MINI Countryman (2027)

What Car? is moderately positive about the MINI Countryman, calling it a competent and practical family SUV rather than a thrilling one. It praises the spacious rear seats, flexible 40:20:40 folding and sliding arrangement, easy visibility, comfortable ride, strong entry-level engine, and extensive personalization. However, the review criticizes the hesitant automatic gearbox, hard interior plastics, touchscreen-only climate controls, awkward infotainment layout, limited standard lumbar support, and costly options. Its conclusion is that the Countryman covers everyday needs well and looks reasonably good value in sensible trims, but the Volvo XC40 feels more refined and the Volkswagen Tiguan is roomier.

Motormouth is strongly positive about the 2025 MINI Countryman’s fun, confident driving character. The Countryman S feels quick, well-controlled, and surprisingly practical, with excellent visibility, more rear-seat and cargo space, and a notably richer cabin. Its playful drive modes and standard features add personality and value, while the electric and JCW variants broaden its appeal. Still, the dual-clutch can feel jerky, the large touchscreen replaces useful physical controls, 20-inch wheels may compromise ride comfort, and the exterior design earns blunt criticism as awkward. Overall, it’s recommended for buyers who prioritize character and driving enjoyment over conventional styling or maximum value.

David Taylor is warmly impressed by the third-generation MINI Countryman, especially its bold styling, clever cabin features, practicality, and efficient Countryman C. He enjoys the customizable lighting themes and tailgate designs, while finding the larger cabin and 450-liter boot genuinely useful for family life. However, he criticizes the screen-focused interior for lacking a conventional instrument cluster and being unintuitive to operate. Although he likes the more powerful Countryman S, he considers it poor value over the C, which feels lively enough, uses roughly 6.5–7 L/100 km, and offers the smarter buy.

Saabkyle04 is very impressed by the 2027 MINI Countryman S ALL4. He praises its punchy 241-hp turbo engine, confident handling, effective brakes, roomy and flexible rear seat, and much-improved cargo capacity. The customizable OLED-centered cabin feels distinctive, modern, and playful, though he misses physical climate controls and paddle shifters, dislikes the hidden exhaust tips, and finds some interior materials less plush than before. Larger 20-inch wheels sharpen the look but worsen impact harshness. Overall, he views it as a genuinely fun, practical, family-friendly compact SUV with a few enthusiast and refinement compromises.

Mat Watson is broadly positive about the MINI Countryman, recommending most versions while passing on the JCW. He praises its distinctive design, customizable lighting, spacious and flexible rear seats, practical boot, solid construction, smooth gearbox, and clever features such as Boost mode, reversing assistance, and onboard cameras. However, the JCW’s firm, fidgety ride, tramlining, modest-feeling acceleration, imperfect ergonomics, laggy infotainment, small climate controls, and noisy cabin temper the appeal. His verdict is to shortlist the Countryman as a quirky, reasonably practical family SUV, ideally in a softer-riding non-JCW version.

Ben Hardy is strongly impressed by the MINI Countryman, calling it practical without losing its distinctive personality. He praises the responsive 241-hp turbocharged engine, abundant torque, comfortable suspension, upscale-feeling interior, playful drive modes, and unmistakably MINI styling. The BMW X1-related underpinnings are viewed positively, particularly for engine performance, while the larger body brings welcome everyday usability. Hardy’s main reservations are modest rear-seat space, a not-quite-full MINI go-kart feel, and the infotainment’s reliance on screen controls. Overall, he sees the Countryman as a genuinely special, well-balanced alternative to ordinary compact crossovers.

Steven is highly positive about the 2027 MINI Countryman S ALL4, praising its quirky personality, distinctive design, comfortable seats, clever cabin details, strong tech, and genuinely useful family practicality. He especially enjoys the playful experience modes, responsive 241-hp turbo engine, and go-kart-style driving that makes the SUV feel engaging without sacrificing cargo space or rear-seat comfort. His reservations are meaningful but limited: the base audio system is weak, manual seats feel inappropriate at this price, the touchscreen climate controls are distracting, and road noise and ride harshness reduce refinement. Overall, he enthusiastically recommends it for buyers wanting character over conventional luxury polish.

KIWI GT is strongly positive about the MINI Countryman JCW, finding that its larger size hasn’t erased the brand’s playful character. They enjoy the bold styling, exceptionally sharp circular OLED display, customizable MINI Experience modes, quirky details, roomy cabin, direct steering, and surprisingly agile handling. The SUV feels smaller and more entertaining than expected, while its performance is brisk rather than breathtaking. Criticisms include the polarizing exterior, questionable fabric dashboard practicality, merely adequate boot space, and artificial exhaust sound. Ultimately, its biggest strength is emotional: after a week, it felt fun to see, drive, and live with, while undercutting comparable German rivals.

CarJuice is enthusiastic about the 2027 MINI Countryman, calling it a polished, “cool mom car” with strong value potential. The reviewer praises its smooth, quiet ride, 241-hp turbo engine, improved fuel economy, roomy back seat, premium cabin, excellent technology, and playful go-kart mode. Downsides include awkward door handles, touchscreen-only climate controls, a relatively small trunk, mild launch hesitation, and likely depreciation. At $46,000, the fully loaded Iconic feels somewhat expensive, but trimming options toward $42,000—or leasing—makes the Countryman a compelling, stylish alternative to more conventional compact SUVs.