Used Mini Countryman 2024-present review

The Mini Countryman is a bit like a terraced house that’s had several extensions over the years. What was once reasonably compact and tightly packaged has gradually evolved into something far more spacious and practical.

Indeed, the third-generation Countryman is the biggest Mini ever. It’s 13cm longer and 6cm taller than its predecessor, firmly cementing its position as a family SUV rather than a small one. This makes it a rival for cars such as the Audi Q3, Volkswagen Tiguan and Volvo XC40.

Engines and performance: The entry-level Countryman, called the C, has a 168bhp 1.5-litre mild hybrid petrol engine that drives the front wheels. It's effortless to drive at low speeds, plus it has plenty of mid-range muscle. It can do 0-62mph in 8.3sec, which is faster than the Tiguan 1.5 eTSI (10.2sec) and XC40 B3 (8.6sec).

For something nippier, there's the Countryman S, which combines a 215bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine with ALL4 four-wheel drive. It drops the 0-62mph time to 7.1sec.

The fastest Countryman is the JCW, which has a 296bhp version of the same engine with four-wheel drive. While it doesn’t feel as fast as its 5.4sec 0-62mph time suggests, it does pull very strongly, making overtakes and motorway driving a doddle. All engines are paired with a seven-speed automatic gearbox.

If you like the idea of electric power, there’s also the Mini Countryman Electric. The entry-level version, called the E, has a single 201bhp electric motor, which delivers 0-62mph in 8.6 seconds.

Above that, there’s the SE ALL4. It has an electric motor on both the front and rear axles, making it four-wheel drive, which combines to produce 308bhp. It can do 0-62mph in 5.6sec.

Both versions of the Countryman Electric are powered by a 64.7kWh (usable capacity) battery. On the E, that’s good for an official range of up to 286 miles on a full charge, while the SE ALL4 dips to 266 miles. That’s not bad, but the Audi Q4 e-tron 40, Skoda Enyaq 80 and Tesla Model Y Long Range can all travel farther.

Ride and handling: Ride comfort changes between variants. The C is the most comfortable version, with a ride that's supple yet well controlled. Unsurprisingly, the sporty JCW has the firmest suspension. It's not jarring but it jostles you around more than a Cupra Ateca.

As for handling, the C handles appropriately for a family SUV, with more grip than a Tiguan and staying a bit more upright through bends than an XC40. It's also quieter than the JCW, with less tyre noise.

The JCW's stiff suspension means there's not much body roll through corners, plus grip is plentiful. While you can go round corners surprisingly quickly, the Cupra Formentor and VW T-Roc R are more fun.

Interior and practicality: The driving position in the Countryman is hindered by a steering wheel that’s offset from the seat. The wheel itself also doesn’t offer enough reach adjustment for taller drivers, while the head restraint forces your head forward uncomfortably. There’s also a shortage of lower back support in the front seats, but this is fixed by the adjustable lumbar support fitted to cars with the Level 3 pack.

All versions of the Countryman come with a circular 9.6in touchscreen infotainment system. While it looks very smart, it’s extremely busy to look at with so much information on display. Most of the icons are small and difficult to tap while driving, too.

If you want to bypass the system, you can use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring. However, the rectangular layout of the smartphone mirroring is shoehorned into the middle of the circular display, so it’s not the slickest set-up.

Unfortunately, you don't get physical controls for the air-conditioning, so you have to use the touchscreen to change the temperature, which is a faff to do while driving. This issue isn’t exclusive to the Countryman, though, because the XC40 has a similar set-up.

Elsewhere inside, there’s plenty of colour, textures and materials, but there’s a lot of hard plastic on the dashboard. While the Tiguan and XC40 aren’t as funky inside, their interiors feel more plush.

It's also worth noting that the Countryman doesn't have conventional instrument dials behind the steering wheel. The S, JCW and Level 1 pack-equipped C have a head-up display that projects your speed and other information onto a piece of perspex on the dashboard. Otherwise, you have to glance across at the infotainment screen.

Up front, there's a lot of head, leg and elbow room. As for the rear, there's enough leg room for a six-footer to stretch out when sitting behind someone of similar height, with a bit more space than the XC40. There’s plenty of foot space under the front seats and rear head room is generous, too. As a bonus, there’s a relatively comfy seat for the middle passenger.

Behind the rear seats, the Countryman has a 460-litre boot, which is officially bigger than the Volvo XC40's. However, we squeezed in just five carry-on suitcases in the Countryman, whereas the XC40 took seven and the Tiguan nine.

To help you fit more in, the rear seatbacks split and fold in a 40/20/40 configuration, as they do in a Tiguan. That's more useful than the 60/40 layout in many rivals – including the XC40 – because it means you can carry long, narrow items between two rear passengers. Cars with the Level 1 pack have a second row that tilts and slides forward and backwards, too.

Trims and equipment: The Countryman’s trim levels are quite confusing because there are three standard trims and three option packs to choose from.

The standard trims consist of Classic, Exclusive and Sport. Entry-level Classic is reasonably well equipped, offering 17in alloy wheels, keyless start, two-zone climate control, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, and a reversing camera as standard.

Exclusive trim adds 18in alloys, more upmarket interior finishes, a heated steering wheel and a broader choice of exterior paint colours.

Sport is the range-topping option, adding a JCW styling kit, sports suspension, a sports steering wheel and sport seats.

