MINI invited us to spend high quality time with the brand new Countryman in snowy Sweden the place the compact crossover arrived within the John Cooper Works taste. For the sake of readability, you’re trying on the precise efficiency model moderately than the namesake trim degree, which is all present with none further go. The best approach to inform them aside is by testing the rear of the car the place solely the true JCW mannequin has a quad exhaust setup.

A MINI solely in title, this third-generation Countryman (U25) isn’t a lot smaller than the most recent BMW X1 (U11). This crossover photographed in a winter wonderland in northern Europe is available in Midnight Black with crimson contrasting accents and elective 20-inch wheels. It’s lacking the elective hood stripes accessible in both crimson or black, but it surely does have the new John Cooper Works brand launched with the most recent JCW fashions.

The styling on the surface hasn’t modified all that a lot – it should be an immediately recognizable MINI in any case. The soar in dimension is obvious and in order for you a smaller crossover, the Aceman debuting subsequent month will slot beneath the Countryman. Nonetheless, the newcomer shall be an electric-only affair whereas its larger brother is available in gasoline, diesel, and EV flavors.

Talking of forms of propulsion, this era of the Countryman is probably going the final to come back with ICE energy. The Oxford-based marque desires to be absolutely electrical by round 2030, so there’s no time for one more crossover with gasoline and diesel powertrains. The BMW Group makes the U25 in Leipzig, Germany the place the X1 calls house. That Aceman we talked about earlier shall be initially assembled solely in China, however MINI will even construct the mannequin within the UK from 2026.

You possibly can think about the Countryman and X1 have rather a lot in widespread to scale back prices and velocity up improvement, however the crossovers do look considerably completely different in and out. One other necessary issue that separates these two is the supply of a plug-in hybrid for the X1 (xDrive25e and xDrive30e) whereas the Countryman doesn’t mix a combustion engine with an electrical motor anymore.

The BMW Group is overlaying all of the bases with the Countryman and X1 within the small crossover section, complemented by the brand new 3-Door and 5-Door MINI hatchbacks and the longer term 1 Collection and a pair of Collection Gran Coupe. Add into the combination the aforementioned Aceman and a long-wheelbase 2 Gran Coupe (F78) for China, the entry-level class is well-covered.