[quickdraw]

Mini Countryman E

I'm a big Mini fan, so when the Mini Dealer (Bird Auto) offered to drop of the Countryman Electric for a week, how can I say no . I am currently looking to replace the Tiguan TDi which was purchased used from Spinny 5 years ago but now as it's approaching the decade mark it makes sense to sell it off otherwise the resale value will drop off a cliff. In total I had the car for around 10 days and covered 1000-1500kms in it. The reason there are 2 separate cars in the thread as they initially gave me the blue car and took it back for a photoshoot and gave me a black one.

Charging at JioPulse station

I've owned 2 Mini's in the past and you can find their ownership review below:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ip-review.html (Mini Cooper S Clubman (F54) JCW Ownership Review)

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...per-s-jcw.html (The legend of Shani the Mini - My Mini Cooper S JCW)

Gorgeous, Circular centre display

Likes:

• Cool welcome light animations on headlight and tail lights with multiple customisable modes
• Solid build quality – significantly better than the older model
• Thoughtfully designed interior which is modern and functional with lots of storage spaces
• Fabric dashboard with ambient lighting is nothing like I've experienced in any other car. I loved the woven interior with this material over the doors and other places. Night drives were especially fun with this interiors
• Responsive and fun to drive in city; Go-Kart mode is fun and it even makes the overrun crackle sounds like my other Minis with JCW kit (via speakers)
• Big Circular Infotainment Screen, it was bright and crisp. There is something about round screens which make them feel special. My child loved the Mini dog and animations that keep coming on it
• Fast charging works seamlessly (tested with JioPulse 60kW)
• Auto reversing feature is really nifty and works seamlessly
• Well built and everything from doors to interior is solid and good quality, no squeaks or rattles

Rear Legroom could have been better

Dislikes:

• Profile selection prompt appears at every startup which is annoying
• Rear seat legroom is quite limited compared to the cars size and I expected better since this is an EV
• Clunky software UX – Some of the functions needed multiple steps to get into
• Driver seat bottom is snug and not flat like the older model. Might not be to everyones preference
• Fake EV sounds interfered with music playback quality, thankfully can be turned off
• Issues with Wireless Airplay connectivity
• There was some software language update which was stuck so I couldnt use voice activated features
• No anti-glare functionality in mirrors, this seems to be becoming a trend in premium cars and worst example of cost cutting. Impacts night driving safety
• Suspension isn’t suited to broken roads or rough terrain
• No all-wheel drive version available in India

Loads of neat storage all around

Alternatives Considered

• BMW iX1
• Kia EV6
• Hyundai Ioniq 5
• BYD Sealion 7
• Volvo C40

Great city runabout, I took it instead of the Jimny for my workouts

On-Road Price & Discounts

I believe that Mini is offering discounts on this model which makes it very close to the price of the alternatives I've mentioned. And it's way more loaded and certainly 2 segments above in quality. Talk to your local dealer!

Feature Impressions – The Good & Bad

My son loved the interiors at night

The Good:

• Excellent heads-up display
• Beautiful ambient lighting projected onto the dashboard
• Steering-mounted controls are tactile and large
• Multiple wireless charging options and clever storage
• Has all the required safety equipment you would expect
• EV driving experience is good, you can attack gaps and overtake with ease

Boot Space is Great

The Not Good:

• I dont like the current BMW/Mini Software/Navigation too many menus to change something
• Profile login on every drive is a pain (not sure if this is because I had a demo car)
• AirPlay is occasionally unreliable
• Dashboard plastics in the front don't match the rest of car in quality

Personally I loved the design and styling of the car

Exterior Styling

• Stylish and modern, not overdone like modern BMWs and a great evolution on the Mini design language.
• Looks like a mix between a mid size SUV and crossover, stands out without being jarring. Exterior colour has a big impact on how this car looks
• Welcome light animations on headlights and tail lights super cool, the way they start dancing when you approach the car is a kids dream
• Pseudo-SUV stance with good presence. You wont get bullied on the road

Headlight Running Light shape can be changed

Build Quality

• Very well built car
• No squeaks or rattles
• I even could put my entire body weight on centre armrest and it didn't squeak. SOLID.

Wheels & Tyres

• Larger wheels with lovely rims design
• Ride is firm, likely due to runflats
• The supplied tires couldn't keep up under hard acceleration at times and I observed tramlining and wheelspin at times

Loved this fabric interiors

Interior Quality

• Fabric dashboard and doors looks and feels premium. Loved them.
• Projected ambient lights look modern and cool. My son loved it.
• Mixed feelings about some plastic finishes (especially dashboard center) where the speaker is located. Stuck out sorely as rest of the car is finished very well

Interior Space & Comfort

• Airy front cabin with good light ingress. Front seats are the place to be in this car
• Snug driver seat bottom (not uncomfortable, but not flat) might not be for everyone, would suggest you try this out before deciding
• Rear seat legroom is tight, unexpected from an EV
• Overall comfortable as it's solid and planted over good roads. Even highway speeds were a good feeling with minimal wind noise

