cabin. While you're turning the noises off, you'll probably also want to turn off the annoying speed limit warning chime and lane keep assist function—fortunately, all three touch buttons are adjacent to each other on the relevant menu screen.
Final specifications for U.S.-market versions of the Countryman SE ALL4 have yet to be decided. The cars we drove in Portugal were well equipped, rolling on dramatic 20-inch wheels and featuring the elegant blue and brown interior with the top-end Harmon-Kardon audio system, and the new Vibrant Silver contrasting roof and exterior mirror treatment. The exterior detailing is less fussy than that of the John Cooper Works, particularly around the front end, and those big wheels convincingly anchor the artfully surfaced sheet metal. It looks modern and technical, this Mini EV, with a much more commanding road presence than Tesla's rotund Model Y.
The view from the driver's seat is excellent, the sharply defined front fenders making SE ALL4 easy to place on the road. The woven finish on the dash and doors, made from recycled polythene, not only looks upscale but also allows an haute couture mix and match of colors. The innovative physical textures and graphics—the steering wheel features a third 'spoke' that's a woven strip of material, for example—is complemented by the beautifully rendered graphics on that high-definition OLED screen, its size and circular format of course a nod to the big centrally-mounted speedo that was a feature of the 1959 Mini.
At one level, the Countryman SE ALL4, which goes on sale in the U.S. this fall, priced from $46,195, is the Mini gone mainstream, a Mini that's the size of a regular compact SUV, with an all-wheel drive EV powertrain that essentially breaks no new ground in terms of its design and execution. But its high-style exterior and interior presentation, its visual sense of fun, sets it apart from the mainstream. It may no longer be mini-sized, but it's still a Mini by nature.
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t fascinated by cars. My father was a mechanic, and some of my earliest memories are of handing him wrenches as he worked to turn a succession of down-at-heel secondhand cars into reliable family transportation. Later, when I was about 12, I’d be allowed to back the Valiant station wagon out onto the street and drive it around to the front of the house to wash it. We had the cleanest Valiant in the world.
I got my driver’s license exactly three months after my 16th birthday in a Series II Land Rover, ex-Australian Army with no synchro on first or second and about a million miles on the clock. “Pass your test in that,” said Dad, “and you’ll be able to drive anything.” He was right. Nearly four decades later I’ve driven everything from a Bugatti Veyron to a Volvo 18-wheeler, on roads and tracks all over the world. Very few people get the opportunity to parlay their passion into a career. I’m one of those fortunate few.
I started editing my local car club magazine, partly because no-one else would do it, and partly because I’d sold my rally car to get the deposit for my first house, and wanted to stay involved in the sport. Then one day someone handed me a free local sports paper and said they might want car stuff in it. I rang the editor and to my surprise she said yes. There was no pay, but I did get press passes, which meant I got into the races for free. And meet real automotive journalists in the pressroom. And watch and learn.
It’s been a helluva ride ever since. I’ve written about everything from Formula 1 to Sprint Car racing; from new cars and trucks to wild street machines and multi-million dollar classics; from global industry trends to secondhand car dealers. I’ve done automotive TV shows and radio shows, and helped create automotive websites, iMags and mobile apps. I’ve been the editor-in-chief of leading automotive media brands in Australia, Great Britain, and the United States. And I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. The longer I’m in this business the more astonished I am these fiendishly complicated devices we call automobiles get made at all, and how accomplished they have become at doing what they’re designed to do. I believe all new cars should be great, and I’m disappointed when they’re not. Over the years I’ve come to realize cars are the result of a complex interaction of people, politics and process, which is why they’re all different. And why they continue to fascinate me.Read More
