2025 Mini Countryman Review and Video

Most vehicles are treated as appliances and, like your stove or microwave at home, they don’t need to have personality — they just need to do the job they’re tasked with.

This focus on function over form means finding a vehicle with personality can be difficult, but Mini makes it its mission to pack its vehicles full of cheeky fun. The 2025 Mini Countryman has been totally overhauled, and the result is a stylish crossover that’s way more practical and user-friendly than it used to be, and all without losing its trademark playfulness. 

Styling: 10/10

Mini’s vehicles are always style-forward, and the overhauled third-generation Countryman sharpens the look without losing the cuteness it’s become so well known for. It still looks immediately recognizable as a Mini, but the style has been sharpened and modernized. The contrast roof and mirror caps are still available to help customize the look, the proportions are excellent, and the wheels are pushed out as far as possible, so it looks more athletic than ever. Discovering little details throughout the design is also fun, and the pixelated Union Jack pattern in the tail lights is a highlight.

The focus on fun continues inside, with a minimalistic but high-impact interior design. The knitted textile on the doors and dashboard that’s constructed with recycled polyester makes the cabin feel warm, modern, and inviting. Customizable displays and ambient lighting add even more visual interest, and the colours used inside are unique. This cabin has a refreshing design because it’s so different from anything else.

Power: 9/10

The new Countryman is available with three powertrains, all with standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The Countryman S tested here is powered by a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder with 241 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, both increases over the previous version. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is the only transmission offered. The performance-oriented John Cooper Works (JCW) model gets an increase to 312 hp but the same torque figure. Finally, a new fully electric model is on its way with 341 km of range.

The Countryman S offers tons of passing power, and though there’s a bit of hesitation off the line, it makes up for it with a strong burst of acceleration and otherwise snappy gear changes to ensure there’s always enough power on tap. It even sounds surprisingly good, with a raspy exhaust note.

Driving Feel: 9/10

What’s most impressive about the Countryman is that it captures Mini’s trademark go-kart vibe despite being so large. While it doesn’t feel like a hot hatch, the Countryman is eager to change directions quickly and doesn’t isolate the driver too much from what’s happening on the road, ensuring they feel engaged. 

With its stumpy wheelbase and tight suspension, the Countryman handles well and feels composed in a corner, but the compromise is that it rides a bit more harshly than other little crossovers in this class. It’s not uncomfortable, but the focus is on a sporty drive and not a floaty one.

It feels like you’re driving a car in a video game, and it’s fun to zip around in. The steering has a great weight, and the wheel itself is also smaller than it used to be, so it feels quicker and more responsive.

Practicality: 9/10

Practicality has never been a strength for Mini, but the brand has made huge strides in making the Countryman more usable and easier to live with daily. The cabin has multiple cubbies for small-item storage, including a covered one close to the cup holders, and the door pockets are big enough for a water bottle. Finally, there’s also a dedicated shelf to store and wirelessly charge a phone.

The Countryman is also physically larger than it used to be, which results in what Mini says is a 25 per cent increase in cargo capacity. The trunk is rated at 450 L, which expands to 1,450 L with the seats folded flat. The seats fold in a 40/20/40 pattern, so the middle section can fold independently, allowing space for long items like skis or other sporting equipment while still seating four adults inside.

User-Friendliness: 8/10

Previous Minis were an ergonomic mess, but the Countryman again surprises with a new infotainment setup and user interface that’s a huge improvement. Although it’s not perfect, the setup takes a massive step forward with usability and user-friendliness. 

The Countryman’s interior has a minimalistic dashboard that resembles something you might find in an electric vehicle (EV), so there’s no gauge cluster or binnacle in front of the driver. A standard projection-style head-up display projects relevant information onto a panel in front of the driver, but all other information is centralized in the massive circular screen that’s a highlight of the new interior. Important information like speed and fuel levels are always up top, and the menu for climate controls are always visible on the touchscreen for easier access.

