The Mini Countryman might seem like a contradiction. How can a Mini be an SUV? The Countryman achieves this by delivering the versatility of a subcompact SUV with available all-wheel drive without sacrificing the distinct character and fun-to-drive nature of a Mini.
The Mini Countryman is an SUV with few direct rivals. A few of the closest would be the Fiat 500X, Buick Encore GX, and Volvo XC40. Generally speaking, the Mini Countryman is more expensive than subcompact SUVs from mainstream brands, but it has a lower starting price than similarly sized SUVs from luxury brands.
The Mini Countryman has one body style available in four trims, each with a different engine configuration. Once you choose your trim, there are a few sub-trims available at varying levels of pricing and feature content.
Most Countryman models have three sub-trims — the base Classic, the mid-range Signature, and the luxurious Iconic. The Classic models come reasonably well-appointed with features like leatherette upholstery, Apple CarPlay, and a few modern driver assistance tech features.
The Signature models add creature comforts like heated seats and a power liftgate. Upgrading to the Iconic sub-trim adds more premium features like leather seats, navigation, and more visual customization options.
When looking at the prices below, keep in mind that they’re the base prices for each respective trim. Adding AWD or going up to one of the higher sub-trims mentioned above will raise the price.
Unfortunately for driving purists, the Countryman is only available with an automatic transmission. The manual was discontinued in 2020.
Without further ado, let’s look at the four trims available for the Mini Countryman and find the right one for you.
2023 Mini Countryman (starting at $29,600)
The 2023 Mini Countryman starts at $29,600.
The base Mini Countryman power comes from a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-3 engine rated at 134 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. This is the most fuel-efficient Countryman achieving up to 26 city/32 highway mpg with FWD and 23 city/31 highway mpg with the optional ALL4 all-wheel-drive system, a $1,500 upgrade.
This base model provides adequate power for the daily commute, but if you’re looking for the energetic drive that the Mini brand is famous for, you may think it’s a bit underpowered.
Standard features that come with every 2023 Countryman include leatherette upholstery, a panoramic moonroof, roof rails, LED headlights and fog lights, a digital instrument display, and an 8.8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM, HD Radio, and Bluetooth connectivity.
Standard driver assistance tech features include forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, a backup camera, and rear parking sensors.
Upgrading to the Signature sub-trim brings additional features like heated front seats, a power liftgate, dual-zone automatic climate control, and more paint and roof color options. Going up to the Iconic model adds leather seating options at no extra cost, navigation, and even more aesthetic customization options.
In addition to the three sub-trims, option packages are available throughout the model range. For example, the Premium Package adds an auto-dimming mirror, a universal garage door opener, a heated steering wheel, power front seats, power-folding mirrors, and a Harman/Kardon premium audio system. The Convenience Package adds a little extra practicality with a rear center armrest, a folding cargo floor, and an alarm system.
The destination fee of $850 brings the base price of the Mini Countryman to $30,450. With a 60-month loan at 3% interest, a base Countryman Classic would have a monthly payment of about $547. See 2023 Mini Countryman models for sale near you
2023 Mini Countryman includes:
Leatherette upholstery — This material has a premium look and feel while being durable and comfortable.
Panoramic moonroof — This feature makes the interior of the Countryman feel more open and airy.
8.8-inch infotainment system — This user-friendly system is loaded with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM, and HD Radio.
2023 Mini Countryman S (starting at $31,900)
The 2023 Mini Countryman S starts at $31,900.
The sporty Countryman S comes powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine producing 189 horsepower and 206 lb-ft of torque. It’s still pretty fuel-efficient at 25 city/35 highway mpg with FWD and 23 city/32 highway mpg with the AWD ALL4 model, which costs an extra $2,000.
Since it brings a pretty significant boost in performance, a minimal fuel economy penalty, and only a modest price increase, we think the S model is a worthwhile upgrade over the base Countryman for most drivers. If you test drive them back to back, we think you’ll agree.
The Countryman S comes with the same sub-trims as the base model, but some feature content is different. The base Classic model comes with more standard goodies on the S model than the non-S model. These include three drive modes (Sport, Mid, and Green), a heated steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Also, navigation is standard on the Countryman S Signature, but not the base Countryman Signature.
The S model also has a sporty appearance package with a unique grille, S badging, and dual-exit exhaust.
