Although it’s the most un-MINI MINI currently in production, the Countryman is the British automaker’s breadwinner. The only crossover in the marque’s portfolio, the Countryman happens to handle really well.
Take, for instance, the Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 tested by km77.com in the featured clip. That mouthful refers to a plug-in hybrid with all-wheel drive, which is the heaviest drivetrain available at 1,790 kilograms (3,946 pounds) in European specification. It’s also rather frugal at 1.7 liters per 100 kilometers combined as per the WLTP or 73 MPGe, according to the EPA.
Despite being a plug-in hybrid, the Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 performs quite well for a small crossover. Based on the UKL2 platform of the BMW X1 and coupe-styled X2, this fellow needs 6.8 seconds to reach 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) with the bone-stock tires. This particular vehicle is rocking 18-inch alloys and Pirelli Cinturato P7 on every corner, a premium-oriented touring summer tire with very good grip in dry weather.
Priced at 42,900 euros in Spain, where the video was filmed, which converts to $45,145 at current exchange rates, the Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 is rocking 125 metric ponies up front and 95 metric ponies for the rear axle-mounted electric motor. Total output ratings are 220 ps (217 horsepower) and 385 Nm (284 pound-feet) of torque, mirroring the numbers that BMW quotes for the X1 xDrive25e, which weighs a bit more and drinks more gas.
From a 10-kWh battery pack with a usable capacity of 8.8 kWh, the Cooper SE Countryman ALL4 offers up to 51 kilometers (approximately 32 miles) of zero-emission driving range. At 3.7 kW, the X1-twinned crossover that VDL Nedcar builds in the Netherlands needs 3.2 hours to charge to 100%.
With the technicalities out of the way, let’s get back to the video. The peeps at km77.com can't stop waxing lyrical, using the word “outstanding” to describe the results achieved in the moose test. From the way the body barely rolls to the effectiveness of the ESC, there’s no denying that someone has spent plenty of time fine-tuning the chassis and safety systems.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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