IAA Mobility 2023: Mini presents the new Countryman

Let's start with the measurements and the core statement: The 4,433 mm long, 1,843 mm wide, and 1,656 mm high MINI Countryman is said to be "a stylish multitasker and a roomy everyday companion all at once." The wheelbase grew to 2,692 mm, and our first seating test revealed: Enough space for four, including luggage! The driver and front passenger gain noticeably more space in the new Countryman with nearly three centimeters of additional shoulder and elbow room. The rear seats also grow by 2.5 centimeters in shoulder width. Feels like a classic midsize SUV!

New: First Mini made in Germany and electrified for the first time

The 150 kW/204 hp electric motor of the Countryman E achieves a torque of 250 Nm, accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.6 seconds, and reaches a top speed of 170 km/h. With 230 kW/313 hp, the electric motors of the all-wheel-drive Countryman SE ALL4 achieve a combined torque of 494 Nm, accelerate the vehicle from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds, and reach a top speed of 180 km/h. The battery has a net energy content of 66.45 kWh. This allows the Countryman E to achieve a WLTP-tested range of up to 462 kilometers, and the Countryman SE ALL4 up to 433 kilometers, realistically probably closer to 400 and 350 km – but this is sufficient for most non-ambitious uses. Instead of coming from Born in the Netherlands, the new model now comes from Leipzig, essentially a "Saxon without an anchor."

AC charging with up to 22 kW

The battery can be charged with alternating current at 22 kW. Fast charging with direct current is possible in both fully electric models at 130 kW. According to Mini, this means that around 30 minutes at an HPC station is sufficient to charge the battery from 10 percent to 80 percent. By actively navigating to a fast-charging station via Mini navigation, the high-voltage battery is preconditioned to the ideal temperature for efficient charging depending on weather conditions. This can significantly reduce charging time, especially in cold outdoor temperatures.

Stefanie Wurst, Head of Mini, explains:

 "With the all-electric MINI Countryman, the largest model in the new Mini vehicle family leads the brand into an era of locally emission-free electromobility. The first MINI built in Germany also stands for maximum environmental compatibility in production. Its versatility and powerful electric drive make it the perfect companion in the city and for adventures beyond."

Visually, Oliver Heilmer, Head of Mini Design, did a lot to make the car look "cleaner" and slimmer – although in the base model it tends towards Dacia, as less complex surfaces bring coolness but also save tool costs, and the fine line between "simple" and "simplistic" is as thin as the typo in that word, but: The Countryman remains very distinctive, both inside and out, and we like that. Because there are already plenty of bland SUVs elsewhere.

Incidentally, the aerodynamics could be optimized to a drag coefficient of 0.26, compared to 0.31 for its predecessor. This is helped by the clear design of the surfaces, the slightly curved roof with seamless integration of the newly designed trim-specific C-pillar, and the characteristic surrounding black band that supports the modern exterior design. The distinctive C-pillar element creates a new, highly visible stage for differentiating various models, options, and upcoming editions. This is somewhat reminiscent of the Land Rover Defender, so to speak, an ex-ex-relative...

The front is dominated by the new octagon-shaped grille: A particularly small radar sensor is seamlessly integrated into its surface, enhancing the functionality of the driver assistance systems. In the new model generation, the Countryman is the first vehicle with Level-2 assistance systems that enable semi-automated driving.

No more chrome here either

Mini has also replaced chrome with silver accents on the Countryman. This looks cleaner, saves money, and helps with recycling. This is already noticeable on the wheels, which are up to 20 inches in size and partly made from recycled material.
 

New: Displays centralized and in the Head-Up area only

The dashboard here does away with an additional display behind the steering wheel. All relevant information is projected onto the optional head-up display. This reduction to the essentials opens up the view forward and defines the spacious interior with cleverly designed, high-quality components – here, too, you'll find entirely new and great approaches and notice, if you're a bit familiar, the effort to save a few more cents...