For the 2023 model year, there’s a special Untamed Edition available for the Countryman S and Countryman S ALL4. It’s an appearance package with exclusive Momentum Gray paint, piano black exterior trim, 18-inch 2-tone wheels, “Frozen Bluestone” exterior graphics, Momentum Gray interior inlays, and Highland Green leather upholstery.
Assuming a 60-month loan at 3% interest, the Countryman S would start at roughly $588/month. See 2023 Mini Countryman S models for sale near you
2023 Mini Countryman S includes:
Turbocharged 4-cylinder engine — This engine upgrade over the base Countryman brings a sportier driving experience to this Mini for not much more money.
Drive modes — Customize your drive with the Sport, Mid, and Green drive modes.
S appearance package — “S” badging, a unique grille, and dual-exit exhaust give a few hints at how much fun the driver is having.
2023 Mini Countryman John Cooper Works (starting at $41,500)
The 2023 Mini Countryman John Cooper Works starts at $41,500.
The John Cooper Works (or JCW) trim is the sportiest version of the Mini Countryman. It uses a sportier version of the turbo-four in the Countryman S that brings the performance numbers to 301 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque. To handle all of that power, all-wheel drive comes standard.
The Countryman JCW comes with a more aggressive appearance package than the S model. It has unique front and rear fascias, black roof rails, special side garnishes, red exterior trim, and red brake calipers. The red trim continues on the inside with red ambient lighting plus aggressively bolstered sport seats.
Other performance upgrades include a JCW sport suspension, Brembo front brakes, and a sport-tuned 8-speed automatic transmission.
Besides those performance and aesthetic upgrades, the standard and optional features are essentially the same as the Countryman S ALL4. The JCW model is only worth the upgrade if you want peak performance in a Mini SUV.
If you get a Countryman JCW with a 60-month loan with 3% interest, the monthly payment will start at about $761. See 2023 Mini Countryman John Cooper Works models for sale near you
2023 Mini Countryman John Cooper Works includes:
301 horsepower — This sport-tuned turbocharged engine produces a whopping 301 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque. Those are impressive numbers for a small, lightweight SUV like this.
Standard AWD — The ALL4 all-wheel-drive system comes standard on the high-performance John Cooper Works model.
Aggressive appearance package — Red Brembo brakes, a rear diffuser, and black roof rails give this Mini a sporty appearance to match its performance.
2023 Mini Countryman SE (starting at $41,500)
The 2023 Mini Countryman SE starts at $41,500.
The Countryman SE is a plug-in hybrid. Under the hood lies a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-3 gas engine mated to an electric motor. Performance-wise, it lies in-between the S and John Cooper Works models making a total system output of 224 horsepower and 284 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive comes standard.
The Countryman SE gets a combined city/highway fuel economy rating of 73 MPGe. When the electric battery dies, it gets 29 combined mpg — the same as the base model with FWD. The Countryman SE has an all-electric range of 18 miles.
Unlike the lower trims, there is no Classic sub-trim for the Countryman SE. It only comes in the Signature and Iconic trims, which are similar to the feature content you get in the Signature and Iconic S models. That means every Countryman SE is well-equipped with standard features. This helps to justify the high starting price.
The Countryman SE has an appearance package similar to the S model, but the “S” badging is yellow instead of red. Also, you can’t miss the prominent “E” badging indicating that it’s a plug-in hybrid.
In addition to the three driving modes (Sport, Mid, and Green), the Countryman SE has an eDrive button allowing you to manage the battery. The battery modes are Auto eDrive, Max eDrive, and Save. Max eDrive essentially turns it into an EV as long as there’s juice in the battery, Save mode preserves the battery for when you want to use it, and Auto eDrive manages the battery automatically.
The Untamed Edition available for the Countryman S is also available for the SE model. It has eye-catching exterior graphics, a unique interior with green leather seats, special wheels, and more.
Since it has the same starting price, the Countryman SE has the same estimated monthly payment as the Countryman JCW. A 60-month loan at 3% interest would give you a monthly payment starting at about $761. See 2023 Mini Countryman SE models for sale near you
2023 Mini Countryman SE includes:
Plug-in hybrid powertrain — A turbocharged gas engine mated to an electric motor makes a total system output of 224 horsepower and 284 lb-ft of torque while returning 73 MPGe.
Battery modes — Manage your PHEV battery however you’d like with the Auto eDrive, Max eDrive, and Save battery modes.
Standard AWD — Like the John Cooper Works model, the ALL4 AWD system comes standard on the Countryman SE.
