Exclusive Report: the 2025 MINI Countryman In-Depth Preview

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The U25 2025 MINI Countryman is set to be the largest MINI of all time and likely the companies biggest seller in the years ahead. Its importance to the brand cannot be overstated in terms of projected sales. But how different is this new Countryman to its predecessors and how can it live up to the MINI heritage while growing in size? We’ve collected our notes from sources around the world to bring an in-depth look at the 2025 MINI Countryman.

The new MINI family: J01 Electric Cooper, F66 ICE Cooper, J02 Electric Aceman, U25 ICE & Electric Countryman

First let’s give you some context how the all new Countryman fits within the 4th generation MINI line-up. As you can see above the Countryman will once again be positioned as the largest product in the MINI range. It will also be the only platform offered by MINI with both ICE and electric power. Designed with plenty of input from the American market, it will deliver more space and utility to ever before. But can it still retain the hallmarks of the MINI brand? While we don’t yet have an answer, we have some details that give us a clue.

How Big is the New 2025 MINI Countryman?

Riding on the same FAAR platform as the BMW X1, the U25 Countryman will grow in a very noticeable way. As you can see in the photos it’s clearly longer and taller than the current F60 Countryman.

Based on these photos and our sources, the all new 2024 MINI Countryman will be about 203 mm (almost 8 inches) larger – mostly in the rear. With the second generation F60 Countryman, MINI chose to modify the UKL chassis to give it slightly more MINI proportions over its corporate twin, the BMW X1. With the U25 Countryman, our sources tell us that we’ll see a car that more closely follows the BMW X1 in overall size. This change will give the U25 a larger cargo area and more rear legroom than its predecessor the F60. It will also allow the forthcoming MINI Aceman, roughly the size of the original R60 Countryman, to slot in below it in the line-up.

What about weight? Our sources are telling us that MINI will make use of advanced chassis design and plenty of new aluminum components to reduce the weight gain you might expect with the growth in detentions. We can get an idea of weight by looking at the new BMW X1 which has a 3,750 lbs curb weight. That’s only up 24 lbs over the previous generation despite being marginally larger and being offered with more standard equipment. Given this we’d expect the next generation Countryman All4 won’t be far off the current car’s 3,726 lbs curb weight (assuming equipment levels are similar).

Design Changes For the 2024 MINI Countryman

MINI is making the next generation Countryman look and feel more rugged. Based on sources who have seen the finished product, portions of the U25 Countryman will feature a more squared-off shape with rugged design elements. The plastic trim around the wheels will be smaller but the fenders will extend that element with an additional flared shape. Additionally we’ll see other elements will play up the rugged theme. We’ve even heard that the forthcoming 2025 JCW Countryman will feature two huge foglight integrated into the front bumper.

There will also be areas that the U25 will grow more sleek and aero efficient. The silhouette in the front will, the angle of the windshield and the rear hatch have been tweaked to create a more slippery shape helping with range on the electric Countryman. The BMW X1 has a surprisingly good 0.26cd with some of these same design choices.

Left: The standard LED version. Right: The optional LED matrix lights.

2025 MINI Countryman Lighting Options

In front there will be two different headlights offered. The standard will be a LED design with similar design theme to the current car (above left). The optional LED matrix lights will not only offer a completely different light graphic but will be offer new technology that not only better illuminates the road but is more aware of on-coming traffic. While we don’t know all the details, we do know that similar lighting is used by other automakers to allow high beam functionality while not dazzling oncoming traffic.

They’ll also have a new signature graphic with a light-bar running horizontally across the middle. If you look closely at the spy photos of the J01 and F66 you can see a similar design meaning we’ll likely see this look across the entire MINI family..

Around back you can just make out the larger taillights which look both more technical in design and could house some form of LED personalization similar to what we’re seeing on the new ICE and EV Cooper. What is LED personalization? From our sources it’s a way for, MINI owners to change how their front and rear lights look when on and active. Want Union Jack tail lights? Or how about something more minimal? MINI will offer a number of different designs that will help owners differentiate their cars. 

2024 MINI Countryman Power, Performance and Range

There are no clean-sheet designs in the internal combustion world these days and there’s no exception here. Every petrol powered engine is a revision of an existing one. So things will look familiar but numbers will rise slightly. Based on what we know about the evolved three and four liter family of engines from BMW, we should see something close to the following

The Countryman

With MINI saving the “Cooper” model for the smaller MINIs moving forward, the base model will simply be known as the Countryman. We expect MINI to use the 1.5 three cylinder engine in the base model with different tunes ranging from 137 hp to 170 hp. We believe the 170 hp version will be used for the North American market.

The Countryman S

The Countryman S will feature a 2.0 four cylinder with varying tunes; 170 hp and 206 ft-lbs and 218 hp and 265 ft-lbs. Again the more powerful version will likely form the basis for the Countryman S in the US and other markets.

The Countryman JCW

The U25 Countryman JCW will carrier over its 2.0 four cylinder but will have an increased output. Sources tell us to expect 330 hp coupled with a mild hybrid system that enables a further burst in power.