Very pleasant and warm: The dashboard, like in the new Mini Cooper, comes in the Classic, Favoured, and JCW trims, for the first time also made of textile surfaces. Warm and pleasant materials really create a feel-good atmosphere. A specially developed knitting process creates the easy-care, versatile structure of the two-tone designed textile made from recycled polyester. The optional panoramic glass roof makes the interior especially bright and friendly; the front half can be opened.

Variable rear seat brings flexibility, also helps with up to 1.2-ton towing capacity

The rear seat of the Countryman is variable: The position of the rear seat row can be adjusted by up to 13 centimeters in length. The backrest of the three rear seats can also be adjusted individually in six positions by up to 12° degrees. This allows the seat to either invite relaxation or support an upright sitting posture. The trunk, with 460 liters to up to 1,450 liters of volume, can easily hold bulky items when the rear seats are folded down. An additional floor compartment comfortably accommodates the charging accessories of the fully electric Countryman. Unfortunately, there was no space for a frunk under the front hood. The trailer hitch can be electrically extended and retracted. The towing capacity is up to 1,200 kg.

Highly customizable: The Interaction Unit with the latest (BMW) Operating System

The central OLED display sets a new accent with its high resolution and first-time round shape: The center icon defines the interior and extends the classic round instrument of the predecessor model through an entirely new haptic and versatile functions. As a combination instrument, the Interaction Unit aims to be both an experience and a comfort center. Thanks to the Mini Operating System 9, all vehicle functions can be intuitively operated by touch or voice. The Operating System 9 is a proprietary development of the BMW Group and is based on an Android Open Source Project (AOSP) software stack. The operation is intuitive, modeled after familiar standards from the consumer electronics sector. The display in the newly designed cockpit is closer to both front seats and particularly easy to reach. The diameter of the thin touch display with a high-quality glass edge and a diameter of 240 mm is reminiscent of the familiar standards from smartphones.

The graphical representation of the content is modern and focused on the essentials. In the upper area, relevant vehicle-related information such as speed and battery level is displayed. By pressing on the speed display, a decidedly large display with a full-screen speedometer appears, clearly focusing on driving.

Also in the Mini: More swiping, less button pressing

 In the home menu, the other widgets are displayed in miniature view to the left and right of the current menu function. They can be swiped horizontally into the center and selected. The menu items for navigation, media, phone, and climate control are always directly selectable at the bottom of the OLED display. All other functions can be accessed via the menu similarly to a smartphone. Pressing the home button brings the display back to the home screen.

Mini Experience Modes for optional immersive driving experiences

The optional Mini Experience Modes enhance the interior experience through a projector unit behind the round instrument. This illuminates the dashboard with special light graphics in different patterns and colors, depending on the choice of Experience Mode. The ambient lighting throughout the vehicle is aligned in color with the projected light patterns. In combination with the newly created MINI Driving Sounds in the fully electric Countryman and specific graphic elements in the OLED display, a leap has been made compared to the predecessor.

Technology from the World of Home Entertainment

This immersive user experience expands the new Mini Countryman with entirely new possibilities for customization. For instance, in Personal Mode, an individual image can be set as the display background via the Mini App. A digital color picker then identifies the dominant colors of the photo
for projection onto the textile dashboard surfaces. The ambient lighting under the dashboard and in the door mirrors also aligns color-wise with the projections.

Specially designed dynamic backgrounds make the different Experience Modes appear particularly lively. Subtle light movements support the various options of the eight modes without distracting from driving. Each mode focuses on a “Mode App” that fits the ambient conditions on the display.

The Redesigned Toggle Bar: A Classic Carry-Over

Beneath the dashboard, the new MINI Countryman looks especially tidy and full of history. The design of the newly redesigned toggle bar highlights the different functions with five individually designed toggle switches. This makes the most important driving functions (parking brake, gear selector, start/stop key, experience mode toggle, volume control) directly accessible. Additionally, this eliminates the gear selector in the center console, making room for practical and spacious storage options.