Quirky and cool is how I would describe this car

Ergonomics & Driving Position

• Easy-to-use steering controls with a chunky steering
• HUD is a must have as the center-mounted speedo is unconventional
• Ergonomics are sorted after familiarization

Commanding view of the road

Some other key points to consider:

• Big side mirrors but night visibility affected due to lack of anti-glare
• Air conditioning I can't report on much since I had car in winter months
• Audio system is decent and sounds great, but impacted by the fake sound. Shutting that off meaningfully improves the SQ. But it isn't super loud
• Interior is super practical with multiple storage areas, one of the best usage of space I've seen in recent times. It includes multiple storage areas (with one of them like a small box), Fabric Lined wireless charging, small cubbys near centre console and even neat storage areas in the rear
• Powertrain is responsive and great for city driving, but it runs out of steam post 120km/h. Car feels a tad floaty and light beyond 120kph
• Cabin is quiet but not as silent as I've observed in Volvo EVs. With music on this is a non issue.
• Supports fast DC charging, I was only able to get it to charge at max ~60kW
• Ride is slightly firm but feels planted, this is not a car for bad roads as ride will be busy. Suspension is not jarring but not plush like the Volvo C40
• Turning radius is good and it's easy to manoeuvre. Steering is a bit vague but weighs up well in sports mode. It's fun to drive this car filtering through traffic
• Braking performance is good but feel and feedback isn't there, but I've noticed this in most EVs
• Ground clearance is good for city use but I wouldn't take this thing off road. It can handle mild rough patches.

Interiors are amazing at night

Other interesting titbits:

• It has heated steering which isn't really a must here in India but I appereciated it during Delhi winters when I had the car with me
• Interior camera is cool feature
  
  
  You can take selfies of the gang by waving
  
• Dog welcome animations are super cute and added to the character of the car
• Twist to start button is Uber cool
• Changing the 'experiences' completely transforms the look and feel of the screen and related sounds/ambient light. There were some cool retro themed dials which I loved
• Comfort access works like a breeze, powered tailgate is a must have
  

You can customise the pattern in the taillights and headlights

Final Thoughts

Although it's sad that some of our favourite car brands are going the electric way but driving the Countryman E gave me some hope. Its a genuinely fun and feature-rich electric crossover that’s a joy to drive, a perfect car for family/city use. This can be a great option for folks who want something different and full of character. Especially folks with young kids as it has the drama and razzmatazz to keep them interested and comes in some really quirky and cool shades. If you're looking for an EV in ~50 lakh range I strongly urge you to consider this car. The build quality and overall product is miles ahead of Hyundai/Kia/BYD and you can own it at night much more than what you would pay for the former.

Happy to answer any questions you might have. This review has been pending in my drafts for a while now and I'm glad to have posted it. Now need to complete and post the other reviews that I've been working on (BMW M4 Competition, Mercedes AMG A45S, Mercedes S450 4Matic) to name a few.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[thecarman]

How is the real world range?
How is the service experience?
Thanx

[gopa99]

Thanks for putting this up. What is the real world range and the battery tech for your ride? I think this version of BMW uses the pouch NMC cells, is that right?

[Utopian]

Minis are all about being unconventional and cool and I think the Countryman delivers full marks for both. Apart from the tyres being runlets, I think the sheer size would be making the ride hard. Downsizing with better profile would make things better. I also liked the blue better than the black, IMO it brings out the design better. This comes out pretty well, especially, in the first shot with that backdrop. Wondering where we have graffiti of this nature in Delhi.

[AdiSinghV12]

Great review there, summed up all the points accurately and can’t afford to miss cherishing the fact that the first time I drove a Mini it was in Chennai alongside you where we travelled together, what a fun trip it was and the moment I landed back I got a countryman! And now you post this and I have just got a Countryman EV yesterday.





I painted the grill in black as I felt the front grill looks too busy in the body colour

[quickdraw]

Originally Posted by thecarman

How is the real world range?

Originally Posted by gopa99

What is the real world range and the battery tech for your ride? I think this version of BMW uses the pouch NMC cells, is that right?

Real world range that I observed was around 420-450km with a heavy foot and regen off. I think with light pedal driving and regen you can easily squeeze out 500km range from it.

Originally Posted by AdiSinghV12

Great review there, summed up all the points accurately and can’t afford to miss cherishing the fact that the first time I drove a Mini it was in Chennai alongside you where we travelled together, what a fun trip it was and the moment I landed back I got a countryman! And now you post this and I have just got a Countryman EV yesterday.

I painted the grill in black as I felt the front grill looks too busy in the body colour

Yes, it was the Mini JCW launch, what an amazing trip it was and so serendipitous that you've got the Countryman back then and now. Congratulations on the ride, the body colour look indeed is looking better. Wishing you many happy miles.