We're not done with the new Countryman yet because there's one version that we didn't talk about, the poorly named MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4.
The first production plug-in hybrid in MINI history reminds us that the British company was a pioneer in e-mobility testing, laying the groundwork for BMW's i program. But while the conclusion of the MINI E program was that people only do short commutes, this plug-in hybrid completely eliminates range anxiety by adding plenty of gasoline power.
With a total system output of 224 HP, the Cooper S E is by far the most powerful Countryman model available. However, its output is split between a 1.5-liter turbo producing 136 HP and an electric motor that adds another 88 HP.
Only when you ask for maximum power does the entire 224 HP become available, just like in the i8. The motor is located at the back of the car, tucked away under the trunk, which is one major way in which MINI's car differs from the Golf GTE and Audi A3 e-tron.
The lithium-ion battery is positioned directly in front of the electric motor underneath the rear seat. It is made up of five modules, each comprising 16 battery cells. Its maximum capacity of 7.6 kWh is sufficient to travel for up to 40 kilometers or reach 125 km/h in electric mode.
The bad news is that beyond that speed, it's not an all-wheel drive car, right? MINI says that the battery can be charged in as little as 2:15 hours or that fuel economy is 2.1 liters per 100 kilometers. We don't believe any of that, but we won't give them a bad time about it.
So why buy the poorly named MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 instead of the nearly identical BMW 225xe Active Tourer? Because you like MINI, of course, and you want a 224 HP Countryman. But if you look at it backward, this is the heaviest model in the range with the smallest, least powerful engine.
With a total system output of 224 HP, the Cooper S E is by far the most powerful Countryman model available. However, its output is split between a 1.5-liter turbo producing 136 HP and an electric motor that adds another 88 HP.
Only when you ask for maximum power does the entire 224 HP become available, just like in the i8. The motor is located at the back of the car, tucked away under the trunk, which is one major way in which MINI's car differs from the Golf GTE and Audi A3 e-tron.
The lithium-ion battery is positioned directly in front of the electric motor underneath the rear seat. It is made up of five modules, each comprising 16 battery cells. Its maximum capacity of 7.6 kWh is sufficient to travel for up to 40 kilometers or reach 125 km/h in electric mode.
The bad news is that beyond that speed, it's not an all-wheel drive car, right? MINI says that the battery can be charged in as little as 2:15 hours or that fuel economy is 2.1 liters per 100 kilometers. We don't believe any of that, but we won't give them a bad time about it.
So why buy the poorly named MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 instead of the nearly identical BMW 225xe Active Tourer? Because you like MINI, of course, and you want a 224 HP Countryman. But if you look at it backward, this is the heaviest model in the range with the smallest, least powerful engine.