This includes the larger diameter cupholders and a new, generous storage area beneath the toggle bar. Smartphones can be stored there easily accessible and simultaneously charged wirelessly. Starting from the “Favoured Trim” equipment variant, a storage box with a matching knit cover is also available as standard.

The Voice Assistant Got Smarter; It Can Automatically Open the Window at the Barrier in the Parking Garage

In the new Countryman, numerous functions can be controlled with the brand’s first fully-fledged voice assistant. To facilitate smoother communication, verbal commands should be transmitted without delay and visualized on the display. This allows navigation, telephony, entertainment, and numerous vehicle functions to be controlled effortlessly by voice.

The Intelligent Personal Assistant is designed to continuously learn through dialogue and takes over everyday tasks on repetitive routes. For example, based on geo-based data, the vehicle can learn to automatically open the window upon entering the parking garage, making everyday routines more comfortable and personal.

The Assistance Systems Have Also Been Noticeably Expanded

In addition to the well-known automatic active cruise control, the steering and lane assistant supports lateral guidance and is part of the optional Driving Assistant Plus package. In the extensive Driving Assistant Professional options package, a new feature assists the driver with partially automated Level 2 driving to take the correct exit. Based on the vehicle sensors and other assistance systems, the assistant identifies necessary gaps in traffic for lane changes and adjusts the vehicle’s speed for supported lane changes.

Carried over from BMW: For the first time, partially automated driving on highway-like routes at speeds of up to 60 km/h is also possible. Up to this speed, the driver can take their hands off the steering wheel, provided they continue to monitor traffic attentively. The driver must always be ready to steer and brake actively. The function builds on other driver assistance systems and takes over both longitudinal and lateral guidance within the lane.

All the options of the enhanced driver assistance systems are visualized in real-time through Assisted View on the OLED display. The comprehensibility of control suggestions by the Driving Assistant systems simplifies the use of the new driver assistance systems.

Even Easier Parking, Even with a Trailer

A new trailer assistant helps with parking a trailer as standard and provides guidance for the necessary steering angle when reversing. In addition to automatic parking functions and a 360-degree parking view, the new Countryman can more clearly identify potential parking spaces through 12 ultrasonic sensors and four surround-view cameras and initiate space-constrained parking maneuvers independently. As part of the optional Parking Assistant Plus, the vehicle can be parked via the new remote parking function using a smartphone. If the side space is too narrow, the Countryman can exit the parking space independently with this function, making it easier to get in.

In the center of the screen is the start menu, where personalized content can be swiped horizontally to be selected and started. The lower part of the screen features a fixed status bar with the menu items “Navigation,” “Media,” “Telephony,” “All Apps,” and contextually “Home,” which can be directly accessed. Also well-thought-out: the temperature for the driver and passenger is permanently displayed on the left and right edges of the screen. Climate control operation is always integrated on the top level in the Mini Interaction Unit and can be controlled both by touch and voice.

More Track and Wheelbase, but Less Go-Kart

The slightly increased track width and the expanded wheelbase form the basis for excellent driving dynamics. One can look forward to the first test drives – the predecessor was sometimes overly nervous, and BMW tends to compensate for the ever-growing sizes (and weights) with increasing stiffness… to create the Go-Kart feeling that is actually physically impossible here. Suiting the individual driving experience, the customer can choose between a balanced and comfortable or a particularly sporty chassis configuration. The Adaptive Suspension with a 15 mm lower ride height and frequency-selective dampers is available optionally. It features a purely mechanical suspension that adapts to road conditions and offers significant added value in terms of simultaneous vehicle control. Additionally, the 19" and 20" wheels can be combined with sport tires to optimize the vehicle's lateral and longitudinal dynamics. Optimized 17" aerodynamic wheels further increase the electric range of the all-electric Countryman with their particularly streamlined design. Based on experience, we rather recommend 17-inch and standard...

With a rack ratio of 55mm rack travel per steering wheel rotation, it is supposed to offer a very direct steering feel. And the braking sensation is described as “short” and “binding.”