The mini has been extended into a family SUV.
It is very different from the original species, but the ancestral DNA can still be detected.
Here, in a powerful JCW/Mini petrol version
Estimated price:
around NIS 300,000
Competitors:
Audi Q3, Mercedes EQA, Volvo XC40, BMW X1
We liked it, Electric Countryman:
passenger compartment, usability, engine, driving comfort
We didn't like it, Electric Countryman:
rugged exterior design, driving range
We liked it, Countryman JCW gasoline:
sporty behavior, cabin, usability, engine
We didn't like it, Countryman JCW gasoline:
rugged exterior design, no longer a mini
Score:
8.0/10 gasoline, 8.5/10 electric
The atmosphere that prevails at international launches is always proud and proud, as if for a car The new one has no flaws.
Even at the launch of the third generation Mini Countryman, pride was shown in the new vehicle, but there was also a slight tone of apology floating between the lines;
"Yes, he is less 'sexy' but still, he is cheerful and charismatic", or: "He may be a little less cute, but provides a useful answer to our old customers" and other talk, which makes it clear that this time explanations are requested.
The JCW is black with red trim, no chrome trim.
Very quick on the road, but doesn't have the delightful agility of the early minis/minis
Mini Minor 1959. Genius/Manufacturer's website
The first Mini was a miniature vehicle with a length of 3.05 meters, and a weight of 587 kilograms;
It was the British interpretation of the German Beetle and the French De Chaux, designed by the genius engineer Sir Alec Issigounis.
He designed the Mini in a revolutionary configuration for those years, with a front transverse engine, a side radiator and other innovations.
The Mini was a great success and in 1964 racing driver John Newton Cooper decided to launch an improved version for the prestigious Monte Carlo Rally.
Cooper's Mini had only 90 hp (compared to 180-250 horses for the Mercedes, Saabs and Cortinas that competed against it), but it won the rally race.
Since then, many versions of the Mini, regular, sporty and oversize, have been produced - and today we meet the great The Mini people have an excellent explanation for the need to enlarge the car; "We have customers who are in love with this brand, where they spent their youth.
At the time they could get by in a tiny Mini Cooper but now they have a family, children and a dog.
We felt that we had to give them the option to stay with their favorite brand, so we increased the new Countryman by 13 centimeters."
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The square buttock is useful, although the trunk is not very large.
You can choose between several designs for the rear/mini lighting
Mini Countryman in the sporty John Cooper Works version was launched.
JCW is today the performance division of Mini, and their Mini is called the MINI JCW Countryman ALL4, armed with a 2.0-liter 300 hp gasoline engine. At the same time, an electric version MINI Countryman SE ALL4 with a power of 313 horsepower was presented. If these figures are somewhat familiar to you, you are not wrong; The infrastructure under the skin of the new Minis is the one we met in the BMW iX2 and 2X, which we wrote about a week ago; the Mini belongs to BMW, and the Countryman is built on the same UKL2 platform and armed with the same engines we met in the 2X. Both models are also produced side by side in Leipzig, Germany.An extreme example of the illusions of today's corporate era and global technology - from one platform we get four cars from two different brands, in addition to sub-models.
The electric version comes in a subtle and very pleasant color.
All versions have dual permanent/mini drive
Design:
The mechanical partnership between X2 and Mini makes the matter of design even more important and intriguing than usual.
It's hard to believe that both cars sit on the same mechanical base;
While the X2 exhibits an aggressive nose, a sloping sporty butt and a thin and elegant roof, the Countryman presents a tall and bulbous nose, a thickened roof and a square butt.
The cabin is spacious and airy.
The interior design is very invested, young and elegant, here in the JCW/Mini version
In the black-and-red tones of the JCW version, it is combative in appearance, with red trims that give it a sporty touch.
A thickened roof on which roof rails are installed stands out, with a square decorative surface behind the C-beam. Red touches also appear on the side mirrors, on the front and on the rear.
I wasn't crazy about the battle colors of the sporty JCW version, I liked much more the blue-gold shades of the streetcar that also arrived at the launch.
In the bow of the Countryman is placed a large grill devoid of chrome decorations, combat air intakes, large headlights.
The fenders bulge above the sporty tires but despite the JCW's increased dimensions and extroverted attitude, you still see Mini's design DNA.
It is no longer a playful and frantic puppy, but a more mature and family product - and considering the fact that under the Countryman there are plenty of 3- and 5-door versions, it seems that the idea of 'enlarging' is marketing correct.
It is easy to get in and out of the tall car, and enjoy a generous interior space with tall windows, which provide space and light.
In contrast to the ascetic Mini of the first years, the new Countryman offers a pampering and sophisticated living space for all members of the family/mini
Passenger cabin: as much as the exterior design is cubic and square, the British went for a light and youthful cabin in spirit.
The dashboard and doors are lined with recycled textiles that have a rough texture but pleasant to the touch, there is a judicious use of bold tarpaulin strips, and bronze-toned fittings.
The warm color of the electric version increases the 'mini effect', very pleasing to the eye.
JCW bombarded with visceral black-red hues, a pretense that is less connected to the human-friendly concept of the brand.
Everything is designed and invested, the air conditioner openings are controlled by levers designed as a large screw.
There is a row of physical switches designed in a British-retro style;
It's generally comfortable to operate, despite exceptions such as a keyless-start switch shaped like an old key (why?), a switch that's too small for parking, and other small quirks that aren't really annoying.
Who asked for a smartphone, and didn't get one?
