Review: MINI Countryman SE – The Electric MINI For the Rest of Us

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The first ever electric MINI Countryman SE delivers the electric driving experience we’ve been waiting for. But how does it compare with its petrol siblings and does it still feel MINI-like?

The first ever electric MINI Countryman SE is finally here. With 313 hp, 360 ft lbs and over 4,500 lbs this a very different kind of MINI. But can it still be fun? With the first cars have been landing at MINI showrooms over the last few weeks, we thought it was time to revisit the Countryman SE we tested earlier this year and talk about what we found and whether you should think about buying one.

Finally MINI is launching a fully electric car that’s meant for those of us that can’t quite make the Cooper work in our daily lives. But what’s it like to drive the electric Countryman SE and how could a 4,574 lbs car feel like a MINI? We went to Portugal to speak to the people behind the car and get behind the wheel.

Stepping into the new electric Countryman SE is a vastly different experience than any MINI before it. The new interior layout does away with the cluster display behind the steering wheel as all relevant content is projected onto circular display and the head-up display (standard in the US). Reduced to the essentials, the new interior has a much different, more relaxing feel to it.

Then there’s the size. Like all new Countryman we reviewed over the last six months, the SE is built on a new, larger platform (code named U25) allowing it to grow in every dimension. While the increase isn’t has big as it was with the previous generation Countryman over its predecessor, it’s still a noticeable change. That’s evident in the interior immediately. The driver and front passenger have almost three centimeters of additional width at the shoulder. Similarly the rear passengers have 2.5 centimeters of extra width thanks to a wider track and better use of space in general.

But the real change is the moment you twist the “key”. The electric MINI Countryman SE registers this action with a subtle hum and visual welcome. From there your hand intuitively moves over to the gear toggle where you pull down for “D” and head out.

The Driving Experience of the Electric MINI Countryman SE

We had the chance to drive the petrol Countryman JCW and electric Countryman SE back to back and came away with some surprising conclusions. First off do not let the identical power figures fool you. The JCW is tuning (from its brakes to its suspension) to be much more performance oriented. The electric Countryman SE was nearly as quick but never felt as light on its feet or as eager. That’s likely due to two things. The most obvious is the fact the SE weighs 886 lbs more than the JCW.

The second is how MINI has tuned the suspension and steering. Not surprisingly MINI has designed and engineered the SE as a daily driver that delivers comfort and performance vs the JCW which flips that script. Yes it’s quick and has plenty of torque – all 364 ft lbs are available almost immediately. The moment you push the car in corners you realize that this is not a JCW.

The benefit of that is obvious. This is a fantastic daily driver that never punishes you. Instead it rewards with plenty of performance an and likely the most comfortable MINI never. The SE absorbs road imperfections and drowns the noise associated with them so well it’s almost un-mini-like.

The downside hits when you’re hustling it. Going from corner to corner along the Portugal coast give me some impression of weight. But as I got more confident with the grip levels (and away from the cliffs) I could explore the limits further. What I found was a car that felt incredibly competent until you hit 8/10s. That’s when the weight penalty was exposed and the car began to understeering. Not that this is a surprise of course. MINI has done an admirable job hiding the extra 886 lbs over the JCW version but that doesn’t mean its not there.

What is here is a quick, compliant Countryman that oozes torque and accelerates effortlessly. The combination makes the Countryman SE likely the best daily driving MINI we’ve ever tested.

MINI engineers have focused on being more holistic in the tuning of key components from axles, steering and dampers. This is combined with more sophisticated processors controlling the dynamic control systems and a more direct steering rack ratio of 55 mm of rack travel per turn creates a more fluid and reactive driving experience.

The Electric MINI Countryman – A Symphony of Sound

The silence is golden. No matter how many electric cars we drive we never get tired of the serenity of an EV. But that silence doesn’t last, Like BMWs, MINI has created its own sound language thats intended to provide feedback and even a touch of excitement during spirited drives. So they told us. But hearing would be believing.

Pushing the Countryman SE through the mountains and coastal roads of Portugal was itself a blast. But the sound effects that came with the acceleration was a genuinely fun part of the experience. You definitely need to not take things too seriously to enjoy them. But once you embrace the new world of EV performance the added sound effects that MINI has created really do make sense.

The sounds in this video give you an idea of what it’s like to drive the new electric Countryman SE

They’re also just fun. Imagine a real-life Mario Kart video game and you get the idea. It’s surprisingly engaging and becomes a real part of the driving experience. And yes, we know this sounds insane. But we heard more than one very jaded automotive journalist on the launch giggle when recounting the interior sounds the Countryman SE was producing during spirited driving.

However key to all of these sounds is the ability to turn them off. Yes it is possible. Even the “experience jingles” that play when you change the experience mode can be switched off permanently.