All petrol engines will get a 48 volt mild hybrid system and will be mated to a revised 7-speed dual clutch with an all new gear selector design. Unsurprisingly the manual transmission will be eliminated in all ICE models.

A revised All4 all-wheel drive system will continue to be optional across the range and standard on the Countryman JCW.

The Electric Countryman SE/JCW

The U25’s FAAR platform was designed from the ground up to accommodate a battery pack and electric motor as part of the brand’s plans to transition all products over the next decade.

We’ve heard whispers that MINI plans to sell two versions of the electric Countryman, one with a single motor driving the front wheels and the two motor set-up described above. That might mean the dual motor layout could be branded as a JCW model given the performance potential. But as of yet, we haven’t confirmed those whispers.

Again the BMW X1 (in this case the iX1) gives us a clue. Assuming MINI will be leveraging the same technical layout (which we’ve heard is the plan), we should expect a dual motor, all wheel drive electric Countryman to have a peak output of 308 horsepower and 364 pound-feet of torque.

Potentially branded as a JCW, the power comes from a modest 64.7-kWh t-shaped battery pack that produces 266 miles of range using the WLTP testing protocol. That would likely translate into something around 240 miles using the EPA testing. The iX1 supports DC fast-charging at up to 130 kW, which can charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in only 29 minutes. 

Charging the iX1 via an AC charger can be done at up to 22 kW, while DC fast charging tops out at 130 kW. 

It’s worth noting that BMW of North America decided against importing the BMW iX1 to the US. While there’s never been an official rational for that move, sources tell us that the cost vs range ratio wouldn’t have made it particularly attractive. Could the same calculations keep the electric Countryman from the US? Given that the J01 Cooper and the J02 Aceman won’t be coming stateside for awhile and the F56 based electric MINI will likely die in the transition to the F66 generation, we’d be surprised if MINI USA didn’t important the Countryman SE. Given the models popularity in the US and increasing brand association with electrification, it would make sense to us even if were a lower volume, higher priced model.

We also don’t know where MINI much less MINI USA will price it at this point. But we do know that it’s destined for production next year.

2024 MINI Countryman – New Technology and Autonomous Features

Based on the underlying Android Auto technical framework, MINI is introducing a massive circular display that will be the literal and figurative centerpiece of the brand’s tech moving forward.

Looking at the spy photos of the interior the second think you notice (after the giant screen of course) is the lack of switch gear and a very different console design than what we’re used to seeing. Of course the switchgear is there but it’s been re-routed into a temporary space where cupholders will ultimately be. 

Final, non-camouflaged version as seen in the U25 electric MINI Cooper

Beyond the massive screen there’s a lot to take in here. The switches and knobs (which are actually marked) are also identical to what we saw in the electric hatch leak meaning that MINI is moving to a consistent user experience across all models no matter where they’re produced or what platform they’re on. That’s an essential move if MINI wants that digital experience to be a selling point of the brand. 

The gear selector (which will be almost identical to BMWs) is actually not here in production form but will be a small lever or toggle where the white plastic is in the top photo. Also gone is the iDrive multi-function controller. In it’s place will be a digital experience that’s more touch-based and (we’re told) easier to use. 

We expect MINI to eventually rollout an optional Level 2 autonomous driving features for all of the brand’s next generation cars. Level 2 allows for the car to use adaptive cruise as well as follow the clearly marked roads with hands on the wheel. Keep in mind this isn’t just a lane keeping function but technology that will follow the road as it curves. This is optional on most BMWs currently.

But what will be really exciting is L2+. While it’s unclear if we’ll see this at launch, we do eventually expect Level 2+ to be part of the G60 product plans. The system will likely be identical to BMW’s new L2+ system which allows for hands-free driving up to 81 mph an hour (130 KPH) making it massively more helpful for the majority of drivers and likely to be used much more. While MINI drivers are more likely to want to drive their cars, it’s hard to argue with a robot taking over duties on long, straight highway drives.

The 2025 MINI Countryman Production Timing

MINI will debut the 2024 MINI Countryman (labeled a 2025 in the US) in the second half of 2023 with an all-out model onslaught. Based on our sources, this is what we expect to see in terms of production timing:

U25 / Leipzig, Germany	Start of Production
U25 ICE Countryman	11/2023
U25 ICE Countryman S	03/2024
U25 ICE Countryman JCW	11/2023
U25 BEV Countryman	TBD
U25 BEV Countryman S	03/2024
U25 BEV Countryman JCW	TBD

The obvious surprise here is that MINI will be staggering the launch of the ICE models but in a way not expected. They’re launching with the base and the top of the line JCW models. The model that will likely be the biggest seller in many markets, the Countryman S, will arrive in March of 2024.

However not surprisingly MINI will be waiting to launch the electric Countryman (likely called the Countryman E) with production beginning in March of 2024.

Will it all be worth the wait? While this will be a larger Countryman, MINI is going to great pains to keep weight down – at least on the ICE models. Combine that with a revised, adjustable height suspension, advanced traction control and more power and we could have something that punches below its weight in the new U25 2025 MINI Countryman.

What do you think? Does the larger, more powerful 2025 Countryman appeal to you? Or has MINI gone too maxi?

2025 MINI Countryman Gallery

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