All-New 2017 MINI Countryman
Here is the latest MINI Countryman, revealed a few weeks prior to
its world debut at the LA Auto Show in November.
The 2017 Countryman has grown by 200 mm in
overall length and 30 mm in width, while its wheelbase has been
extended by 75 mm, thus positioning it closer to regular
compact SUVs like Audi’s Q3.
MINI says that the growth spurt has resulted in
“significantly increased space on five fully-fledged seats” as well as in
storage, with luggage compartment volume up by 220 liters over its predecessor
to 450 liters or 1,309 liters when the seats are folded.
Speaking of seats, the new Countryman that comes
with an available electric tailgate control offers a unique option called
“Picnic Bench” that folds out of the luggage compartment and provides seating
for two more people when the car is stationary – of course.
MINI maintained the original
Countryman’s exterior design adding a bit of angularity into the mix with
edgier cues like the headlamps and creases on the fenders for a tougher and
more rugged look. Inside, the brand’s crossover shares several elements with
other newer MINIs, including the large touchscreen positioned in the round
component on the center console.
The crossover rides on the BMW Group’s UKL2 platform
shared with other MINI and BMW models that allowed the use of a plug-in hybrid
powertrain, a first for the British brand.
Named the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4, it
borrows the BMW 225xe’s propulsion system pairing a 134 hp 1.5-liter
three-cylinder gasoline engine driving the front wheels via a 6-speed autobox to an
87 hp electric motor turning the rear wheels, with the system delivering
a combined 221 hp and 385 Nm of torque. The plug-in hybrid
drive enables purely electric driving at a top speed of 125 km/h with
MINI claiming a fuel consumption of 2.1 l/100km in the EU test cycle with CO2 emissions of 49 g/km. It also has an
all-electric range of 40 km.
The Countryman will offer conventional
engines, including a pair of gasoline units, a 134 hp 1.5-liter three-pot for
the Cooper, and a 189 hp 2.0-liter four in the Cooper S, with markets outside
the USA also having the option of a 2.0-liter diesel, producing 148 hp in the Cooper D, and 187 hp in the Cooper SD.
Gasoline models and the Cooper D come with a
standard 6-speed manual, while a 6-speed automatic is offered for the Cooper. An
8-speed automatic is standard on the Cooper SD and available on the Cooper S and
Cooper D. MINI’s all-wheel drive system ALL4 is available as an option on all
four models. A John Cooper Works model, most likely fitted with the same
228 hp 2.0-liter turbo as the Clubman JCW, will follow next year.
The new Countryman will go on sale in the USA in
March 2017, with plug-in hybrid variant to follow in June of the same year. Pricing for the U.S. market will be announced at a later stage.
