MINI Countryman Untamed Edition First Drive: Capable Off-Road, Still a MINI

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It was staring me in the face. A sandy hill with almost no grip, followed by solid rock I had to climb. With DSC off and the car in Go-Kart mode, I was about to attempt something I’d never have imagined tackling in a MINI before. And yet the Countryman Untamed Edition was barely fazed as I made my way through and onward.

That’s the point of the Untamed Edition. It’s the first Countryman that backs up its off-road looks, thanks to a handful of thoughtful changes: up to 19 mm of extra ground clearance, bespoke all-terrain tires and recalibrated traction and stability software. MINI isn’t trying to build a true off-roader here. It has built a capable one that still drives like a MINI on tarmac and through the corners.

We spent our time in the Sierra Nevada on low-traction mountain roads, a rocky light trail and winding mountain tarmac. Here’s what we found.

What the Untamed Edition is

The Untamed Edition is MINI’s first factory off-road take on the U25 Countryman. It is an edition, not a limited run, and it will be offered in almost any Countryman color. Our car was the Countryman S ALL4, which MINI USA will price at about $44,000. The electric SE version follows at roughly $50,000. Production starts in November at BMW Group Plant Leipzig, with cars reaching North American dealers around January.

We first reported an off-road Countryman package in March 2025, then watched a prototype testing in the Rocky Mountains. [Link to the debut article here.] This is the first time we have driven the finished car.

The tires change the game

The Untamed Edition rides on bespoke Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires, size 245/45 R19, fitted to exclusive 19-inch Untamed Edition Spoke wheels. The tread is chunky, with big shoulder blocks, and it gives the Countryman grip no MINI we have driven has ever had. On loose surfaces and low-traction climbs it kept finding purchase when we expected it to run out.

It’s worth separating this from what MINI has offered before. The brand has sold an accessory setup for light off-road use, pairing General Grabber AT3 all-terrain tires with 18-inch MINI wheels. The Untamed Edition goes further, with a larger wheel and a more aggressive tire that delivers even more grip.

The trade-off is small. There is some added road noise from the all-terrain rubber, but it is modest. A 45-profile sidewall is also a road-first choice on a car with trail ambitions, so we would like more time on sharp rock before calling it a non-issue.

What MINI changed underneath

The lift is 15 millimeters, which MINI says gives up to 19 millimeters of extra ground clearance depending on market and powertrain. It comes from longer dampers. The springs are the same as a standard Countryman, which is an interesting choice and explains why the car still feels like a MINI.

The rest is protection and software. The Untamed Edition gets front and rear skid plates, a redesigned rear diffuser and matte black protective cladding on the wheel arches and sills, with a dashed texture molded into the arch surfaces to shrug off gravel. The ABS, DSC and steering calibration are all bespoke, tuned to work with the new tires, and ALL4 all-wheel drive is standard. MINI has not published approach, departure or ramp angles yet.

Driving impressions off-road

Nineteen millimeters of increased ground clearance sounds minimal, and it would be easy to dismiss. On the light trail sections, though, it was enough to change the approach angle in a way you could feel and give you confidence where you’d normally have little. While this is not a true off-roader, I was surprised and some of the approach angles I could achieve. That said MINI could have done a bit more in terms of underbody reinforcements. While the skid-plate is modified, it’s subtle and is still made of plastic. Furthermore we scraped the bottom of the bumper on some approaches (which you can see in the video) which had us wondering if MINI should have re-profiled the bottom of the air intake slightly.

All that said traction is the real headline, and the lift is a helpful bonus.

That sandy hill is a good example. With DSC off, the car stayed composed and kept moving, and the quick steering that makes a Countryman fun on tarmac works just as well here. You know where each contact patch is, and the car is nimble when the surface keeps changing. The articulation surprised us more than anything else. For a car based on a street platform, MINI has engineered wheel travel well beyond what we expected, and our photos show it working across a granite slab, one rear wheel up on the rock while the opposite front sits lower.

This is not a Jeep, and MINI never claims it is. It is a capable light off-roader, which is something we have never been able to say about the brand before.

Driving impressions on-road

The increase in ride height and off-road tires if the Untamed Edition contributed to a slightly more relaxed feeling Countryman. There’s slightly more body roll in corners of the raised US spec version and a little less sharpness on turn-in. But these are small tradeoffs that some might actually prefer. The longer dampers allow more travel and a bit more comfort while the tires soak-up imperfections creating the most comfortable Countryman we’ve ever driven. Critically it still felt like the Countryman we know; predictable and eager.

Design and interior

In person, the Untamed Edition looks better than the spec sheet suggests. The new grille uses a vertical pattern that has a hint of Jeep to it. The dark steel trim and matte black graphics look modest alone, and together with the three new colors (Hideaway Grey, Nomad Blue and Frozen Nomad Blue) they make a noticeably different Countryman. Our car wore Frozen Nomad Blue, the first matte paint ever offered by MINI in global series production, and it is a bold choice for a car meant for gravel roads. But as Head of MINI Design Holger Hampf explained it works particularly well with the U25’s surfaces.

Inside, MINI made some thoughtful choices. The dash and door panels use what MINI calls “Millennial Melange”. Rather than a flat color, the yarn uses a bespoke two-tone woven design combining a dark heather grey surface layer stitched tightly over an intense, rich blue base. This reveals glimpses of blue undercurrents depending on how light hits the cabin textures.