You can choose from countless eye-catching designs for the central display, some of which also change the behavior and performance of the car/mini
The most prominent element is a round OLED display with a diameter of 24 centimeters (9.4 inches);
For a moment it looks like a second wheel, but it's not.
This is a very original dashboard, strange at first moments but very easy to get used to and even fall in love with.
The display is extremely clear and colorful, with plenty of options to customize the screen to your favorite design (they call it Experience) - sporty Go-Kart, colorful Vivid, Trail Mode that is not related to terrain, vintage design, navigation or computer games - everything is cute and colorful.
The choice between driving modes affects the gear change, steering, and the synthetic sound of the electric motor.
There is no separate dashboard behind the wheel, but there is a personal assistant that will be at your disposal if you call out 'Hey Mini'.
Contrary to the very invested design, the quality of the materials is not the highest and there are quite a few pieces of cheap plastic to touch.
The trunk is square and comfortable with a hidden compartment under the floor, but a volume of 505-1,530 liters is not impressive in the category of family crossovers.
The electric version has even less space, only 460 liters.
The design is sweet and nostalgic, but the quality of the materials is not always at the highest level.
Here, the air conditioner vents in the dashboard/mini
Electric motor - performance, range and charging:
Mini Countryman JCW is armed with the same two electric motors that we met in the BMW 2X.
They provide 313 hp and 49.4 kg, with AWD drive.
The 64.7 kWh battery should be enough for 450 kilometers, the real range may reach 350-400 kilometers.
With a fast charging of 130 kW, the electric mini can be charged from 0 to 80% in 30 minutes, or a few hours with a home charging of 22 kW.
The electric motors provide strong and linear acceleration, with quiet and refined operation.
Here, too, the acceleration from zero to 100 takes 5.6 seconds, which is completely satisfactory, although there are competitors who offer more power for less money (and faster charging).
I really liked the behavior of the electric mini, very suitable for the nature of the family/mini product
In Europe, an E version is also offered with front-wheel drive and a single engine, with a power of 204 hp. We have not driven it and we do not know if it will arrive in Israel, but it could provide a cheaper solution, strong enough for a non-sporty driver. There is nothing wrong with 8.6 seconds 0- 100, most customers will not feel the difference at all, and the E costs 12% less in Europe than the SE version we drove today; at the expected price levels, this reflects a savings of tens of thousands of shekels, which may convince a customer to buy the less powerful electric version, which also offers an improved driving range of approx. -50 kilometers.
The sporting potential is significant, despite the weight and large/mini dimensions
Gasoline engine - performance and fuel consumption:
the gasoline engine is also the same as the version we met in the 2X, two liters that provides 300 hp and 40 kg.
This is less than the electric version, but the gasoline version weighs about 300 kilograms less than the electric one.
Acceleration to 100 km/h will take only 5.4 seconds, with upshifts and rapid gear changes. We liked the sporty drama on board BMW's 35M, but here it is less appropriate. The massive and elevated feeling of the Countryman is less connected to driving for me Extreme sporty. If I wanted a sporty mini then I'd go for one of the smaller versions, in 2 or 4 doors. The manufacturer claims about 11.5 mpg but we only got 7.7, driving fairly fast.
Look how hot I am!/Mini
Comfort and road behavior:
the road behavior of the two countrymen is good and precise, and they know how to swallow a winding road at a higher speed than what will be required by most customers.
The car is generally quiet, except for wind noise coming from the side mirrors and synthetic engine sounds, which can be silenced.
The steering is direct and linear, the suspension keeps the chassis balanced and tight.
The basic tire size is 245/45R19, but at launch they locked 245/40R20 tires with a lower and stiffer section.
This hampered ride comfort in the sporty JCW, with the car crashing over serious asphalt ruts.
The electric version was more comfortable and pleasant, due to a relatively soft calibration of the suspension and, of course, another 300 kilograms on board.
The behavior of the gasoline is sharper and more precise, but this is a potential that does not connect so well with the cubic structure and family dimensions of the Countryman.
I prefer the behavior of the electric version because with a 2-ton weight and such a long wheelbase, this Mini can no longer be the frantic driving machine we remember from the past - at least here we get a vehicle suitable for family use.
Let's just hope that the importer to Israel will also offer the option of 245/45R19 tires which are more comfortable, and less prone to damage.
We note that the basic E version offers 17-inch rims, this may be an even more comfortable option.
Adventurous customers will be able to sail to new territories but with 17 inches of headroom, don't develop excessive/mini space expectations
The bottom line:
As someone who drove a tiny 68-hp Mini Minor in his early years, I also have a warm spot in my heart for the bastard car it was then, but today it irritates me a little - how much can you continue to grow and still be called a 'mini'? How long can you wear makeup Fashionable and tattoos, when you're already a big and respectable lady? That's how I felt about the new Countryman, but I also understand the desire of the British and the Germans who run them to keep the loyalty of their customers, who have become family owners.
The cabin is the highlight of the new Countryman/Mini
It is not yet known what the Mini Countryman prices will be in Israel, but it is clear that it will not be another ordinary crossover - we can expect prices that will only start around NIS 300,000, which will limit the sales potential.
The attractiveness of the Mini Countryman will be based on the lovers of the British brand, and on young people at heart who will be turned on by the creative and unique passenger cabin.
The combination of the young fragrance with family usefulness may generate sales, so the importer hopes.
I can recommend to Delek Motors not to focus only on the most expensive and powerful versions - in the Countryman version the Mini cannot be a sporty and refined car, and there are many advantages to the base models: they are cheaper and more economical, and in many cases also more comfortable to drive.
On the technical side/Wala! system, screenshot
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