2025 Mini Countryman Review and Test Drive

The most family-friendly Mini is a fun and stylish alternative to the typical crossover SUV.

Benjamin Hunting | 

Jan 9, 2025 | 6 min read

Benjamin Hunting

Mini sells the new Countryman in S All4 and John Cooper Works trim levels. Base prices range from the high $30,000s to the high $40,000s, including the destination charge to ship the SUV from the Leipzig, Germany, factory that builds it to your local dealership. An electric Countryman is also available.

For this Countryman review, I test-drove the S All4 in the Eastern Townships region of Quebec. It had the Iconic trim package and the Favoured style package (yes, they use the European spelling), bringing the manufacturer's suggested retail price to $43,095, including the $995 destination charge. Mini provided the vehicle for this Countryman review.

Benjamin Hunting

Is the 2025 Mini Countryman a Good SUV?

The Mini Countryman S All4 proves that a practical daily driver need not be boring. More spacious inside than ever, its bigger but still-familiar countenance is well balanced by a sculpted profile that keeps it within the Mini design family without drawing too much notice for its generous proportions. Overall, the still-small Countryman is an intriguing alternative to entry-luxury SUVs such as the Audi Q3 and BMW X1 and larger mainstream models like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.

Benjamin Hunting

A Pleasing Package With a Killer Cabin

In the past, designing a Mini that's decidedly not miniature has led to some interpretations of the automaker's classic styling and proportions I've found awkward.

Fortunately, the new 2025 Countryman avoids that with a streamlined appearance free of unseemly bulges and angles, moving the family-friendly crossover further from the traditional goggle-eyed Mini look.

The all-new Countryman's retro-modern cabin is also welcome, especially in the second row of seats, where adults can easily endure extended trips without risking the circulatory health of their lower legs. The 25 cubic-feet of cargo space is also functional and expands to 56.2 cu-ft with the rear seats folded down. When loading, the low liftover height ensures there's not much bumper to clear.

I am impressed by the use of fabrics on the interior door panels and dashboard. They give the Countryman's cabin a textured look and feel that adds substance while allowing for more complex color schemes. Mini even offers a lighting design that emanates from behind these fabric surfaces. The unique approach makes the entire vehicle feel like it costs more than the window sticker suggests.

Benjamin Hunting

Mini's Circular Infotainment Is Anything but Well Rounded

I wish I could say the same about the Countryman's control set. Mini has moved nearly every function to the circular infotainment display in the middle of the dashboard. There's not even a gauge cluster for the driver. Instead, a cheap-looking piece of translucent plastic powers open as a screen for an imitation head-up display.

For me, that do-everything infotainment setup proved the most frustrating thing about living with the Mini Countryman.

The only physical controls on the dashboard are for the engine, the gear selector, driving modes (called "experiences"), volume control, and a few climate functions. Unfortunately, Mini stuffs everything else into the infotainment display, resulting in a confusing and, at times, balky interface that isn't easy to navigate.

Even when attempting basic things, like setting up a mobile device or accessing the vehicle settings (scattered among several different menus, each with its own icon), I experienced dissatisfaction and disappointment.

Benjamin Hunting

I also experienced numerous software bugs. During my vehicle evaluation, I got locked out of Mini's personal-assistant feature and associated voice controls. I contacted the automaker, and someone showed me how to reset the infotainment system to regain a data connection. The reset procedure was easy enough, and from that point forward, those features worked as expected.

I wish I could say that the reset also fixed the Countryman's inability to launch Android Auto (Apple CarPlay is said to be available, too). No matter what I did, the car would not allow me to project my phone onto its screen, despite having done so a few weeks earlier in a different Mini with this same infotainment system.

Another bit of frustration was the vehicle's "experiences," which group the driving modes with infotainment screen themes and interior lighting. Flipping from one to the other interrupts whatever's happening on the screen or speakers for a few moments as the new layout loads, which seems glitchy.

On the plus side, my test vehicle featured a superb adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assist, and it worked well even during the light rain that is a constant in Quebec during late fall. And here's another feather in the new Countryman's safety cap: a Top Safety Pick nod from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Benjamin Hunting

Great Reflexes, Good Power, Fun for All(4)

Aside from the styling, I think the main reason to choose the Mini Countryman over a similarly priced and larger traditional crossover such as the Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4 is how it feels on the road. The Countryman S All4 is stiffer, more responsive, and drives smaller than it looks in nearly every situation, giving it a level of engagement you won't find from more passive people movers.

That makes sense because it shares its platform with the BMW X1. To leverage that German-engineered goodness, the Countryman S All4 has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 241 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Standard all-wheel drive — the All4 part of the name — helps ensure no wheel spin or steering twitch at full gallop.

Acceleration is swift for the vehicle's size, but I found it odd that an S-branded Mini didn't offer paddle shifters to control its seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Nevertheless, if you can stomach a somewhat bouncy ride over rough pavement, the Countryman S All4, while not quite an athlete, delivers more fun than most small crossover SUVs.

Despite the S All4's performance leanings, its fuel economy is impressive. I averaged 28 mpg in combined driving, which is better than the vehicle's EPA rating of 27 mpg in combined driving.

Benjamin Hunting

From a practical standpoint, I think the 2025 Mini Countryman costs more and arguably delivers less than some larger compact SUVs. What you're paying for with the Mini is a nimble platform, a turbocharged kick, and styling that does its best to expand the Mini charm across bigger bones. In addition, though not quite luxurious, the materials, design, and presentation feel a cut above many mainstream brands.

Benjamin Hunting

Nearly two decades into his career as an automotive journalist, Benjamin has had his hands greasy, his hair blown back, and his heart broken by more than one project car. In addition to his work at Capital One, he has contributed features and reviews to Motor Trend, Car and Driver, Hagerty, Driving Line, Inside Hook, Super Street, European Car, Roadkill Magazine, Motor 1, The Drive, the Toronto Star, the National Post, Business Insider, NAPA, Autoblog, Automotive News Canada, and AutoGuide. He is also cohost of the Unnamed Automotive Podcast and cocreator of the Code 45 and Dead Air graphic novels. In his spare time, he's a friend to vinyl and enjoys keeping the shiny side up during track days.