2026 Mini Countryman C Review – Can it be a serious luxury SUV?

It’s
all
too
easy
to
sta t
eve y
eview
of
the

Mi i
Cou t yma
with
some
va iatio
of
the
ph ase
‘the
Mi i
that’s
ot
so
mi i’,
because
that’s
always
bee
t ue.
The
SUV
of
the
Mi i
a ge,
by
defi itio ,
is
always
goi g
to
fit
that
desc iptio ;
the
diffe e ce
this
time
is
that
Mi i
itself
is
o boa d
with
the
idea.
Whe e
p eviously
it
was
always
ma keted
as
a
Mi i
fi st
a d
a
SUV
seco d,
this
time
the
sc ipt
has
bee
flipped.
No
lo ge
co te t
with
bei g
a
iche
offe i g
fo
the
fashio
fo wa d,
they
wa t
this
to
be
you
family
ca ,
o
mo e
specifically
you
fi st
luxu y
SUV.
You’ll
see
how
the
vehicle
attempts
to
achieve
that
i
the
pa ag aphs
ahead,
but
the
i te t
is
clea
with
the
p ice
of
this
locally
assembled
thi d-ge e atio
‘U25’
Cou t yma
C,
which
at
Rs
47
lakh
(ex-show oom),
is
ba g
o
pa
with
‘co ve tio al’
e t y
luxu y
SUVs,
like
the
Me cedes-Be z
GLA,
Audi
Q3
a d
eve
its
ow
cousi ,
the
BMW
X1.

2026
Mi i
Cou t yma
C
Exte io
Desig
a d
E gi ee i g
–

9/10

Clea ly
p io itises
p acticality
mo e
this
time,
but
etai s
that
Mi i
cha m.

Looks
sha pe ,
boxie
a d
visibly
la ge
tha
befo e. 

As
with
eve y
successive
ge e atio ,
the
ew
Cou t yma
has
g ow
(it’s
ow
the
tallest
SUV
i
the
class,
with
the
highest
g ou d
clea a ce),
but
this
time
it
has
delibe ately
bee
made
to
‘look’
la ge
as
well.
Go e
a e
the
ca too ish
a d
bulbous
featu es
of
p evious
models,
a d
i
thei
place
a e
smalle ,
sha pe ,
mo e
a gula
eleme ts.
The
headlamps,
g ille
a d
eve
the
oofli e
have
a
boxie
look,
a d
this
poi ts
to
the
g eate
space
i side.
It’s
mo e
ecog isable
as
a
Mi i
f om
the
ea ,
whe e
the
familia
cues
of
a
co t ast
oof,
‘Cou t yma ’
lette i g
o
the
tailgate
a d
U io
Jack
tail-lamps
a e
easy
to
spot. 

We’ve
see
this
look
al eady
i
the
Cou t yma
Elect ic,
a d
all
that’s
cha ged
he e
is
the
g ille
that
is ’t
closed
off.
We’ve
also
al eady
see
it
o
the
CBU-impo ted
Cou t yma
JCW
All4,
which,
apa t
f om
its
mo e
powe ful
e gi e
a d
AWD,
gets
a
spo tie
body
kit.

19-i ch
alloys
look
g eat,
but
they
hu t
ide
quality. 

This
o e
bei g
a
locally
assembled
model,
howeve ,
it’s
available
i
a
si gle,
fully
loaded
‘Favou ed’
spec
with
o
optio al
ext as,
save
fo
some
accesso ies.
It
looks
the
busi ess,
howeve ,
with
champag e-colou ed
acce ts
all
a ou d,
the
co t ast
oof
as
well
as
huge
19-i ch
dual-to e
alloy
wheels.
You
get
a
choice
of
five
colou s,
but
Mi i
has
bee
su e
to
pick
mo e
ext ove ted
optio s
tha
co ve tio al
luxu y
SUVs
–
B itish
Raci g
G ee
is
still
the
most
popula
Mi i
colou
bought
i
I dia.

2026
Mi i
Cou t yma
C
I te io
Space
a d
Comfo t
–

8/10

Ge ui ely
usable
space
a d
p acticality
make
it
feasible
as
a
luxu y
SUV.

Ge e ous
head oom
a d
leg oom
at
the
ea ,
though
thigh
suppo t
is
ot
the
best.