The standard sport seats are finished in Nightshade Blue sport seats alongside Cornflower Blue contrast details.

For the interior trim MINI uses the same Dark Steel we see outside. It completely replaces the standard “Vibrant Silver” accents found on other Countryman variants and creates a more technical and robust off-road look.

MINI’s AUTOHOME tent Completes the package

MINI is selling the outdoor idea as a package. The roof tent, developed with Italian specialist AUTOHOME, is a first for the North American market, where it will be offered as an aftersales accessory for about $5,000. Elsewhere you can order it direct from AUTOHOME for € 5,049.00.

The tent is built around a 100 percent fiberglass shell, with an insulated sandwich base reinforced by two steel C-shaped bars. The Medium size, which sleeps two adults and one child, measures 145 by 210 centimeters when open and 150 centimeters tall inside. Closed, it stands 30 centimeters above the roof. It weighs about 65 kilograms including the ladder, and clamps to the roof rack with four steel clamps. Two gas springs raise it automatically. The fabric is AIRTEX, which AUTOHOME describes as weather-proof and tear-proof, and the tent comes with a high-density mattress and two pillows. Each side has a door with a roll-up mosquito net, which zips into a window, and a full-size rear opening adjusts in six positions. Inside you get a touch-sensitive three-LED light with a 12-volt battery, an elastic roof net and two fold-away pockets. The height-adjustable aluminum ladder includes a safety clamp and a zip cover.

In my brief time with it, I found the tent surprisingly sturdy and well built, despite how light it is. At 6’2″, I had no trouble getting comfortable inside, and getting in and out was simple.

Even so, weight is the figure to watch. At about 65 kilograms, the tent leaves little headroom under the Countryman’s 75-kilogram roof load rating while driving, but plenty under the 300 kilograms allowed when stationary, which is what matters once you’re asleep up there. The 30-centimeter closed height also adds to the car’s overall height, so check garage and parking clearances before you commit. With the optional tow hitch, the car can pull up to 2,000 kilograms.

In addition, MINI has partnered with outdoor equipment specialist HELINOX to create an exclusive camping collection. Folding chairs and camping tables are all part of the package and like the AUTOHOME tent, they combine functionality, lightweight construction and outstanding build quality.

Specification and pricing differs wildly by market

The Untamed Edition won’t be identical everywhere. MINI says availability of variants, powertrains and equipment varies by market, and even the headline ground clearance gain of up to 19 millimeters depends on market and powertrain. In North America, the edition arrives as the Countryman S ALL4 at about $44,000 and the electric SE at roughly $50,000, with the tent sold separately as an accessory. But in Europe and elsewhere the Untamed arrives a bit more tamed. For instance in the EU the 15 mm lift is only offered on the electric E and SE ALL4. The all-terrain tyres are optional across the board, and the tow bar is optional too.

	United States	United Kingdom	Europe (Germany)
Variants	S ALL4, SE ALL4	C, S, E, SE (no diesel)	C, D, S ALL4, E, SE ALL4 (market dependent)
15 mm suspension lift	Standard on both	SE only	Electric models only (E, SE ALL4)
Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tyres	Standard	Optional on S and SE	Optional
Tow hitch	Standard, factory fitted	Optional	Optional
Towing capacity	3,500 lb	Up to 2,000 kg	Up to 2,000 kg
Roof load (driving / parked)	165 lb / 661 lb	75 kg / 300 kg	75 kg / 300 kg
AUTOHOME roof tent	MINI Dealers, approx $5,000	Bought directly from AUTOHOME € 5,049.00	Bought directly from AUTOHOME € 5,049.00

MINI hasn’t explained the split. Our read, and it is analysis rather than anything MINI has said, is that it comes down to CO2. A taller Countryman on knobbier tyres carries more drag and rolling resistance, which would push WLTP emissions up on the petrol and diesel cars as every gram counts against EU fleet targets. An EV pays for the same changes in range, not grams and there’s no regulation against losing a mile or two of range.

Market	Model	Price
United States	Countryman S ALL4 Untamed Edition	$43,900 ($45,250 with $1,350 destination)
United States	Countryman SE ALL4 Untamed Edition	$50,000 (est)
United Kingdom	Countryman C Untamed Edition	£33,595 OTR
United Kingdom	Countryman E Untamed Edition	£37,255 OTR
United Kingdom	Countryman S Untamed Edition	£40,525 OTR
United Kingdom	Countryman SE Untamed Edition	£40,775 OTR
Germany	Untamed Edition supplement	€4,700 over the base model

Our verdict

The Untamed Edition is a convincing step for MINI, and a far more serious answer than the Adventure packages that added all-terrain tires without changing the car underneath. It suits buyers who want a Countryman for rough mountain roads, gravel and the occasional trail without giving up daily usability. It will not satisfy anyone who expects a rock crawler, but it’s hard to imagine anyone thinking MINI would offer one.

What MINI has done instead is build a car with more capability on the trail without spoiling the on-road driving experience we all love. The lasting impression I took away is that MINI has found a formula so convincing it feels like it should have been offered on the Countryman all along. In markets like North America, it might just become a smash hit.

We still want to know the approach and departure angles, what the SE brings to the party, and how it holds up over longer, tougher terrain. We will have more drives and impressions soon. Everything we have covered so far lives in our U25 MINI Countryman hub, and the history of MINI’s off-road concepts explains why it took this long to get here.

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