The 2021 Mini Countryman is on sale in Australia armed with a revised lineup, more standard equipment, styling and trim changes and a much improved value equation. Priced from $44,500 plus on-road costs, the Countryman lineup now does without diesel power, though a Pure variant of the performance JCW model has been added.
“The arrival of the new MINI Countryman will bolster the strong momentum we’ve enjoyed in Australia thus far in 2020,” commented Brett Waudby, General Manager of MINI Australia and New Zealand.
“We anticipate strong interest in the new Countryman, a clear favourite in the MINI range, and look forward to delivering signature British charm, go-kart thrills and value-added practicality for our MINI fans.”
Centrepiece of the 2021 Mini Countryman update is a mild styling refresh with new LED front and rear lighting (including a Union Jack motif in the tailights), new front and rear bumpers and new alloy wheel designs in a bit to keep it fresh against rivals such as the BMW X1 (which shares the Mini’s platform), Mercedes-Benz GLA, Volvo XC40 and Audi Q3.
Inside the 2021 Mini Countryman is a new 5.5-inch digital instrument cluster (stolen from the Mini Electric and the new Mini JCW GP), as well as new trims and a revised infotainment binnacle.
The Countryman Cooper diesel has been culled for Australia, and in its place is a revised version of the Countryman Hybrid. Featuring a larger 9.6kWh battery pack, the hybrid variant can now travel up to 61km on all-electric power – an increase of 21km compared with the pre-updated model. The Countryman Hybrid otherwise uses a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with the aforementioned battery pack and an electric motor on the rear axle to produce a combined output of 162kW and 350Nm – Mini claims the hybrid uses just 2.4L/10km of fuel.
There’s also the new Countryman JCW Pure, which uses the same 225kW/450Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine as the Countryman JCW, though with less equipment for less money. The Pure loses the JCW’s adaptive suspension, 19-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, head-up display and 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system for almost $6,000 less.
Otherwise, the 2021 Mini Countryman lineup remains the same with the $44,500 Cooper, $52,900 Cooper S and $67,818 JCW. The Cooper uses a 100kW/220Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, while the Cooper S ups the ante with a 141kW/280Nm 2.0-litre unit. The JCW uses the same engine as the Cooper S, though increases outputs to a strong 225kW/450Nm.
The Cooper and Cooper S are matched to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto, while the hybrid is matched to a six-speed regular auto and the JCW models an eight-speed auto. The former two models are front-wheel drive, while the latter two are all-wheel drive.
Standard kit on the Cooper includes auto emergency braking with pedestrian detection and adaptive cruise control (though no blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, rear auto braking, etc), an 8.8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay, sat nav, digital radio, LED lighting, 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, an electric tailgate, leatherette upholstery, auto lights and wipers and dual-zone climate control.
The Cooper S and Hybrid add piano black interior and exterior trim, 18-inch alloys, full leather trim with front sports seats, forward collision warning, different driving modes and heated front seats. The JCW Pure adds sports suspension, a rear spoiler, leather/suede seats and a sports exhaust, while the JCW then adds 19-inch alloys with adaptive suspension, a heads-up display and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.
2021 Mini Countryman pricing (plus on-road costs):
Cooper: $44,500 (+$2,300)
Cooper S: $52,900 (+$3,700)
Cooper S plug-in hybrid: $60,900 (+$3,700)
JCW Pure: $61,915
JCW: $67,818
Keyword: 2021 Mini Countryman: Added Value for the Mini SUV