The
esults
of
the
g ow
dime sio s
a e
immediately
obvious
i
the
g eate
i te io
space.
It
feels
la ge
a d
ai ie
tha
a y
Cou t yma
befo e
it,
a d
bette s
some
ivals
i
this
ega d.
Without
the
batte y
of
the
EV,
the
floo
is
lowe ,
givi g
a
comfie
seati g
positio ,
though
ea -seat
thigh
suppo t
is
still
ot
the
best.
A d
though
the
huge
pa o amic
su oof
lets
some
light
i ,
we
wish
the
wi dows
we e
a
touch
la ge .
Still,
this
ca
ealistically
be
used
as
a
chauffeu -d ive
ca
ow.

The
othe
a ea
whe e
it
delive s
mo e
tha
the
EV
is
the
boot,
whose
volume
has
go e
up
by
50
lit es
to
505
lit es.
You
ca
f ee
up
some
mo e
by
slidi g
the
ea
seat
fo wa d
o
ails,
a d
what’s
mo e,
they’ve
eve
i cluded
a
space-save
spa e
ty e,
which
you
do ’t
get
i
the
EV.

I
the
f o t
seat,
the e’s
o
mistaki g
this
fo
a ythi g
but
a
Mi i,
tha ks
to
the
clea
dashboa d
with
a
big
ci cula
touchsc ee
at
the
ce t e.
While
this
does
fu ctio
as
the
speedomete ,
a
od
to
the
o igi al
Mi i,
the e
is
also
a
flip-up
HUD,
which
p ese ts
the
i fo
i
you
li e
of
sight.

K itted
fab ic
o
the
doo
ca ds
a d
dashboa d
le ds
the
cabi
a
upma ket
feel. 

The
dash
is
t immed
i
a
upma ket-feeli g
k itted
fab ic,
which
the
exte ds
o to
the
doo
ca ds,
whe e
it
ble ds
f om
blue
to
b ow
i
colou .
The e
a e
ple ty
of
u iquely
Mi i
touches,
like
slim,
ve tical
AC
ve ts,
a
ow
of
toggle
switches
to
sta t
the
ca
a d
cha ge
modes,
mo e
champag e
gold
t im
a d
ve tical
i side
doo
ha dles.
But
the e
is
also
mo e
BMW
switchgea
tha
eve
befo e,
which,
though
high
quality,
looks
a
bit
o di a y.

Sto age
space
a d
e go omics
a e
well
thought
out,
with
a
ope
ce t e
co sole,
a
eat
cove ed
sto age
box
a d
a
slidi g
a m est.
The
f o t
seats,
mea while,
a e
la ge
a d
accommodati g
a d
give
a
comma di g
view
outwa d.

2026
Mi i
Cou t yma
C
Featu es
a d
Safety
–

8/10

Ge e ously
kitted
out
with
lots
of
sta da d
equipme t,
o
pa
with
ivals.

Edge-to-edge
ci cula
sc ee
is
espo sive,
high- es
a d
full
of
cutesy
g aphics. 

As
me tio ed
befo e,
the e
is
o ly
o e
va ia t
of
the
Cou t yma
C,
with
a
fixed
featu es
list
a d
o
optio al
add-o s.
It’s
a
ge e ous
spec
that
featu es
mo e
tha
what
some
ivals
offe ,
i cludi g
wi eless
Apple
Ca Play
a d
A d oid
Auto,
powe ed
f o t
seats
with
memo y
a d
massage
fu ctio
fo
the
d ive ,
su ou d
came a
with
auto
pa k
fu ctio ,
a
Ha ma /Ka do
audio
system,
heated
stee i g
wheel,
pa o amic
su oof,
13.7-i ch
diamete
OLED
touchsc ee ,
heads-up
display,
voice
assista t,
wi eless
pho e
cha gi g
a d
a
digital
key
system,
to
ame
a
few. 

As
see
o
all
cu e t-ge e atio
Mi is,
the
dish-like
ci cula
touchsc ee
is
a
wo k
of
a t.
Whe e
the
p evious
ge e atio
housed
a
ecta gula
touchsc ee
withi
the
ci cle,
the
ew
o e
is
a
edge-to-edge
ci cula
sc ee .
It’s
espo sive,
b ight,
high
of
esolutio
a d
full
of
Mi i-typical
cutesy
g aphics.
Eve
the
audio
cues
a e ’t
like
o mal
ca s,
with
cute
ethe eal
chimes
eplaci g
bo i g
wa i g
beeps.
The e
a e ’t
d ive
modes
but
Expe ie ce
Modes
(mo e
o
these
late ),
which
ot
o ly
cha ge
the
colou
of
the
ambie t
lighti g,
but
the
sc ee
display
a d
ca
eve
activate
ce tai
featu es,
like
the
seat
massage. 

