2024 MINI Countryman

Subcompact SUVs are maybe not the most inspiring of vehicles. If a teenager had a poster of one on their bedroom wall, they might need to get out more. The one exception could be this, the Mini Countryman.

There’s a personality to the Countryman, an attitude that’s pure Mini and missing from every rival. This might work for someone who has had Mini cars in the past and now needs to get something bigger, but they don’t want to lose that particular spark and charm. Or the Countryman could perhaps be a good choice for buyers just looking for something more interesting than the usual fare.

Classic is the only trim offered with the Cooper Countryman and Cooper Countryman ALL4 models. The Cooper SE PHEV (plug-in hybrid) is available in Signature 2.0 or Iconic 2.0 trims. The latter receives a powered tailgate, parking assistance, and adaptive cruise control.

Another subcompact SUV with a bit of charm is the Ford Bronco Sport, from about $30K. There’s also the Jeep Renegade, starting in the low $30K range. The Mazda CX-30 is stylish with plenty of driver appeal and kicks off in the low $20K range. At the more luxurious end, there’s the BMW X1 (from about $40K), the new-for-2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale plug-in hybrid (from $43K), and the Cadillac XT4 (priced from around $38K).

Before buying a new Countryman SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Resale values are quite robust.

Part of the Mini driving appeal is the agility, the quick responses to driver inputs. That’s especially true of something like the smaller and lower Hardtop 2 Door model.

When a Mini is larger and heavier and rides higher — like the 2024 Countryman SUV — then that special Mini sharpness becomes blunted somewhat. Even so, the Countryman is still more of a hoot to drive than most subcompact SUVs. It takes something like a BMW X1 or a Mazda CX-30 to compete.

Naturally, the bigger the engine, the bigger the thrills. The base 3-cylinder unit in the Cooper, albeit turbocharged, is no more than adequate. At the other end of this performance spectrum, the John Cooper Works model is undoubtedly entertaining, but its bespoke sport suspension might be too firm for some tastes.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and researching the current collection of subcompact SUVs, including this Mini Countryman.

Lots of the usual Mini touches are inside the 2024 Countryman SUV. Like the large circular display in the middle of the dashboard, and the row of switches that look like they came from an airplane. It’s just that these things aren’t all crammed together in a small cabin.

Well, not too small. The Countryman is still a subcompact SUV, after all. But it’s the biggest Mini, if that’s not a contradiction in terms. So there’s room for four adults of average size, or five in a pinch.

The rear seats split and fold in the usual 60/40 fashion, as well as slide forward and back. Maximum rear legroom is a reasonable 37.6 inches. Cargo space expands from 15.9 cubic feet behind those back seats to 47.6 cubic feet when they’re folded.

Lots of the usual Mini touches can also be found on the outside of the 2024 Countryman SUV. Such as the shapes of the grille and the headlights, the British flag (Union Jack) design in the taillights, the optional stripes on the hood, and the similarly optional contrasting-colored roof. These are all mixed in with a kind-of-SUV design that includes a raised ride height and standard roof rails.

Higher trims have access to more paint colors, so buyers hoping to personalize their new Countryman to a greater degree should make sure they have the budget for it.

Second-row seating
Sure, it’s not what you’d call limo-like, but the Mini Countryman does have the distinction of offering usable passenger space in the back seats.

Cooper S
For buyers seeking more muscle than the base Cooper can supply, yet not convinced that the John Cooper Works version is the way to go, the 189-horsepower Cooper S provides respectable muscle at relatively accessible pricing.

Plug-in Hybrid
This variant has even more power than a Cooper S, yet better fuel economy as well. The Cooper SE is a plug-in hybrid that can travel for 18 miles on battery power, and has a gasoline engine on board as a backup for longer trips.

In-town talents
Although its name includes the word country, the Mini Countryman SUV is perfect for the city. The slightly raised driving position helps drivers see what’s going on around the vehicle, the driving dynamics are useful in the cut-and-thrust of traffic, the supple suspension is great for poorly-maintained roads, and the subcompact dimensions make parking easy.

Panoramic moonroof
The 2024 Countryman comes with this as standard, helping to make the cabin feel light and airy.

Navigation with real-time traffic updates
A standard feature in the recommended Signature trim. Self-explanatory, really, but definitely useful.

Cooper versions of the 2024 Countryman employ a turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine making 134 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque.

A turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder unit propels the Cooper S models with 189 horsepower and 206 lb-ft of torque. This same configuration is boosted to 301 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque in the John Cooper Works version.

The Cooper SE ALL4 PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) pairs a turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric motor sparked by a lithium-ion battery to develop a total of 221 horsepower and 284 lb-ft of torque.

Front-wheel drive (FWD) and a 7-speed automatic transmission is the standard setup in the Cooper and Cooper S, with all-wheel drive (AWD) coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission available as an option. All-wheel drive is standard in the SE PHEV and JCW versions. The SE has a 6-speed automatic transmission; the JCW deploys the 8-speed unit.

The fastest charging time for the SE PHEV’s battery is about 2.5 hours for a complete replenishment. Electric-only range is 18 miles.

Cooper
1.5-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder engine
134 horsepower @ 4,500 rpm
162 lb-ft of torque @ 1,480 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy (2023): 26/32 mpg (FWD), 23/31 mpg (AWD)

Cooper S
2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine
189 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm
206 lb-ft of torque @ 1,350 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy (2023): 24/33 mpg (FWD), 23/31 mpg (AWD)

Cooper SE ALL4 PHEV
1.5-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder engine/electric motor
221 horsepower (total system output)
284 lb-ft of torque @ 1,300 rpm (total system output)
EPA combined fuel economy (2023): 73 MPGe (electric & gasoline), 29 MPGe (gas)
Electric-only range: 18 miles

John Cooper Works ALL4
2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine
301 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm
331 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy (2023): 24/30 mpg

More Mini Countryman fuel economy information is available on the EPA’s website.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

The new-vehicle and powertrain warranties on a Mini Countryman SUV are for four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. The high-capacity battery in the Cooper SE PHEV is covered for eight years or 80,000 miles.