Used 2020 MINI Countryman

Price: The 2020 Mini Cooper Countryman starts at $29,250.

As the largest Mini, the 2020 Cooper Countryman blends the brilliant driving dynamics of its smaller companions with a roomy and versatile interior. At the same time, it has more ground clearance than other Minis, so it’s totally at home on dirt roads, especially when fitted with ALL4, the Countryman’s optional all-wheel-drive (AWD) system.

With its familiar style and retro interior, the Countryman appeals both to adventurous Mini fans and those with children or larger pets. The John Cooper Works model satisfies your need for speed, while the Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 plug-in hybrid offers an estimated 16 miles of electric range.

In spite of its added size, weight and ground clearance, the Countryman has the agility you’d expect of a car wearing the Mini badge. The steering is quick and responsive, and on a winding mountain road it takes only a few moments behind the wheel of this crossover SUV to fall in love with the 2020 Mini Countryman.

While the standard engine, a turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder with 134 horsepower, is fine for daily commutes, the added oomph provided by the 189-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder in the S model is hard to resist, as there is almost no penalty in fuel economy. And of course, there’s the 301-horsepower John Cooper Works option, but that pushes the price up by $7,500 over the Cooper S.

We think the Cooper S model, though it has a firm ride, is the best version of the Countryman, mixing strong acceleration with good composure, especially when it’s ordered with all-wheel drive.

Mini’s Countryman shares a wheelbase measurement with the Mini Clubman, but it has more rear-seat legroom. The Clubman offers more front-seat legroom, though, and most versions also have more cargo room than the Countryman. Since the Countryman sits higher off the ground, though, it’s easier to get into and out of thanks to a taller seating hip point.

There’s plenty of classic Mini design in this Countryman, from its round gauges and displays to its classic retro toggle switches. The quality of the materials is first-rate, and you can customize this Mini’s appearance with different colors of leather, types of trim, and ambient lighting. A panoramic glass roof is standard, while smartphone charging, a head-up display, a navigation system, and a premium sound system are options.

In the Mini lineup, the Countryman looks the least like the traditional 2-door Hardtop. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t look like a Mini. Envision what the Hardtop might look like when stretched and lifted, and you have a good approximation of the Countryman’s styling.

In the Mini tradition, you can choose from a variety of paint and roof color combinations, and several wheel designs are available. You can further personalize the car with a long list of stripe types, mirror covers, side scuttle designs, and more.

SECOND-ROW SEATING
Unlike the Mini Hardtop, the Countryman offers a comparatively roomy and comfortable rear seat, with decent legroom. The 40/20/40-split seat slides fore and aft, and it can fold, recline and tilt.

JOHN COOPER WORKS ENGINE
The John Cooper Works Countryman gets a big performance boost thanks to a new turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. Power increases by 73 horsepower and 73 lb-ft of torque, to a total of 301 horsepower and 331 lb-ft. Mini says acceleration to 60 mph requires just 5.1 seconds, much faster than the previous JCW Countryman’s 6.6-second time.

When you buy a 2020 Mini Countryman, you must first decide among Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper S E, and John Cooper Works model variants. These define which powertrain the SUV has. Make sure to select ALL4 if you want AWD.

Next, you must decide which trim: Classic, Signature or Iconic. Keep in mind that to access the majority of options, you’ll need the Signature trim at a minimum.

If you choose the least expensive Countryman (Cooper Classic), you will get a turbocharged 3-cylinder engine, a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, front-wheel drive (FWD), and 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. A panoramic sunroof is also standard on every 2020 Countryman, along with LED headlights, LED fog lights and roof rails.

Inside, the Cooper Countryman includes black simulated-leather upholstery and a sliding rear seat. The standard infotainment system has a static 6.5-inch display, Bluetooth, a USB port, Mini Assist eCall, and a rearview camera. Rear-parking-assist sensors are also standard, along with Attentiveness Assist drowsy-driver detection and an Active Driving Assistant with forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking.

Upgrade to the Signature trim, and the Countryman includes larger 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, passive keyless entry, a power liftgate, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, and a touch-sensing 6.5-inch screen for the infotainment system.

The Iconic trim adds 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, power-adjustable front seats wrapped in leather, piano-black interior trim with ambient lighting, and a sport steering wheel. Additionally, the Iconic versions include a larger 8.8-inch touch-screen infotainment display with Apple CarPlay, satellite radio, navigation, natural voice-recognition technology, wireless smartphone charging, and Mini Connected Drive Services. A Harman Kardon premium sound system is also standard with the Iconic trim, along with an auto-dimming interior rearview mirror and power-folding exterior mirrors.

Choose Signature or Iconic trim for the greatest access to optional paint colors, wheel designs, interior trims, and equipment packages. Highlights include a semi-autonomous parking-assist system, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, rear-seat tablet computer holders, a programmable garage-door opener, and more.

While the notion of a 3-cylinder engine powering a Mini crossover SUV sounds like a potential cause for concern, the turbocharged 1.5-liter in the standard Cooper Countryman offers enough torque low in the rev range to help it to stay out of its own way. The Cooper Countryman isn’t quick, but it’s faster than you’d think.

Upgrade to the Cooper S Countryman for a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, which is more appropriate for a vehicle of this size. This is our favorite Countryman engine, given its blend of power and fuel economy.

Both the Cooper and Cooper S include a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission for 2020. Last year’s 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic are dropped. If you choose the ALL4 AWD system, it comes with an 8-speed automatic.

For 2020, the John Cooper Works gets a new turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder making a whole bunch more power than it did last year. Acceleration to 60 mph takes just 5.1 seconds, according to Mini, and this version of the Countryman can reach a claimed 149 mph. It comes only with ALL4 AWD and an 8-speed sport automatic transmission with paddle shifters and an integrated mechanical front-differential lock. Naturally, performance-tuned steering, suspension and braking components are along for the ride.

Mini also sells a plug-in hybrid, called the Cooper S E ALL4. It pairs the Cooper’s turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine with a rear-mounted electric motor for a combined 221 horsepower. The combination creates an electronic version of ALL4 AWD, and a 6-speed automatic transmission distributes power. This year, a more powerful battery pack increases electric-driving range from 12 miles to 16 miles before the vehicle switches to gas-electric hybrid operation.

The Countryman’s default setting is front-wheel drive (FWD) with AWD optional across the board.

1.5-liter turbocharged inline-3 (Cooper Countryman)
134 horsepower @ 4,400 rpm
162 lb-ft of torque @ 1,250 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 26/33 mpg (FWD, automatic), 24/33 mpg (AWD, automatic)

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (Cooper S Countryman)
189 horsepower @ 5,000 rpm
207 lb-ft of torque @ 1,350 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 24/33 mpg (FWD, automatic), 23/32 mpg (AWD, automatic)

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (John Cooper Works Countryman)
301 horsepower @ 5,200 rpm
331 lb-ft of torque @ 1,450 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/30 mpg (AWD, automatic)

1.5-liter turbocharged inline-3/electric motor assist (S E ALL4 Countryman)
221 horsepower (combined)
284 lb-ft of torque @ 1,350 rpm (combined)
Combined EPA city/highway fuel economy: (gasoline) 29 mpg, (gasoline & electric) 73 MPGe