MINI Countryman SE

On the inside, the Mini Countryman SE has a familiar-looking dashboard layout, which has been lifted off from the Mini Cooper. However, there are a couple of bits like vertical AC vents and faux carbon finish for the slightly different looking central layer of the dashboard, which gives it a subtler look.

The rounded influence can be seen in the compact part-digital instrument console and the large centre console, the latter of which comes integrated with a wide touchscreen infotainment system. The centre console also houses traditional buttons for the audio controls and gets three large dials for the automatic climate control below it. At the bottom of the whole centre console, there are toggle buttons for various functions of the vehicle.

The Mini Countryman SE has the most amount of cabin space among all the vehicles offered by Mini. However, for a premium compact SUV, the Countryman lacks shoulder room for taller persons. Also, the Mini Countryman SE is not as well-equipped as its rivals when it comes to offering the latest gizmos and features.

With the Countryman, Mini showed that how the Mini Cooper can be imagined as a rugged-looking SUV. It nowhere looks compact as the Mini Cooper was intended to be, and has a tough-looking and heightened stance, which make it look like a modern SUV.

At the front, the Mini Countryman SE has got a rounded trapezoidal grille with chrome surrounds, which is flanked with large headlamps on either side. The headlamps are not properly circular like those in the Mini Cooper, but they do have rounded edges and are placed on flared humps on the sides of the bonnet. The front bumper looks sporty with large rounded rectangular housings for the fog lamps and a large rectangular air dam in the middle.

Like in other offerings from its stable, the Mini Countryman SE has a clean looking side profile, with rounded wheel arches with subtle looking black cladding over them and rounded door-mounted rearview mirrors. The chrome insignia with a yellow-coloured logo within it denotes that it is an electrified vehicle from Mini. All the pillars, roof and rearview mirrors are blacked out, while the wraparound styled shoulder line gets premium chrome treatment. The Mini Countryman SE is the only vehicle from Mini to get roof rails as standard.

At the back, the Mini Countryman SE has a familiar look with vertically laid LED tail lamps with rounded edges and chrome surrounds and a rounded rectangular license plate housing with a blacked-out garnish over it. There is a single chrome-tipped exhaust port on one corner of the rear bumper, while the boot lid comes with wide ‘Countryman’ lettering spread across its width.

Despite its raised ride height, the Mini Countryman SE showcases excellent driving dynamics, courtesy of its fine-tuned steering and suspension setups. The SUV feels rock-solid over rough terrains, however, the stiffness in the ride quality can be easily felt at times.

It is certainly the biggest highlight of the Mini Countryman SE. The whole powertrain of this compact SUV is a combination of a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which makes 136 bhp of power and 220 Nm of torque, and a 65 kW motor that produces 165 Nm of torque. The combined power and torque outputs of the whole powertrain are 224 bhp and 385 Nm respectively. The Mini Countryman SE also comes with a 6.5 kWh lithium-ion battery, which has an electric-only range of 42 km and can touch a top speed of 125 kmph in electric-only mode.

The safety equipment list of the Mini Countryman SE is limited for a vehicle of its price, as it gets only the basics in the form of the front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with EBD, brake assist, traction control, electronic stability control, front and reverse parking sensors, hill start assist, hill descent control and reverse camera.

While the Mini Countryman SE looks and feels desirable, the limited standard equipment list is something that might put off certain potential buyers. While Mini offers a lot of additional equipment at extra costs, it certainly adds up to the overall cost of the vehicle, which makes it an expensive proposition. However, the powertrain of the Mini Countryman SE is one of the finest in its category.