I love Mini’s use of old-school toggle switches, and I wish there were more of them in addition to the ones used for gear selection, ignition, and drive modes. I still prefer physical buttons for often-used features like climate control because this setup still requires a few too many taps to do simple tasks like activate the heated seats and change the fan speed or temperature, but the huge improvements to the user interface cannot be understated.

The system’s graphics look modern, fresh, and fun, the screen is quick to respond, animations make everything more interesting, and it operates a lot like a smartphone. The menu structure poses a bit of a learning curve could benefit from having more shortcuts, but in general, it’s easier to live with every day.

Features: 8/10

The Mini Countryman finally gets wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which are both integrated quite well. Google Maps navigation instructions can be displayed on the head-up display, which reduces flipping between screens on the touchscreen. 

The Countryman also features a new “virtual assistant” with natural voice recognition so you can say something like, “Hey Mini, it’s too hot in here,” and it will turn down the temperature. Instead of responding in an unsettling robot voice, the assistant is an adorable British animated dog that can tell you jokes, adjust the climate controls, change the radio station, and more without being restricted to formulaic voice commands. It has no reason to be a cute dog except to make you smile, and I love Mini for that.

Other standard feature highlights include a panoramic sunroof, heated front seats, folding mirrors, a self-parking system, and more. Package upgrades include features like surround-view parking cameras, an interior camera (I’d rather have integrated dashcam functionality), an upgraded sound system, augmented reality functionality for the built-in navigation, and a heated steering wheel (which at this price should really be standard in Canada). 

Safety: 8/10

The Mini Countryman is packed with all the expected safety gear and driver assistance features including blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors, lane-keep assist, and more. A new optional offering is a hands-free adaptive cruise control system that works at speeds as fast as 60 km/h to help reduce the strain of stop-and-go traffic. The car monitors the driver’s eyes to ensure they are paying attention to the road ahead so they can intervene quickly if needed, while real-time visualizations on the main screen animate what’s happening so a driver can feel more confident that the system is aware of its surroundings. The system works smoothly and operates in a straightforward, natural way.

The thick A-pillar and chunky side mirror combine to create a huge blindspot that hides pedestrians in crosswalks, so drivers must be extra mindful when driving around the city. 

Comfort: 8/10

The roomier cabin is immediately apparent, and it feels much more airy than it used to, with lots of headroom and decent legroom for rear-seat passengers even with taller people up front, a big standard sunroof to let in lots of light, and enough USB ports to keep everyone charged up. The ride is a bit stiff to allow for better handling, but combined with the optional 20-inch wheels, most cracks and bumps in the road will make their way into the cabin. 

Fuel Economy: 7/10

The 2025 Mini Countryman is officially rated to burn 9.8 L/100 km in the city, 7.3 on the highway, and 8.7 combined. Over about 380 km of mixed testing, the indicated average showed 9.5 L/100 km. I expected better efficiency due to a lot of highway driving, but it’s such a fun car to drive, which makes it more challenging to conserve fuel. This Mini also requires 91-octane fuel.

Value: 8/10

The 2025 Mini Countryman starts at $45,990 plus the $2,586 destination fee. The tested model adds $7,900 in options, bringing the as-tested price to $56,756. The base Countryman has a similar starting price to that of the BMW X1, with which it shares a platform. While that might seem like a lot of money to spend on a Mini, it has positioned itself as a quasi-luxury brand, and the build quality, BMW connection, design, and attention to detail make it feel worth it.

The Verdict

The 2025 Mini Countryman is drastically different from the one that came before it and is drastically better because of it. Previously, the big Mini had style and driving dynamics but not much else. This overhauled crossover now boasts practicality and improved user-friendliness, making it a well-rounded vehicle that gets bonus points for its focus on fun and silliness. If you’re a bit of an oddball who wants their car to make a style statement, no brand leans into quirkiness better than Mini does.