The Mini lineup is no longer mini and the move to fully electric models isn’t as dynamic as one might hope. The Countryman, the largest of BMW’s British brand, rivals most compact SUVs for size. Our time behind the wheel wasn’t big on fun, practicality, or that classic Mini spirit.
At a Glance
- Nostalgia without much practicality
- Fast, but not as quick as you might hope
- Range isn’t impressive
- Mini isn’t the Mini we used to know
The 2025 Countryman EV is unmistakably a Mini. But the Mini feel is becoming gimmicky rather than fun. The circular center infotainment/gadget screen is neat, but not terribly functional. And it takes the place of a lot of things that really should have dedicated controls, like climate and audio. The aircrafty switches are still there, underneath that screen, but are now more aircraft-like than aircraft-style, a sort of mood swing from the previous generations. And the only one you’ll use very often is the on/off switch. The rest are kind of pointless.
Other things like the fun “Go-Kart” and the optimistic “Trail” drive modes are funny, but mostly just change lighting and graphics without much of anything practical. The giant OLED screen is customizable (kind of), but often glitches or takes too long to change or update. And sometimes it just doesn’t function at all, going back to the home screen when something goes awry. Translating BMW’s infotainment system to both Mini branding and the round screen didn’t go well.
Not to mention that many of the apps and capabilities are behind a subscription paywall – don’t get me started on that nonsense.
Aaron Turpen / New Atlas
Two electric motors power the Countryman EV, one for each axle, delivering 308 horsepower (226.5 kW). Mini says the 0-60-mph (97 km/h) sprint time is 5.6 seconds, but the car feels a lot more sluggish than that and I was unable to get below seven seconds on public roads. The Countryman is heavy. This not-so-tiny car weighs in at 4,400 lb (1,996 kg), which is more than a 1990s pickup truck. And despite a near-perfect weight distribution (thanks to batteries under the floor), the Countryman drives like it weighs two tons.
Range for the Countryman EV is also not the greatest. It’s rated at 212 miles or 204 miles (341 or 328 km) per charge, depending on wheel size. Yes, that’s right. If you get the 18-inch wheels, you get that extra eight miles (13 km), but if you opt for the 19s, you lose it. It doesn’t matter, though. My week of driving didn’t even come close to 200 miles per charge. I was in the 180-mile (290-km) range without much highway time. Those returns are equivalent to the much-maligned Toyota bZ4X. On the upside, the Mini does do well at DC fast-charging stations – if you can find one. It can get to about 80% from less than 10 in roughly 30 minutes.
Just about everything with the Mini Countryman is banking on nostalgia and social cred. Spike the Bulldog is your voice assistant, just about everything fabric in the car is from something recycled, and the Mini relies heavily on ambient lighting for mood-setting. But those things don’t add up to make the Countryman’s problems become tolerable quirks. Bluetooth often fails, maps don’t always show your actual position, the controls require precise touches (thus becoming distractions), and every imperfection in the road will come into the cabin.
As the generation that knows Austin Powers references fades out of the market for a car like the Mini, I suspect the nostalgia train powering its sales will fade as well. The brand has gone so far away from its roots that its future seems troubled.
The 2025 Mini Countryman EV has a starting price of US$45,200 plus destination charges.
Product Page: 2025 Mini Countryman EV