The New Countryman Is The Biggest MINI Ever

The new Countryman is big and surprisingly, the addition of a battery pack hasn’t changed interior dimensions as you can see in the chart below.

	R60 Countryman JCW (’10-’16)	F60 Countryman JCW (’17-’23)	U25 Countryman JCW (’24-’30+)	U25 Countryman SE (’24-’30+)
Length	4097 mm / 161.3 in	4298 mm / 169.2 in	4429 mm / 174.37 in	4429 mm / 174.37 in
Height	1562 mm / 61.5 in	1557 mm / 61.3 in	1613 mm / 63.5 in	1613 mm / 63.5 in
Wheelbase	2596 mm / 102.2 in	2670 mm / 105.1 in	2670 mm / 105.11 in	2670 mm / 105.11 in
Weight	3,307 lbs	3,688 lbs	3,825 lbs	4,574 lbs

Why has MINI increased the Countryman’s size for this new generation? Over the last several years the brand has been losing costumers as families or space needs grow. The solution to this was to carefully grow the Countryman taking the majority of the BMW X1’s chassis and the rear portion of the European BMW 2 Series Active Tourer.

So what does the increase in size get you? There’s more legroom in the front and back along with 25 cu-ft more luggage capacity with the seats up. That grows to over from 47.6 cu-ft to 56 with the seats folded down. This gives the new Countryman class leading space in the subcompact luxury crossover segment. 

In short things are more comfortable and inside – exactly the attributes that people buy crossovers. But this is a MINI and any increase in size is inherently noticeable by previous owners. There’s certainly a change but the overwhelming feeling we had was that this new U25 Countryman has been pushed gently outward creating a more spacious interior without sacrificing too much in the way of smallness – at least in its segment.

Additionally the rear seats can be folded down increasing the 16.24 cu/ft boot to 51.20 cu/ft – the most ever in a MINI. An additional floor compartment provides convenient space for the charging accessories in MINI Countryman Electric or storage in the ICE variants. The optionally available trailer hitch (finally coming to the US!) offers a towing capacity up to 2646 LBS or 1,200 kg.

MINI Countryman SE Range & Charging

The electric Countryman SE is perhaps MINI’s most viable electric vehicle for the majority of its customers. That’s due two things; it’s size that will appeal to a broader range of customers and its range. In the UK that range is listed as 245 to 287 miles depending on how much urban vs highway driving you’re doing. In the US that is estimated to be to be a 245 mile EPA range. With either set of numbers it’s clear that the Countryman SE will be much more viable of a choice than the first generation Cooper SE with it’s 110 mile range (EPA).

The battery capacity in the electric MINI Countryman is 66.5 kWh with the usable size being 63.78 kWh. The 400v system allows an AC charging speed of 11kW and DC – 130kW. In ideal scenarios (charging at 130kWx) the electric Countryman SE can get from 5-80% in only 29min. In miles that’s roughly 23 to 184 miles in normal operating temperatures. While we didn’t need to charge our test car (our time was limited to a few hundred miles) that type of charging speed sounds fantastic. However the ability to recharge the Countryman SE quickly will be more dependent on the charging network than the car itself.

Mild Weather Scenarios	Range Estimates
City – Mild Weather *	535 km / 332 miles
Highway – Mild Weather *	340 km / 211 miles
Combined – Mild Weather *	420 km / 261 miles

Cold Weather Scenarios	Range Estimates
City – Cold Weather *	360 km / 224 miles
Highway – Cold Weather *	265 km / 165 miles
Combined – Cold Weather *	310 km / 192 miles

Indication of real-world range in several situations. Cold weather: ‘worst-case’ based on -10°C and use of heating. Mild weather: ‘best-case’ based on 23°C and no use of A/C. For ‘Highway’ figures a constant speed of 110 km/h is assumed. The actual range will depend on speed, style of driving, weather and route conditions. Data provided by ev-database.org

2025 MINI Countryman Electric Charging Speed

Charging speed is as critical if not more so than range depending on your situation. The electric Countryman SE supports DC fast-charging at up to 130 kW. This allows for a charge from 10 percent to 80 percent in only 29 minutes. While we don’t have US specific data, we do have European data on charging speeds which should give you an idea of what we’ll see with the electric MINI Countryman SE.

