2017 Mini Countryman Grows Bigger and Gains Part-Time Electric Drive

It’s still undersized by the standards of the small SUV class, but the all-new 2017 Mini Countryman is the company’s largest model to date. It's also set to be the most technologically advanced vehicle in the Mini lineup, because the new Countryman will offer a plug-in hybrid version along with two conventionally powered ones.

The 2017 Mini Cooper and Cooper S Countryman will go on sale in March 2017. The Cooper S E Countryman All4 plug-in hybrid will follow in June. That version will use a 1.5-liter, 134-hp three-cylinder engine, connected to a six-speed automatic, to drive the front wheels. At the same time, an 87-hp electric motor will drive the rear wheels through a single-speed transmission, making it an AWD car and justifying the All4 moniker. The Mini-estimated all-electric range from the 7.6-kWh lithium-ion battery is 24 miles, and the top speed for the S E Countryman while in all-electric mode is 77 mph.

The base Cooper will be powered by a 144-hp, 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine. We tested a two-door Mini Cooper with that engine and got 31 mpg overall with the six-speed automatic. The Clubman we tested achieved 28 mpg overall.

Fuel-economy numbers haven’t been released yet, but expect the larger, heavier Countryman to get slightly lower mileage; Mini already says the front-drive Countryman’s 0-60 mph time is 9.3 seconds, while the All4 does the sprint in 9.5 seconds.

The more performance-oriented Cooper S version will use a 189-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that hustles the burly Mini from 0-60 mph in a claimed 7.2 seconds.

Both the Cooper and Cooper S can be had with either front-wheel or all-wheel-drive configurations. As in the Clubman, the Cooper All4 and Cooper S variants use an eight-speed automatic transmission; the three-cylinder ones get a six-speed automatic. A manual will be available as well.

This newest Countryman is 7.8 inches larger than the original version, bringing more cabin and cargo room. Front and rear occupants gain head and shoulder room in the 2017 Mini Countryman, which is wider than the previous generation Mini. The rear seat accommodates three distinct seating positions, which can be reclined or folded individually, and the seats can slide fore and aft by 5 inches to optimize cargo or passenger room.

All 2017 Mini Countryman versions will come with a 6.5-inch touch screen. Customers who choose the navigation system will get an 8.8-inch touch screen. The infotainment system works like a BMW iDrive system. Based on our experience in other models, it will take some getting used to but will ultimately prove to be logical. The optional Mini Driving Assistant system includes forward-collision warning with low-speed automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, pedestrian warning with brake assist, and automatic high beams.

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