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The 2025 MINI Countryman SE arrives as the brand’s most spacious battery-powered model yet, yet it still feels unmistakably MINI from the moment you step aboard. Broad shoulders and squared-off arches disguise the crossover’s grown-up proportions while subtle bronze accents and slim Union Jack tail-lamps give the bodywork genuine presence on the street. Open the doors and you’re met by an interior that mixes playful geometry with grown-up materials: woven fabric sweeps across the dashboard, bronze detailing echoes the roof rails, and a circular OLED display floats ahead like a high-tech porthole. Despite minimal soft-touch plastics, the cabin feels considered rather than austere, with supportive leather seats and intuitive toggle switches keeping the driver focused on the road.
Press the starter and dual electric motors summon a combined 308 bhp and a stout 364 lb ft of torque, enough to spirit the five-door from rest to motorway pace in under five seconds when Go-Kart mode is engaged. The steering rack is quick and communicative for a crossover of this height, and the chassis settles into corners with surprising composure, helped by well-judged damping that saps harsh edges without surrendering body control. It is more polished than the low-slung hatches that built MINI’s reputation, yet still manages to deliver the nimble responses enthusiasts expect.
A 64.6 kWh battery beneath the floor contributes to a declared 212-mile range, and real-world use shows that figure to be attainable with mixed driving. Plug into a rapid DC charger and the pack rises from 10 to 80 per cent in roughly half an hour at up to 130 kW. Pre-conditioning the cells for fast charging is possible via the infotainment system or automatically when navigating to a public charger, although the manual shortcut can be a little fussy about when it plays ball.
On everyday roads, the Countryman SE proves easy-going, refined and genuinely enjoyable. Visibility is generous, the ride is supple over scarred tarmac, and the compact footprint slips comfortably through tight city streets. Even after extended stints behind the wheel, the cabin remains quiet, wind noise kept in check by flush glazing and careful aero sculpting, while the drivetrain’s seamless surge makes urban stop-and-go almost effortless.
MINI traditionalists may question the model’s size, yet living with it reveals a car that balances practicality, character and driver engagement more deftly than many rivals. With spirited performance, sensible charging times and an interior that blends charm with modern tech, the Countryman SE shows that embracing a larger canvas need not dilute the essence that makes a MINI worth taking the long way home.
