What kind of vehicle is the 2021 Mini Countryman? What does it compare to?
The 2021 Mini Countryman small crossover SUV is the largest Mini offering for the U.S. It competes with its parent company’s BMW X1 and X2, as well as the Audi Q3 and Volvo XC40.
Is the 2021 Mini Countryman a good SUV?
Review continues below
If different is good—and it is—then the Mini Countryman is a good small crossover SUV. Its style, spaciousness, available powertrain offerings, and premium vibe offset its odd feature packaging and lack of driver assist features. It earns a TCC Rating of 6.2 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2021 Mini Countryman?
Refreshed for 2021, the largest Mini comes with a new grille, front and rear bumpers, standard LED headlights, fog lights, and Union Jack LED taillights, as well as new wheel and color options. Inside, an 8.8-inch touchscreen comes standard on all but the base Classic trim.
A new honeycomb grille oversees a larger lower fascia that integrates LED fog lights. LED lighting abounds almost as much as circular design elements outside and in, where a circular center stack oversees toggles instead of traditional switchgear.
Three trims, Classic, Signature, and Iconic stagger the feature set available across four models based on powertrains. The base Countryman uses a 1.5-liter turbo-3 that can’t carry the weight, while the Countryman S uses a 189-hp turbo-4 that’s just right. The John Cooper Works model ups the turbo-4 to 301 hp, and adds adaptive dampers and other performance bits. The Countryman SE plug-in hybrid soldiers on with only an 18-mile electric range but a decent 73 MPGe. The other turbo engines return 29 mpg combined at best.
Seating five but only roomy enough for four, the Mini Countryman is taller and larger than the Mini Cooper, with better head and leg room, as well as at least 7.0 cubic feet more cargo volume. The front seats provide good thigh and back support.
Mini equips the Countryman with niceties such as synthetic leather seats, panoramic sunroof, and an excellent warranty, but Apple CarPlay does not come standard and Android Auto isn’t available. The safety features are similarly mismatched; low-speed automatic emergency comes standard, but adaptive cruise control is an option even on the most expensive model that tips $50,000.
How much does the 2021 Mini Countryman cost?
The base 2021 Countryman in Classic trim with the turbo-3 starts just under $30,000, while the John Cooper Works in top Iconic trim takes you to the other end of the Mini spectrum in price and performance to just under $50,000.
Where is the 2021 Mini Countryman made?
In the Netherlands.