Ha d
butto s
o ly
fo
few
fu ctio s
such
as
media
co t ols
a d
Expe ie ce
Modes

Howeve ,
o ce
the
ovelty
fades,
you
sta t
to
ealise
this
ci cula
desig
is ’t
g eat
e go omically.
While
the e,
tha kfully,
a e
ha d
butto s
fo
music
volume
a d
t ack
co t ol,
as
well
as
d i-
so y,
Expe ie ce
Modes,
AC
co t ols
a d
all
othe
fu ctio s
a e
o
the
sc ee .
With
o
bezel
o
edge
to
est
you
ha d
o ,
a d
small,
ou ded
g aphics
to
tap,
it
is
quite
t icky
to
pe fo m
basic
fu ctio s
o
the
move.
A d
as
it’s
based
o
BMW’s
cu e t
i-D ive
system,
the e
a e
fa
too
ma y
sub-me us
to
go
th ough.

2026
Mi i
Cou t yma
C
Pe fo ma ce
a d
Refi eme t
–

7/10

Dow sized
tu bo-pet ol
e gi e
lacks
the
zest
associated
with
a
Mi i.

Pe fo ma ce
feels
me ely
adequate
f om
the
156hp,
1.5-lit e
tu bo-pet ol
e gi e. 

This
ca
sha es
its
UKL1
a chitectu e
with
the
BMW
X1,
as
well
as
its
1.5-lit e
th ee-cyli de
di ect-i jectio
tu bo-pet ol
e gi e.
As
i
the
BMW,
it
p oduces
156hp
a d
240Nm,
se t
to
the
f o t
wheels
via
a
7-speed
dual-clutch
automatic
gea box,
a d
as
i
the
BMW,
it
feels
me ely
adequate.
While
easie
to
digest
i
the
X1,
which
has
lo g
si ce
t a sitio ed
f om
‘Ultimate
D ivi g
Machi e’
to
comfy
family
c uise ,
the
Mi i’s
go-ka t
i te tio s
a e
still
o
display,
a d
the
expectatio
fo
mo e
pe fo ma ce
is
highe . 

Like
i
mode
BMWs,
the
Expe ie ce
Modes
a e
mostly
cosmetic,
with
o ly
G ee
(Eco)
a d
Go
Ka t
(Spo t)
alte i g
d ive
pe fo ma ce.
Expectedly,
the
fo me
dulls
thi gs
dow ,
while
the
latte
p imes
the
e gi e
a d
gea box
to
be
mo e
eactive,
a d
they
wo k
as
expected.
The e
is,
howeve ,
o
scope
to
set
i dividual
pa amete s
i
a y
mode;
fo
i sta ce,
ESC
is
off
by
default
i
Go
Ka t
mode
a d
you
ca ’t
tu
it
back
o .

Gea box
is
i tuitive
a d
quick,
but
the e’s
o
ma ual
co t ol
whatsove . 

Also
missed
a e
paddle
shifte s,
o
i
fact
a y
mea s
of
shifti g
ma ually,
though
the
gea box
is
quite
i tuitive
a d
quick
to
shift
fo
the
most
pa t.
It’s
o ly
at
c awli g
speeds
whe e
this
powe t ai
falls
i to
the
t iple-whammy
t ap
of
tu bo
lag,
gea box
hesitatio
a d
o
off-boost
powe
that’s
typical
of
dow sized
e gi es.
Thi gs
imp ove
d astically
i
the
mid- a ge,
whe e
the
Cou t yma
C
feels
most
comfo table.

The
e gi e
also
emai s
p etty
efi ed
fo
the
most
pa t,
a d
it’s
o ly
if
you
absolutely
st etch
it
out
that
you’ e
made
awa e
it’s
a
th ee-cyli de
u it.

2026
Mi i
Cou t yma
C
Mileage
a d
Ra ge
–

8/10

Dece t
fo
a
easo ably
la ge
tu bocha ged
pet ol
luxu y
SUV.

Fuel
eco omy
is
officially
ated
at
15.92kpl. 

