Used 2021 MINI Countryman

The 2021 Mini Cooper Countryman is the biggest model from the British brand known for its small and lively vehicles. Relative to other subcompact crossover SUVs like the Volvo XC40, Audi Q3, and even its own cousin the BMW X1 (Mini is part of the BMW brand), the Countryman is on the small side and remains an outlier.

Still, the Countryman appeals to drivers who love Minis but simply need something larger and more practical. In that respect, the Mini Countryman has seating for five, moderate cargo space and offers all-wheel drive for enhanced traction in foul weather and light off-roading.

As with other Minis, the Countryman is spunky. It is fun to drive – especially if you opt for one of the optional turbocharged 4-cylinder engines instead of the standard 3-cylinder – and even has a plug-in hybrid model for the eco-conscious. The Mini Cooper Countryman’s sub-$30,000 price is attractive compared to other premium compact SUVs, but a loaded model can reach nearly $50,000.

New for 2021 is the Mini Countryman Oxford Edition, a Special Edition Mini that incorporates a generous amount of standard equipment at a price much lower than if you had ordered it all individually. In short, the Oxford Edition Countryman has all the standard equipment of the Classic Trim (leatherette upholstery, an 8.8-inch display, LED headlights, and Union Jack taillights), plus 18-inch wheels, run-flat tires, a black headliner, heated front seats, and an optional contrast roof in white or black.

For fans of the brand, the Countryman has its charms. But compared to even mainstream compact SUVs it lacks the active safety and driver-assistance systems that are becoming standard. For example, while the Countryman has automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control costs extra, and features like blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping assist aren’t even available. All of those can be had on a Hyundai Kona or the alluring new Kia Seltos for much, much less money.

True to its nature, the Mini Countryman delivers athletic handling and an affinity for cornering better than most small SUVs.

Acceleration and overall power will depend on which engine you choose. The base 3-cylinder turbo with 134 horsepower is only adequate for daily commutes. With a 0-60 mph time of 9.3 seconds for front-wheel drive (FWD) or an even more laggardly 9.6 seconds with all-wheel drive (AWD), this is unfortunately one Mini we’d have to label as slow.

Unless the majority of your driving is in the city running errands, we’d recommend stepping up to a Cooper S model. It brings substantially more power – 189 horsepower – and much better acceleration. With that model, 60 mph arrives in 7.2 seconds with FWD and 7 flat with FWD. Better still is the John Cooper Works (JCW), with a snorting 301 hp. It is seriously fast, zipping from 0-60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. But it also starts at around $42,000, quite the premium.

Driving enthusiasts should note that a manual transmission is not available in the 2021 Mini Countryman. All models use an automatic transmission, ranging from a 6-speed in the plug-in hybrid and 7-speed dual-clutch in FWD models, to an 8-speed in AWD variants.

The Mini Countryman shares a wheelbase measurement with the Mini Clubman, but it has more rear-seat legroom. This makes it a better choice if you want the Mini for a family vehicle or routinely plan to have friends in back. Long-legged drivers should note that the Clubman offers more front-seat legroom, though. The Clubman slightly edges the Countryman in cargo space, bringing 47.9 cubic feet to the party vs. the Countryman’s 47.6. Since the Countryman sits higher off the ground, 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. New for 2021 is an optional 5-inch digital cockpit instrument cluster. That pales compared to the slick and dominating digital instrument panels from Volvo, VW, Audi, and BMW – Mini’s cousin — but it’s a start.

In Mini’s lineup of diminutive cars, the Countryman looks the least like the traditional 2-door Hardtop that re-introduced the brand to America nearly two decades ago. 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. It may be more practical and accommodating, but there’s no denying its fun-loving looks.

A light freshening for 2021 gives the Countryman redesigned front end and grille, with bright LED headlights and fog lights now standard. In back, the LED rear lights get the Union Jack design of the U.K. flag.

And in the Mini tradition, you can choose from a variety of paint and roof color combinations, plus several wheel designs. You can further personalize the Countryman 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 MODEL
We’ll call this the “go big or go home” edition of the Countryman. This top-end model isn’t cheap, but it’s the most rewarding to drive. With 301 horsepower, standard all-wheel drive, and sport-tuned suspension, the JCW Countryman is a blast.

When you buy a 2021 Mini Countryman, you must first decide among Cooper, Cooper S, Cooper SE, and John Cooper Works model variants. These define which powertrain the SUV has. Make sure to select ALL4 if you want all-wheel drive (AWD), which is standard with the SE plug-in hybrid and high-performance JCW.

Next, you get to choose 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 2021 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.

Unlike even a basic Hyundai, Kia or Honda, you’ll have to pay extra for features like Apple CarPlay. Android Auto integration is not available in the Mini Countryman, but Amazon Alexa is for 2021.

Stepping up to the Signature trim adds 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 all Mini Countryman models include forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking, other safety features such as lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistant and blind-spot monitoring are not available. That’s a shame in 2021, when all those features can easily be had on a Kia Seltos costing about half as much as a high-end Mini Countryman.

The Countryman offers a choice of turbocharged engines, ranging from rather paltry to downright powerful.

The base 2021 Cooper Countryman is powered by a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine that makes 134 horsepower. That isn’t a lot of oomph, and it takes well into the 9-second range to reach 0-60 mph with this engine. That’s slow by today’s standards.

A better choice is the Cooper S Countryman with its turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that makes a more appropriate 189 horsepower. That returns 0-60 mph times in the low 7-second range. For the money, this is our favorite Countryman engine given its blend of power and fuel economy.

The higher-priced John Cooper Works (JCW) is the most powerful Countryman. Its 2.0-liter 4-cylinder has been tuned to make 301 horsepower. It can rocket from 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds.

Finally, there is the Countryman SE plug-in hybrid. It pairs the Cooper’s turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine with a rear-mounted electric motor for a combined 224 horsepower. The combination creates an electronic version of ALL4 AWD with a battery-only driving range of up to 17 miles. Total range is estimated at 300 miles.

All 2021 Mini Countryman models use an automatic transmission. Here’s how it plays out: Front-wheel drive (FWD) models use a 7-speed dual-clutch. ALL4 all-wheel-drive (AWD) models have an 8-speed automatic. And the SE plug-in hybrid uses a 6-speed automatic.

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), 23/32 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), 23/31 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 (SE ALL4 Countryman)
224 horsepower (combined)
284 lb-ft of torque @ 1,350 rpm (combined)
Combined EPA city/highway fuel economy: 29 mpg, 73 MPGe