The Mini Countryman has received a facelift to give the versatile Mini SUV a shot in the arm against ever tough competitors
The front gets a new design with a newly designed radiator grille and full colour bumper designs. LED headlamps and LED fog lamps are now standard across the range. Adaptive LED headlamps with variable light distribution and matrix function for high beam are available as a newly added option. New 17-inch alloy wheel designs come standard with options of up to 19-inch in size. The rear gets new LED lights in Union Jack design whilst the rear bumper also receives mild design tweaks. Typical Mini, there are loads of options that allow buyers to tailor-make their car to their style whilst varying colour options range between standard and metallic.
The Mini Countryman differs from all other Minis in that it’s an SUV and as such spaciousness are important attributes for the buyer. The new Mini has received interior design changes in the form of a new digital cockpit display with 5-inch colour screen as standard. A sports multi function leather steering wheel now comes standard across the range with sport models also getting the option of shift paddles.
The central mounted, colour infotainment screen comes in 8.8-inches and is touch controllable. The standard Connected Media and optional Connected Navigation Plus are available as an alternative to the basic configuration. There are new leather seats with the option of electrical adjustment and memory functions for the front seats. The rear seats can be split 40:20:40 or folded flat for additional loading space rising from 450 to 1390 litres. Selective customisation of the interior is also possible with varying entertainment systems available. The MINI Cooper S Countryman now comes as standard with Piano Black interior surfaces for the cockpit and door bezels combined with accentuation strips in the variant British Oak dark.
The engines range remains the same with the entry level Cooper 1.5-litre 3-cylinder Turbo engine giving 100kW whilst the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder Turbo engine in the Cooper S gets 141kW. The JCW Cooper S retains the 225kW 2.0-litre 4-cylinder Turbo engine driving all 4 wheels whilst the Cooper and Cooper S are front driven. Standard across the range is the 7-speed Steptronic with double clutch. Combined fuel consumption is claimed at 6.7l/100km for the Cooper and 6.3 l/100 km for the Cooper S with respective CO2 emissions of 153 and 143 g/km.
The new MINI Countryman is equipped with Intelligent Emergency Call with automatic detection of vehicle location and accident severity, as well as MINI TeleServices. The Connected Media option includes a wide range of MINI Connected digital services. Real Time Traffic Information service as well as the internet platform MINI Online and preparation for Apple CarPlay is also available. No mention from Mini Mzansi on when the New Mini Countryman will be available but dealers should be able to start orders between June and July 2020.