Along with the standard trim levels, there are three option packs: Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. Level 1 comes with the more powerful S and JCW versions; it includes a 54-litre petrol tank (instead of a 45-litre one), keyless entry, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, heated front seats and sliding and reclining second-row seats.

Level 2 gives you adaptive cruise control, rear privacy glass, a panoramic glass sunroof and a Harman Kardon sound system upgrade. For a few more luxuries, Level 3 offers electrically adjustable front seats (with a massaging function) and an augmented-reality view for the sat-nav.

"I tried a Countryman without the head-up display and it was a bit tiresome having to look at the infotainment screen for the speed. I’d seek a C with the Level 1 pack if you can." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

If you're interested in buying a used Mini Countryman or any of the cars we've mentioned, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at a great price.

To find out more about the Countryman as a new car, you can read our Mini Countryman review. Alternatively, you can head to our Mini Countryman Electric review if an electric SUV is more your thing.

Used examples of the Mini Countryman typically start at around £24,000 for 2024 and 2025 models. At this level, most cars are low-mileage Countryman C variants in Classic trim, usually without the Level 1 pack.

If you’re after a Countryman C with the Level 1 pack – or one in Exclusive or Sport trim – you’ll need to budget from roughly £26,000. Prices rise further for the Cooper S, which generally starts at around £28,000, while the range-topping JCW models command the highest prices, from about £32,000.

For the Countryman Electric, a 2024 E car starts from £25,000 in Classic trim and £28,000 in Exclusive. For SE models, budget at least £28,000 for Classic and £30,000 for Exclusive.

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MPG and charging

The 1.5-litre C is the most efficient version of the Countryman. According to official tests, it can average up to 47.9mpg, but we managed 37.2mpg in real-world driving. Officially, the Cooper S can average up to 42.8mpg. The JCW is the least efficient on paper, averaging up to 36.2mpg.

For the Countryman Electric, a maximum charging speed of up to 130kW means a 10-80% charge will take around half an hour. That’s on a par with the Enyaq, Model Y and Q4 e-tron.

Road tax

All Countrymans are subject to the current flat rate fee of road tax, which stands at £200. Versions costing more than £40,000 new, which includes the JCW and high-spec versions of the S, are subject to a £440 luxury car tax surcharge. This is paid for five years from the second year of registration.

Insurance and servicing

The Countryman spans insurance groups 20 to 30, depending on the version. That means it will cost around the same as the Tiguan and XC40 to insure, which sit in similar groups.

If a car hasn’t had its first service yet, owners can purchase the Mini Service Inclusive plan. It’s available on cars that are less than two years old, but with less than 18,000 miles on the clock. It covers service costs for up to five years and 62,000 miles, with prices starting from £910 for regular versions and £970 for JCW models.

For cars that don’t meet that criteria, Mini offers a separate service plan for the Countryman. For this, we were quoted £899.64 for two services across three years. By comparison, we were quoted £743.76 for two services across two years for a Tiguan.

Warranty

From new, the Countryman comes with a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. That’s a bit better than the three-year, 60,000-mile offerings from VW and Volvo, but Kia offers cover for up to seven years or 100,000 miles.

Safety

The Countryman received a full five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP in 2024, which is a match for the Tiguan. Both cars were tested in the same year under similar conditions.

Every Countryman comes with automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-keeping assist, traffic-sign recognition and an emergency call function (eCall) as standard.

Reliability

The 2024-present Countryman is too new to have featured in the 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey, but its predecessor – a close relative – has a strong reliability record. As a brand, Mini also performed very well overall, finishing second out of 30 manufacturers in 2025 and topping the rankings in 2024.

To find out more about used Mini Countryman reliability, visit our dedicated reliability page.

Engine

The 1.5-litre C is our recommended engine. It’s punchy enough for everyday driving, yet it’s more efficient and cheaper to buy than the Cooper S. The JCW isn’t fun enough (or cheap enough) to be our favourite.

Specification

Although Classic is typically the most affordable trim, models fitted with the Level 1 pack – and the useful head-up display – end up costing about the same as mid-spec Exclusive. Since the Exclusive trim includes the Level 1 pack and additional features as standard, it represents the better choice.

Our favourite Mini Countryman: 1.5C MHEV Exclusive

The Hyundai Tucson is one of our favourite used family SUVs. It’s very spacious in the back seats and boot, making it a practical choice. It’s also really well equipped and excellent value on the used market, coming in less than its closest rivals. A range of petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid engine options adds further appeal, as does its five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty.

A close relative of the Tucson is the Kia Sportage. It’s a touch more expensive than its sibling, but it’s less than the Countryman. It’s a comfortable car to drive, too, with a comfortable ride, a good driving position and a smart interior. It’s available with a wide range of engines, while a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty should keep running costs down.

If you like the idea of a premium-badged family SUV, the Volvo XC40 is an excellent choice. It’s been around for a few years now, so it’s great value used, yet you get a high-quality interior, plenty of space, lots of safety kit and a comfortable ride. It’s a brilliant all-rounder, although its reliability score has dipped in our most recent reliability survey.

The Volkswagen Tiguan is a spacious, practical and comfortable choice. However, the 2024-present version finished in last place out of 73 family SUVs in our 2025 reliability survey. For that reason, we can't recommend it.

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If you're interested in buying a used Mini Countryman or any of the cars we've mentioned, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at a great price.