Words Tommaso Mogge / Photos Gian Romero

Timing – what a fantastic quality, provided you own it. But situations can be seen in two different ways, just like the famous glass which is ultimately both half empty and half full. While I am behind the wheel of the latest Countryman, MINI unveils what is now to be considered the properly-new Countryman. And when I say new, I really mean completely new. An overturned design that abandons the circular shapes of the headlights and everything that has characterized it until now, embracing squared lines for every millimeter of a larger car body, which definitively places it in the SUV category. Totally revised interiors and increasingly electric engines, but with still some internal combustion variants (fortunately).

Timing, in fact, not for talking about a model – the one that is now off the list – to be considered ready to become obsolete, but rather the opportunity for a last drive, a further way to test the exceptional value of one of the models on which few would have bet in 2010, the year of its first introduction, but which soon managed to put everyone on its side, especially those like us who have always said that the Countryman, the least mini MINI of them all, is perhaps the best one you can buy.

I am driving the SE, or rather the Plug-In Hybrid which combines the three-cylinder petrol engine with a 10 kWh battery, for a total power of 220 horses and a maximum torque of 385 Nm, in this case with All4 all-wheel drive combined with a 6-speed automatic gearbox. Space on board for people and objects, ride comfort and performance that do not preclude truly notable savings at the petrol pump. Speaking of the electric bit, it is possible to travel up to 50 kilometers with zero emissions, but what makes the SE really interesting is the ability of the two engines to interact with each other, resulting in average distances that are easily around 2.5 liters every 100 km (data obtained after approximately two weeks of use in the most diverse situations). The update being tested introduces full LED headlights both front and rear as standard, the latter integrating the Union Jack signature. The wheels range from 17 to 19 inches, just like the sample being tested, while everything else remains unmistakably MINI. Yes, but not for long.

The charging port is a Type 2, which means that to recharge the aforementioned 50 km of road it takes approximately 5 hours from a domestic socket or just 3 from a charging station, but as happens with a large part of the PHEV car fleet, it is likely that recharges will be mainly regenerating the batteries while driving. At the wheel the Countryman SE reconfirms how pleasant it is to hold a MINI-branded steering in your hands. Precise, light in Auto eDrive mode and more reactive in Max eDrive, i.e. what was once known as Sport mode, as you feel the 220 horsepower the precise moment in which you ask the engine to bring out the oomph useful for overtaking, while you exploit the more sly and comfortable side when you proceed calmly, enhancing the practicality offered by the generous dimensions of a model destined to grow further.

The 3-cylinder is not only brilliant and not thirsty at all, but silent and able to work in harmony with the gearbox, even in the absence of paddles for up and down gears. You only feel the weight when you drive a Countryman as you would with a three-door Cooper S, noticing a hint of body roll that can be almost completely excluded by selecting the most performing mode among the three at disposal. Practically flawless connectivity, multimedia system and sat-navigation at your fingertips via the large central display that surmounts the physical climate controls, while in front of the driver’s eyes we find the small 5″ digital display that summarizes the main driving information. Perfect timing as far as I’m concerned, given that I had the opportunity to confirm once again that this Countryman is a perfect family car and that with PHEV engines it combines driving pleasure with excellent fuel consumption values. We’re waiting for the new one to arrive on the road, but I’m sure it will be the natural evolution of the species. Pounce on this one in the meantime, especially if you don’t intend to give up its still unmistakable look.

MINI COUNTRYMAN SE ALL4

Engine 3 Cylinder Plug-In Hybrid, 1.499cc Power 220 hp Torque 385 Nm

Traction All-Wheel-Drive Transmission 6-Speed Automatic Gearbox Weight 1.790 kg

0-100 kph 6,8 sec Top Speed 196 kph Price €52.100 ca.