Electric MINI Countryman SE ALL4 Conquers Wild Iceland Coast

Iceland has long been a dream route for anyone who loves wide-open landscapes, and the all-electric MINI Countryman SE ALL4 feels right at home there. Leaving Munich behind, this battery-powered SUV covers thousands of kilometres on its way north, taking in German motorways, Danish roads and a long North Sea ferry crossing before rolling onto Icelandic soil. What starts as a road trip soon becomes a proper test of car and driver, with geysers, glaciers, lava fields and remote fjords all on the itinerary.

This is no standard soft-roader, either. The Countryman SE ALL4 is prepared for the island’s rough tracks with chunky off-road tyres, a roof rack carrying a spare wheel, sand plates, a spade and a jack – the sort of kit you need when the tarmac runs out and the scenery turns properly wild. Beneath the rugged add-ons sits a dual-motor electric powertrain delivering 230 kW (313 hp) and 494 Nm of torque to all four wheels, backed by a battery capable of up to 432 kilometres on the WLTP cycle. Even with the extra drag of the roof gear and all-terrain rubber, the MINI still covers long stretches between stops, and its 130 kW rapid-charging capability means a coffee break is usually enough to add a serious chunk of range.

The journey itself is anything but gentle. The ferry from Hirtshals to Seyðisfjörður pitches through heavy seas with waves over eight metres high, and Iceland greets the crew with snow flurries, low cloud and sub-zero temperatures. Yet once the MINI heads inland, the landscape opens up into a dramatic mix of black lava rock, bright green slopes and endless daylight, with the midsummer sun hanging in the sky even past midnight. After a long first push on Icelandic roads, the Countryman SE ALL4 arrives at its hotel in brilliant sunshine despite the late hour, calmly proving its touring ability in demanding conditions.

Next comes the serious off-road work on Route 622 in the Westfjords – a narrow, rocky coastal track that’s considered one of the country’s toughest, complete with scree sections that can only be tackled at low tide. By now, the ‘Blazing Blue’ paint is caked in dust and mud, but the MINI’s charisma is undimmed. Favoured Trim bronze accents, the roof rack and those chunky tyres make it stand out in remote villages, while the electric drive system quietly hauls it over meadows, through water crossings and along clifftop paths. Progress is steady rather than frantic, protecting range and allowing the car to pick its way over ruts and stones with confidence.

In the end, nature has the final say. Storm damage has ripped out the final beach section of Route 622, leaving even the best-prepared vehicles with no way through, no matter how many sand plates or shovels are to hand. But by that point, the MINI Countryman SE ALL4 has already made its point. From Munich to Iceland and deep into the Westfjords, it has shown that an all-electric compact SUV can take on serious distances, rough tracks and harsh weather without losing its sense of fun or its composure. Fully electric and genuinely capable, it proves that the Countryman badge suits this adventurous route every bit as much as it does the school run.