Charging Point	Max. Power	Power	Time	Rate
Standard 11.0 kW On-Board Charger
Wall Plug (2.3 kW)	230V / 1x10A	2.3 kW	33h15m	11 km/h
1-phase 16A (3.7 kW)	230V / 1x16A	3.7 kW	20h45m	18 km/h
1-phase 32A (7.4 kW)	230V / 1x32A	7.4 kW	10h30m	35 km/h
3-phase 16A (11 kW)	400V / 3x16A	11 kW	7 hours	53 km/h
3-phase 32A (22 kW)	400V / 3x16A	11 kW †	7 hours	53 km/h
Optional 22.0kW On-Board Charger *
Wall Plug (2.3 kW)	230V / 1x10A	2.3 kW	33h15m	11 km/h
1-phase 16A (3.7 kW)	230V / 1x16A	3.7 kW	20h45m	18 km/h
1-phase 32A (7.4 kW)	230V / 1x32A	7.4 kW	10h30m	35 km/h
3-phase 16A (11 kW)	400V / 3x16A	11 kW	7 hours	53 km/h
3-phase 32A (22 kW)	400V / 3x32A	22 kW †	3h30m	100 km/h

* = Optional in some countries, standard in others. Check local specifications for details.
† = Limited by on-board charger, vehicle cannot charge faster.
Data provided by ev-database.org

MotoringFile’s First Review Take

In many ways the MINI Countryman SE is the most mature product the brand as ever created. In our time with the car we found it to be incredibly competent in every scenario from bumper to bumper urban traffic to motorway travel to Portugal’s best mountain roads. It’s not the fastest nor is it the lightest on its toes. And at over 4,500 lbs it’s about as far away as you can get from the iconic MINI Cooper. But in the growing world of electric crossovers it fills a void with a fun to drive, thoughtfully designed crossover with class leading utility.

While the $45,200 base price (US spec) is relatively well equipped in base form, it’s still one of the most expensive MINIs ever offered. But for the money you get a car that is miles beyond what MINI has ever offered. The level of sophistication in the drivetrain to the refinement in the tech goes well beyond what we’ve seen from the brand’s products in the past. For many potential owners the Countryman SE will feel like the ideal MINI daily driver.

As always an electric car won’t be for everyone. But with the new Countryman SE, range becomes much less of an issue as it has with the first generation Cooper SE. So the big question for individual buyers comes down to use cases and charging network you might need to support it. If you can make that work and need a little extra space, the electric Countryman SE might be your dream MINI.

U25 MINI Countryman Family – Technical Specifications

Countryman Model	Countryman E (EV)	Countryman SE (EV)	Countryman C (ICE)	Countryman S (ICE)	Countryman JCW (ICE)
Power	204 hp	313 hp	167 hp	221 hp (241 hp US)	300 hp (312 hp US)
Torque	TBD	364 ft lbs	206 lb	295 lb	295 lb
Transmission	1 Speed	1 Speed	7 speed DCT	7 speed DCT	7 speed DCT
Drivetrain	front-wheel	all-wheel	front-wheel	all-wheel	all-wheel
Powertrain type	electric	electric	petrol	petrol	petrol
Cylinders	n/a	n/a	3	4	4
Displacement	n/a	n/a	1499	1998	1998
Electric Power	204 hp	313 hp	19 hp	19 hp (NA – US)	N/A
Electric Torque	TBD	TBD	55 lb	TBD	N/A
Electric Range (WLTP)	287 miles	270 miles	N/A	N/A	N/A
0-60 mph	TBD	TBD	8.3	TBD	5.4
Maximum speed	105 mph	112 mph	132 mph	TBD	155 mph
WLTP l/100 km	N/A	N/A	40.9 – 46.3	TBD	34 – 36.2
WLTP CO2	N/A	N/A	155 – 138	TBD	188 – 177
Length (mm/inches)	4444 / 175	4444 / 175	4444 / 175	4444 / 175	4444 / 175
Width (mm/inches)	1843 / 73	1843 / 73	1843 / 73	1843 / 73	1843 / 73
Height (mm)	TBD	TBD	1661 / 65	TBD	1665 / 66
Wheelbase (mm)	2069 / 81	2069 / 81	2069 / 81	2069 / 81	2069 / 81
Curb weight (LBS)	TBD	TBD	3,571 lbs	TBD	3,825 lbs
Fuel Capacity L/Gallons	N/A	N/A	45 / 11.8	54 / 14.3	54 / 14.3

MINI Countryman SE Test notes

Our test was primarily focused on the area to the west and north west of Lisbon where we could find plenty empty of mountain and coastal roads. The weather was a mixed bag of sun and downpours giving us a great opportunity to get a sense for how MINI has tuned this car at the limit of adhesion.

We put around 200 miles on the car in total and our range just under 25% remaining. That was with a very heavy right foot and no regard for saving energy. If those calculations are correct we would have seen something around a 250 miles range plenty of urban and back roads along with at least 30-40 miles of highway.

Finally thanks to a GoPro failure we lost a portion of our footage from our review (thanks again GoPro). However that just saved you from watching your author talk while driving. Since we had all of our test notes we were able to recreate that via voice over.

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