MINI Countryman SE ALL4 JCW long-term test: we exchange gasoline for electric power

I also love the beautiful brushed metal ventilation knobs, door handles and A-pillar speakers for the Harman Kardon audio system. That rather brilliant sound setup is part of the Level 3 option package, which adds a selection of additional equipment. Some parts are visible, such as the panoramic sunroof and a head-up display that sits proudly on the spartan dashboard. Others, such as the active massage seat for the driver, the Driver Assistant Pro safety technology and the larger 54 liter fuel tank, are less noticeable.

My last long-term test vehicle was last year’s Auto Express Car of the Year, the Hyundai Kona. That cost around £3,000 more than our 1.5-litre petrol Countryman, but the difference in cabin quality is huge, with the MINI being much closer to the £74,000 Lexus RZ I drove before it. The Countryman feels like a premium SUV in every respect, like climbing behind the wheel of a mini Range Rover. So it was no surprise that it recently won Premium Small SUV of the Year at our 2024 New Car Awards.

I know everything is relative, but I have to say that the Countryman actually doesn’t feel that small, with plenty of room for my long family, two child seats and luggage.

Behind the wheel, the Countryman performed well. Days out were fun and effortless. The automatic gearbox can stutter a bit towards roundabouts and occasionally when pulling away from intersections, and the car feels like it should have a manual gearbox, but that’s no longer an option. The little switch to go forward or backward is hardly pleasant compared to a gear lever, but otherwise it’s all simple.