Exclusive: New Generation MINI Countryman Goes Bigger; In India Next Year

MINI touts its all-new second generation Countryman as such – bigger is better. So is it? A curious premise for a brand named after its first, ultra-small model. Yet the Countryman resonates with the customer base – especially in Europe – not least because it managed to preserve the look of the original MINI, which is seen as "cute". No wonder MINI is going "all the way" again with its second-generation Countryman, which is wider and a lot longer than before. Importantly, it eclipses the Clubman, which has outgrown the first-gen Countryman. So meet the new, undisputed king of the MINI lineup.

Also Read: MINI Countryman Launched in India

Visually, the Countryman remains close to its predecessor. It keeps the main visual cues of the outgoing model and adds a slight dose of angularity; the accent line surrounding the front and rear fenders is fresh and looks sporty, just like the fake air outlets behind the front wheel opening which MINI claims are "known as side scuttles." The increased length is easily visible in the side window graphics. And while there is a conventional tailgate, MINI offers an optional "picnic bench" that folds out - raising the question why the brand didn't go for a horizontally split tailgate.

Also Read: MINI Countryman - Price Expectation in India

The second generation of the Countryman is longer and wider

The interior receives welcome upgrades, but it preserves the characteristic look with an array of cutesy paddles and toggle switches. For the first time, the rectangular central TFT screen positioned in the round central element can be specified as a touchscreen. When specified with the upscale telematics systems, the Countryman comes with a so-called "Country Timer" - a software function that monitors the duration and intensity of driving on slippery, tilted and unpaved surfaces. Do a lot of it, and the status of your car is promoted from "Street Cruiser" to "Cliff Champ." Don't tell the next owner!

The rectangular central TFT screen is a new development

While the current Countryman was sold only as a diesel on the Indian market, the backlash against the oil-burner could mean that the next generation will be offered with petrol engines as well. There is no official word on the lineup for our market as yet; for the global market, MINI offers two petrol engines - a 1.5-litre three with 136 horsepower and a 2.0-litre four with 192 horsepower - and two diesel versions, a 150-horsepower and a 190-horsepower variation of the same 2.0-litre four. All4 or MINI’s all-wheel drive system with a hang-on clutch will be offered as an option.

We will see the Countryman in a plug-in hybrid avtaar

Some markets get a fascinating top-of-the-line powertrain: MINI will offer a plug-in hybrid version, dubbed MINI Cooper S E Countryman All4. It's based on the three-banger with the six-speed automatic and adds an electric motor for total system power of 224 horsepower. Under ideal conditions, the hybrid can travel 40 kilometres on electric power only. Those ideal conditions don't include high-speed runs - it can reach a respectable 125 mph on electricity only. The modest range can be acquired by recharging the lithium-ion batteries at a 3.6 kW wall box within 2 1/4 hours. Charging it on your household outlet will take a lot longer.

The plug-in hybrid offers several driving modes: Auto eDrive makes most sense from an efficiency point of view as it takes advantage of both the combustion engine and the E-motor. Max eDrive lets the driver reach 125 kmph on electricity; kickdown will trigger the gasoline engine. And there is Save Battery mode, which keeps the battery charge at 90 per cent or uses the gasoline engine to inefficiently raise it to that level. The downside of electric mobility: A raised rear seat with less headroom, a smaller trunk and a smaller gas tank. Mounting the E-motor on the rear axle means that the electric MINI offers all-wheel drive, though not exactly of the kind that'll let you do heavy off-roading.

The Countryman is built on the same platform as the new-gen BMW X1

The MINI Countryman is based on the same front-wheel drive platform that underpins the second gen BMW X1 and the 2-series Active and Gran Tourer models. It's a capable architecture that should turn the Countryman into an agile performer, although we doubt that much of the vaunted "Go-Kart feel" will remain. The Countryman will be launched in its most important market – at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Pricing hasn't been announced yet; but it won't be cheap, but it will be a fun and cute alternative to your average compact crossover. We look forward to getting behind its wheel - and "go all the way." India will get the new Countryman only by the end of 2017.