MINI has revealed details of two new electric models - a heavily updated Cooper hatchback and the first-ever battery powered Countryman.
Both vehicles are set to arrive properly in the spring of 2024.
The Countryman - MINI’s compact SUV-hatchback crossover - will be available for the very first time with a fully electric powertrain, alongside the option of a traditional combustion engine.
There’s no room in the MINI line-up for a plug-in hybrid Countryman, however, with that option recently being discontinued and not looking like making a return.
Meanwhile the existing electric MINI Cooper has been overhauled - both inside and out.
The major thing you need to know here is that the maximum range between charges for the Cooper hatchback has been boosted from 145 miles with the current model, to a very decent 250 miles with the version that’ll launch next year.
That should make the electric MINI Cooper much more viable as a family lease car than before, and we expect it to be popular!
Here’s everything you need to know about both the 2024 MINI Cooper and MINI Countryman:
MINI Cooper Electric
MINI has gone back to the basics when designing the updated electric Cooper hatchback.
Any exterior chrome has been ditched in favour of a more minimalist look, and there’s also a new octagonal front grille, sitting between re-shaped headlights, that’s said to be more in-keeping with MINI Coopers of old.
Flush door handles are offered for the time first, while the plastic wheel arches and side scuttles have been removed.
It’s a similar story inside, where an uncluttered cabin centres on a round, sophisticated, OLED screen with the infamous MINI toggle bar below.
The curved dashboard also features a textile surface for the first time. You can match the ambient lighting to your precise mood thanks to the ‘MINI Experience Modes’ system, which allows you to switch between various set-ups, including ‘Core’, ‘Go-Kart’ and ‘Timeless’.
And there’s also a full suite of driver assistance systems. The Parking Assistant Plus package, for example, means the MINI Cooper can park itself at the touch of a button, and you can even exit the car and use your phone to complete the manoeuvre instead.
There are three main trims - Classic, Exclusive and Sport.
Classic models are understated and use a modern 2D knitted textile in the interior.
Exclusive versions add a multitone roof and a silver grille, as well as an uprated interior with sports seats.
Meanwhile the Sport trim is the one you need if you want go-faster stripes, and it also gets other style flourishes on the exterior as well as red-stitched black leather in the interior.
On top of the three trims, you’ve got a choice of two different powertrains - ‘E’ or ‘SE’.
The Cooper E uses a 40.7 kWh battery and gets a range of up to 190 miles as well as power of 184 hp and a 0-62 mph sprint time of just 7.3 seconds.
Meanwhile the Cooper SE boosts both power and range, thanks to a larger 54.2 kWh battery. Here the max journey distances increases to 250 miles while the 0-62 mph sprint time reduces to 6.7 seconds - which makes it just as quick as the petrol-powered, three-door MINI Cooper S.
Meanwhile fast 95 kW DC charging can take the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in less than 30 minutes.
Prices begin at £30,000 - cheaper than the entry-level Peugeot e-208 or Vauxhall Corsa Electric - and we’ll bring you news of leasing costs as and when we get them.
MINI Countryman 2024
As we’ve pointed out above, the big news here is that you will be able to lease the third generation MINI Countryman with either a traditional petrol engine or with a battery and electric motor.
The Countryman remains a rival to lease cars like the Audi Q2 and the Volvo XC40 Recharge.
Like the new MINI Cooper electric, the electric MINI Countryman is available with two different powertrains - the 204 hp ‘E’ or the 313 hp, all-wheel drive ‘SE ALL4’.
The E has a range of up to 287 miles, and while the SE ALL4 has a lesser range of 269 miles, that added power means it’ll blat from 0-62 mph in just 5.6 seconds - which is almost Porsche Taycan quick.
You’ve then got a choice of three petrol mills, with power output running from 170 hp to 300 hp with the performance ‘John Cooper Works’ hot-SUV.
Tweaks to the suspension also means the 2024 Countryman should be more fun to drive than ever before, with MINI promising more ‘precise handling’.
The new Countryman has grown in size compared with the outgoing model - gaining 6 centimetres in height and 13 centimetres in length - which should translate to more room in the rear.
Again, like the MINI Cooper, the Countryman gets a new octagonal front grille, which also houses a small radar sensor that enables Level 2 semi-automated driving - a first for the MINI brand - as long as you tick the optional ‘Driving Assistant Plus’ package box.
A Level 2 equipped Countryman can automatically exit a motorway for you, and you can also take your hands off the wheel at speeds of up to 37mph. Level 2 automation is legal in the UK.
Elsewhere in the cabin, the round OLED touch display from the MINI Cooper is carried over into the Countryman, and which is underpinned by the smart ‘MINI Operating System 9’.
Stefanie Wurst, Head of MINI, explains: “The new MINI Operating System 9 is characterised by simple, emotional touch operation that is specific to MINI. Together with the new cloud based MINI Navigation for particularly precise and fast route calculation, high-speed connectivity and optional 5G capability, the new MINI Countryman takes a giant leap into the digital world, thereby underlining the brand’s charismatic heritage.”
The new MINI Countryman is priced from £28,500.
*Prices include VAT. Credit is Subject to Status, Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply. Excess mileage may apply. Stock levels and prices correct as of 04/09/23.
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