EVs are becoming less and less boring these days; the Mini Countryman SE All4 is the perfect example. Mini revels in its car’s distinctive design and driving capabilities. It’s not for everyone, but for those who enjoy clever knobs, toggles, and switches, Mini has always delivered a nifty, satisfying cabin and a sport-heavy driving experience.
Would the $51,145 all-electric Countryman SE All4 compete? How would Mini incorporate its personality into a drivetrain that tends to omit cleverness in the name of efficiency? During my test, I was focused on whether Mini would engage me in the same way as past, gas-powered Minis have done.
I can confidently say that it did. Just in a different way. Let’s dig in.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
The Little EV Comes with a Big Price Tag—But it’s Worth it
You may be right to wonder if all the surprises up the Mini Countryman SE’s sleeve are just gimmicks. Because yes, there are a lot of lights, a lot of themes (Mini calls them “Experiences”), and a lot of features like massaging seats that can distract from the reality of the performance of a vehicle. Good news, the Mini Countryman SE All4 is a blast to drive and a blast to be in, even without all the goodies.
Before we get into it, you should know that the Mini Countryman SE All4 starts at $45,200. My test car had the Iconic trim with features like a premium stereo, interior camera, and more ($1,200), the Favoured style that had sport seats and visual feature upgrades ($900), and the Comfort Package Max, including active driving assist features, parking assistant, wireless device charging, and more ($1150). Add a trailer hitch ($600) and a destination charge ($995), and my test Countryman’s total price was $51,145.
The Mini Countryman SE All4 is Quite the Looker
The goodies start on the outside with an incredible blue paint job that has a purple metallic undertone that you see most prominently in the sunlight. Otherwise, you need to be pretty close up to notice it. The wheels and trim are silver, according to Mini’s website, but I think they read more like a light gold. This treatment is really cool, and the story behind it is even cooler.
The chrome-plating process is carcinogenic, and so Mini (and their parent company BMW) have stepped away from chrome in favor of different wheel treatments. On the Mini Countryman SE, you can get silver or black.
The wheels on my test car were 18” and rode quite nicely. I was prepared to have that go-kart feel to the Countryman, which can sometimes translate to a rough ride. The ride was smooth and sporty, but not jarring. Nice!
Not Only Does it Drive Like a Mini, But It Looks Like One, Too
The grille is pretty typical of an EV; it’s more of a panel than a grille. It houses all the gear for the adaptive cruise control and other driver-assist functions. The LED headlights are so cool; there are three different settings for the design. Those settings also apply to the taillights, so you can customize the front and the rear lights at the same time.
Along the c-pillar there is an All4 treatment that adds some visual interest. Also adding visual interest were the embossed dash patterns found all over the Mini. They were subtle though, and just kept me intrigued, looking around for them around the rest of the car.
In case you were wondering, All4 means it’s an all-wheel drive setup. The Mini Countryman SE All4 has eight inches of ground clearance, so you can actually go off-pavement and on to some gentle trails. It even has a trailer hitch and can tow up to 3,500 pounds. Most likely, you’re going to use the all-wheel drive setup to get through some inclement weather. I only got to drive in the rain, but I felt confident and planted in the Mini Countryman SE All4.
It Has a Modest Range, But the Driving Dynamic Helped Make Up For It
It’s comfortable to be in. Yes, even if you don’t have the massage feature in the driver’s seat, it’s supportive and bolstered. You don’t need the massage to feel like a long road trip is doable. The 2025 Mini Countryman SE All4 is slightly larger than its predecessor. It’s five inches longer and two inches taller. So there is plenty of head- and legroom for most passengers. Cargo space is good, but it’s not more than one should expect of a Mini.
The Mini gets an estimated 212 miles of range when fully charged, but most of the time, EVs are charged to 80%. The Mini can be charged at a fast charger, and will go from 10% to 80% in an estimated 29 minutes. When I charged at a fast-charger, I went from about 7% to 84% in 34 minutes and 56 seconds. So, spot on with the timing estimate, Mini.
The mesh on the dash is made of recycled polyester and extends to the doors. My test car had a blue and copper color scheme, but you can get it in just black. The mesh was also on a little cubby in the center console, and that also had a nylon strap to pull on to open the cubby. There was a wireless device charger and a storage area below the center stack. I can’t even tell you how much I loved the “Dark Petrol” color of the upholstery.
Mini has seven different modes that you can dial in. Only the Go Kart (sport) and Green (eco) modes change the way the Mini handles. And since we were just talking about range, Go Kart mode amps up the available power, so it’s going to use up more range than regular driving, especially when you’re in the Eco mode.
My Week With it Was Truly an “Experience”
The other modes are “experience modes,” which change the interior LED lighting and the colors and arrangements within the multimedia display. You won’t see some of these changes in the daytime, especially the LED’s hidden behind the mesh dashboard. But it’s nifty at night to see the Mini’s interior light up. You can customize your own experience, by the way, to get it just how you like it. Other experiences include Vivid, Timeless, Core, Trail, and Balance.
I loved how when I first got into the car to drive it, it made a very Jetsons-style sound while driving, getting more amplified on acceleration. I wound up turning it off after a little while. Some of the modes make a sound when you switch to them (notably, Go Kart mode makes a “Woo hoo!” sound), and that sound will play over your music, FYI. The Go Kart mode feels most like you’re in a video game, with black, red, and white lighting on the display and all over the cabin. It’s very immersive. It drives like a banshee in Go Kart mode, too. It was very satisfying.
Another fun surprise in the Mini is the head-up display in front of the driver. It’s handy because if you don’t have it, you’re looking over to the center multimedia display. It’s a busy display, and I was glad for the head-up option.
My Only Issue Was With the Dependence on the Center Screen
Let’s talk about that center multimedia display. Mini has stayed true to its roots in keeping the display round. So it’s a round screen with different experiences showcasing different data. In many ways, I found it frustrating, at one point even likening it to my junk drawer. I know what I need is in there, and many things lurk around in the same spots in my junk drawer.
But some items move around, and I’m not always sure where they have slid around to when I switch experiences. I am certain that with more time, I’d get this handled and dialed in, but it wasn’t all that intuitive. I used wireless Apple CarPlay a lot, and that interface shows up as a square display in the center of the round screen.
As for the driver-assist technology in the Mini, I found it easy to use. I especially loved the rear cross-traffic alert. I live in an area where a lot of people drive large trucks and SUVs. It helped to have the rear camera and the alert if someone was coming when I was reversing out of a parking space.
The Interior Was Minimal, But Spacious
In the back seat, there is plenty of room for passengers. The 2025 is two inches taller than its predecessor, and the headroom is great. The legroom was good, too. Even the upholstery in the back seat was given attention with a minimal yet cool pattern and a Mini logo tag sewn in. There are vents and two USB-C chargers back there, two lower tether anchors, and three top-tether anchors. To be sure, you’ll want to check any child safety seats to see if they fit.
There is a lot to love inside the 2025 Mini Countryman SE All4. The dashes continued inside the Countryman in the mesh, in the pattern of the LED lights, everywhere I looked. The silver details also continued, ringing the cupholders, door pulls, the air vent toggles, and there was a really great-looking detail on the steering wheel, a nylon strap with the silver color integrated and a silver housing that attached it from the center to the inner edge of the steering wheel.
Over, The Mini Has a Mighty Personality That Can Fit in Almost Anywhere
The 2025 Mini Countryman SE All4 was a whimsical, engaging car for your everyday needs. I caught myself on the website, perusing different colors and options. I love the flavor that Mini is bringing to this segment. It wasn’t hard to imagine spending my days in this distinctive, engaging, clever EV.
