Inside the Off-Road MINI: Countryman Untamed Prototype Drive

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We got behind the wheel of a late validation prototype of the MINI Countryman Untamed, and it’s a drive with a different purpose than our earlier pre-production drive. That car showed us what MINI intends to build. This one, a step earlier in the development chain, showed us how the car behaves while the engineering is still being proven, and it gave us far more seat time to judge it properly.

Driving the two back to back in sequence is useful in its own right. A late validation car sits one step before pre-production, so the gaps between the two are informative: the prototype had a different set of wheels and tires that gave the car less of a crisp turn-in as compared to the pre-production with the final package. Where the two agree, the character of the car is likely settled.

The recipe is simple. A raised suspension, 19-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, and recalibrated braking, stability control and steering give the Countryman a more capable stance and, on paper, a more capable setup. It’s the brand’s most serious attempt yet to push its largest model toward outdoor buyers, and what matters is whether that holds up on pavement and off it.

On the road, there’s a slightly more relaxed vibe to it. A lifted car on chunkier rubber should trade some sharpness for ability and a little more lean in corners. In practice, it does but not quite as much as you might think.

Off the road, it feels far more capable than the rather modest upgrades would have you think. Still the limits deserve honesty here. A 19mm raise is a modest change, and this is still a sporty crossover, not a Defender rival. What’s interesting isn’t whether it can match a dedicated off-roader, it’s whether MINI can give weekend adventurers a car they’ll enjoy driving the other five days of the week.

MINI Countryman Untamed key facts

• Suspension: raised by 15mm, with up to 19mm of added ground clearance depending on market and powertrain
• Wheels and tires: 19-inch wheels with Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires
• Chassis: braking, stability control and steering recalibrated for the new setup
• Drivetrain: ALL4 all-wheel drive on S models
• Models: Countryman C, D and S ALL4, plus the electric E and SE ALL4, depending on market
• Towing and loads: tow bar fitted in some markets, with a towing capacity of up to 2,000 kg; roof load of up to 75 kg while driving and 300 kg stationary
• Accessories: optional roof tent co-developed with Autohome and an outdoor equipment range with Helinox, depending on market
• Exterior: redesigned vertical grille with a Dark Steel accent, Untamed logo with a mountain panorama on the C-pillar, Dark Steel finish on emblems, Countryman lettering and underbody protection
• Paint: Hideaway Grey, Nomad Blue, Frozen Nomad Blue, Nanuq White and Midnight Black, with Frozen Nomad Blue the first matte paint in MINI series production
• Production: begins November 2026 at BMW Group Plant Leipzig, with markets worldwide from early 2027
• US pricing: reported to start at $43,900

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