The
adva tage
of
the
sizi g-dow
is,
of
cou se,
fuel
eco omy,
which
will
o
doubt
be
bette
tha
with
a
la ge
2.0-lit e
e gi e.
It’s
officially
ated
at
15.92kpl,
which
is
ot
bad
fo
a
tu bo
pet ol
luxu y
SUV,
a d
you
ealise
that
it’s
because
it’s
ot
too
heavy
–
clocki g
i
at
a ou d
1,700kg.
Othe
facto s
helpi g
this
i clude
a
quick-acti g
e gi e
stop/sta t
system
a d
a
good
d ag
coefficie t
of
just
0.26.
Expect
a
eal-wo ld
ave age
comfo tably
i
the
two
digits.
A d
like
all
ew
BMW
ca s,
this
o e
is
E25
complia t.

2026
Mi i
Cou t yma
C
Ride
Comfo t
a d
Ha dli g
–

7/10

Still
fu ,
but
d ives
like
a
big
ca
ow;
la ge
wheels
hu t
ide
quality.

Ha dli g
is
a
oticeable
depa tu e
f om
the
Go
Ka t
feel
that’s
typified
all
mode
Mi is. 

Mo e
so
eve
tha
the
powe t ai ,
the
Go
Ka t
feel
that’s
typified
all
mode
Mi is
comes
f om
the
chassis
setup
a d
ha dli g,
a d
this
ew
Cou t yma
ep ese ts
the
fi st
oticeable
depa tu e.
But
that’s
ot
ecessa ily
a
bad
thi g,
a d
is
i
keepi g
with
its
ew,
mo e
g ow -up
luxu y-SUV
pe so a.

The
stee i g
is
much
lighte
a d
ot
as
tightly
wou d
as
befo e,
fo
a
sta t,
a d
that
mea s
despite
the
i c eased
size,
the
Cou t yma
is
eve
easie
to
ma oeuv e.
What
you
lose
i
the
p ocess
is
some
u ge cy
i
di ectio
cha ges
a d
some
agility,
but
you
do ’t
mi d
that
tha ks
to
the
afo eme tio ed
be efits. 

It
feels
eassu i g
a d
has
g eat
oad-holdi g
at
highway
speeds,

The
good
ews
is
the
suspe sio
setup
still
allows
it
to
ha dle
co e s
tidily
a d
with
ot
too
much
body
oll.
A d
this
despite
bei g
slacke ed
off
quite
a
bit
to
be
oticeably
comfie
a d
mo e
complia t
tha
the
p evious
Cou t yma .
It
also
has
g eat
oad-holdi g
at
high
speeds
a d
feels
fa
mo e
eassu i g
at
highway
speeds,
a d
the
ove all
se satio
is
that
you’ e
comma dee i g
a
p ope
SUV
athe
tha
a
high- idi g
hatchback.
The
o ly
spoilspo t
he e
a e
the
19-i ch
wheels;
while
they
look
g eat,
they
c ash
ha d
th ough
potholes
a d
eve
ove
some
steepe
speed
b eake s.

2026
Mi i
Cou t yma
C
P ice
a d
Ve dict
–

8/10

Competitive
p ici g
a d
big
space
make
it
a
c edible
ival
to
othe
e t y
luxu y
SUVs.

The
Mi i
Cou t yma
C
is
p iced
at
Rs
47.5
lakh
(ex-show oom,
I dia)
which
is
i c edibly
competitive.
It
ducks
u de
both,
the
Me cedes
GLA
a d
BMW
X1,
with
o ly
the
e t y-level
ve sio
of
the
Audi
Q3
bei g
slightly
cheape .
The
best
pa t
is
that,
whe e
p evious
locally
assembled
Cou t yma s
(Cou t yme ?)
felt
st ipped
dow
compa ed
to
thei
CBU
cou te pa ts,
he e
you
get
a
well
tu ed
out
a d
ge e ously
equipped
luxu y
SUV
that
does ’t
leave
you
wa ti g.

It’s
clea
that
Mi i
is
o
a
wa
footi g
to
b eak
i to
the
mai st eam,
a d
that’s
somethi g
it
ce tai ly
ca ’t
do
with
its
hatchbacks,
which
emai
fu
to
d ive
a d
upma ket,
but
ultimately
iche
fashio
stateme ts.
The
Cou t yma
C
delive s
o
space,
featu es,
luxu y
a d
comfo t
that’s
mo e
tha
a
match
fo
othe s
i
the
segme t,
a d
despite
a
slightly
u de whelmi g
e gi e,
adds
some
much- eeded
pizzazz
to
the
a ks
of
e t y
level
luxu y
SUVs.

Go to Sou ce