MINI Countryman 2025 Review

In recent years, competition in the C-Segment SUV market has become increasingly intense. Consumers want the agility of compact models while also demanding higher standards in space, features, and off-road capability. The 2025 MINI Countryman S ALL4, launched locally this February, enters the market as the largest model in the MINI lineup, featuring a 2.0T+8AT powertrain, standard all-wheel drive across all variants, and a wealth of smart features, directly targeting family users who value balanced performance. This test drive focuses on its practicality, power response, and everyday driving comfort to see if this SUV, bearing the MINI badge, retains the brand's DNA while meeting the core needs of a family car.

The dimensions of the Countryman S ALL4 represent its most significant visual change. Its length of 4433mm and a wheelbase of 2692mm places it well outside the traditional small-car framework of MINI. The front end still exhibits MINI's iconic round headlights, but they are larger, paired with a blacked-out front grille and a trapezoidal air intake below, giving the overall design a tougher look compared to the older model. The vehicle retains the floating roof design along its side profile, with a character line extending from the front fenders to the taillights. The 20-inch alloy wheels paired with 245/40 R20 tires also make it visually more dynamic than its competitors. The rear features LED taillights with a smoked finish, and when lit up, they display MINI's distinctive ring-shaped light, making them highly recognizable. It's worth noting that black plastic cladding has been added to the lower body and wheel arches, enhancing the rugged SUV look.

Opening the door, the interior design continues MINI's family style, with a 9.4-inch OLED circular screen at the center of the dashboard serving as the visual focal point. The interface is smooth and offers good resolution, supporting both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. For interior materials, higher-spec models feature soft-touch surfaces and leather-wrapped elements, and the seats are made of a herringbone-patterned fabric combined with leather, offering a great tactile feel. The front seats come with power adjustment, lumbar support, and heating functions, while the rear seatbacks can be manually adjusted and have a 40:20:40 split-folding function. When folded down, the trunk's capacity increases from 460L to 1390L, catering to family storage needs on long trips. For a passenger 175cm tall, the rear legroom provides about two fists of space between their knees and the front seatbacks, and there’s about one fist and three fingers of headroom, making daily rides sufficiently spacious.

In terms of power, the 2025 Countryman S ALL4 is equipped with a 2.0T turbocharged engine, delivering a maximum power of 148kW (201PS) and a peak torque of 300N·m, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive system. During actual driving, the power response is very lively at the start, with the throttle pedal offering a sensitive calibration. The official 0-100km/h acceleration time is 7.4 seconds. For daily overtaking, simply stepping harder on the accelerator prompts the transmission to downshift quickly, providing smooth and strong power output. There are three driving modes: Comfort, Sport, and Eco. In Sport mode, the steering wheel becomes heavier, and the shifting logic is more aggressive, making it suitable for driving on mountain roads or highways. In Comfort mode, power output is more linear, making it ideal for daily urban commutes.

The suspension system uses a front MacPherson and rear multi-link independent suspension. The chassis tuning leans towards sportiness but also takes comfort into account. When driving on bumpy roads, the suspension filters out most small vibrations while retaining a certain level of road feel. When crossing speed bumps, the vehicle body doesn’t experience excess bouncing. The steering system is highly precise, with minimal play in the steering wheel. When cornering, the body roll is well-controlled, instilling strong confidence. The all-wheel-drive system performs very steadily on wet roads, maintaining good grip even when encountering water-covered sections, without any slippage.

In terms of fuel consumption, we drove 100 km on both urban roads and highways. The fuel consumption in urban areas is approximately 8.5L/100km, while on highways it’s around 6.8L/100km, resulting in a combined fuel consumption of 7.6L/100km. For a 2.0T all-wheel-drive model, this performance is considered average. As for noise control, tire and wind noise are relatively low during high-speed driving. Engine noise becomes noticeable in the cabin when the RPM exceeds 3000, though it’s not harsh. Overall, the insulation level is above average for its class.

In terms of safety features, the 2025 Countryman S ALL4 is equipped with six airbags, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, lane change assist, ACC adaptive cruise control, and a 360-degree panoramic camera system. These features are very practical for daily driving, especially the 360-degree panoramic camera, which is very beginner-friendly. The automatic parking function supports both perpendicular and parallel parking, with quick parking space detection and simple operation.

In summary, the core strength of the 2025 MINI Countryman S ALL4 lies in its balanced performance. It carries MINI’s sporty genes while also meeting family users’ needs for space and comfort. Compared to its counterparts, the BMW X1 and Audi Q3, the Countryman S ALL4 offers more features, and its guide price of 258,888 MYR provides greater value for money. If you’re a family user aged 25-40 focusing on space, features, and brand value, or if you’re looking for an SUV that can serve as both a daily commuter and a weekend getaway car, this model is worth considering. It’s especially suitable for those who want a sporty vibe without sacrificing practicality.

Overall, the 2025 MINI Countryman S ALL4 is a well-rounded C-Segment SUV. While retaining its brand characteristics, it has been optimized significantly to meet family users' needs, making it one of the most recommended models in its class.