Front, rear and 4x4 at once: testing the MINI Countryman SE
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Front, rear and 4x4 at once: testing the MINI Countryman SE

Until recently, this hybrid was shockingly expensive, now it costs diesel, but 30 more horsepower.

When MINI unveiled its first plug-in hybrid model in 2017, it was a little tricky to know what that meant. It was a heavier and more complex machine. And in most cases it is much more expensive than a gasoline equivalent.

Front, rear and 4x4 at once: testing the MINI Countryman SE

It hasn't changed much in recent years. This facelift that we're testing brings a lot of innovation in design, but almost none in powertrain.

What has completely changed is the market itself.

Thanks to him, this machine, which until recently was a little illogical, has now become so significant and profitable that the plant does not fulfill orders.

Front, rear and 4x4 at once: testing the MINI Countryman SE

Of course, when we say that the market has changed, we mean Europe as a whole. We will remember 2020 as much for the Covid-19 panic as it is for electric motors. Until recently too expensive, plug-in models are now the most profitable thanks to government subsidies. France gives you up to 7000 euros to get it. Germany - 6750. There is even assistance in the East - 4250 euros in Romania, 4500 in Slovenia, 4600 in Croatia, 5000 in Slovakia.

Front, rear and 4x4 at once: testing the MINI Countryman SE

In Bulgaria, aid is, of course, zero. But in fact, the new MINI Countryman SE All4 is an interesting proposition here too. Why? Because producers are in dire need of reducing emissions and avoiding new fines from the European Commission. That is why they drank the maximum prices for their electrified models. This hybrid, for example, costs BGN 75 including VAT – in practice, only BGN 400 more than its diesel counterpart. The diesel only has 190 horsepower, and here there are 220.

Front, rear and 4x4 at once: testing the MINI Countryman SE

As we said, the drive hasn't changed dramatically. You have a three-cylinder 1.5-liter petrol turbo engine. You have a 95 horsepower electric motor. You have a 10 kilowatt hour battery that can now give you up to 61 kilometers on electricity alone. Finally, there are two transmissions: a 6-speed automatic for the gasoline engine and a two-speed automatic for the electric.

Front, rear and 4x4 at once: testing the MINI Countryman SE

The most interesting thing here is the choice of front, rear or 4x4 drive. Because this car can have all three.

When driving only on electricity, the car has rear-wheel drive. When you're driving with only a gasoline engine - say, at a constant speed on the highway - you're only driving in front. When both systems help each other, you have four-wheel drive.

Front, rear and 4x4 at once: testing the MINI Countryman SE

The combination of the two motors is especially good when you need some serious acceleration.

MINI Countryman SE
220 k. Maximum power

385 Nm max. torque

6.8 seconds 0-100 km / h

196 km / h maximum speed

The maximum torque is 385 Newton meters. In the past, hypercars such as the Lamborghini Countach and, more recently, the Porsche 911 Carrera have enjoyed such popularity. Today, getting them from this family crossover is not a problem.

On the no-limit track near Frankfurt, we reached a top speed of 196 km/h without any problems – another advantage of a hybrid through a purely electric car.

Front, rear and 4x4 at once: testing the MINI Countryman SE

As we already mentioned, 61 kilometers only on electricity, in real life they are slightly more than 50. And if you are driving in the city, because at highway speeds the cruising range is only thirty kilometers. But this is not a problem, because you have a 38-liter tank of good old gasoline.

Charging the battery is relatively fast at two and a half hours from a wall charger and just over three and a half hours from a conventional outlet. If you do this regularly, it will really give you a city consumption of about 2 liters per hundred kilometers.

Front, rear and 4x4 at once: testing the MINI Countryman SE

The interior hasn't changed much, except for new all-digital devices, which are essentially a compact oval tablet glued to the dashboard. A sports steering wheel is now standard, as is a radio with a nearly 9-inch screen, Bluetooth and USB.

The seats are comfortable, there is enough space in the back for tall people. Since the electric motor is under the trunk and the battery is under the rear seat, it has eaten up some cargo space, but it's still a decent 406 liters.

Front, rear and 4x4 at once: testing the MINI Countryman SE

The more significant facelift changes are to the exterior, now with full LED headlights and a redesigned hexagonal front grille. As an option, you can also order the Piano Black exterior, which gives the headlights a striking outline. The rear lights now have British flag embellishments which look pretty good, especially at night. Not to mention that this car was actually designed by the Germans. And it's made in the Netherlands.

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