The third iteration of the Mini‘s SUV, the Countryman, is set to grow considerably when it moves to a third generation next year.
It thus makes room for the slightly smaller new Aceman crossover and caters for Mini owners with growing families.
Twinned with the BMW X1, the new Mini Countryman will go on sale in February 2024, shortly after the new Cooper hatchback. Like its BMW sibling, the Countryman will gain electric versions for the first time.
“This is something for people that say ‘I have a second child now so I can’t get the stroller into this one [the current Countryman]’,” said Mini boss Stephanie Wurst. “We need it for the people that we’re losing right now because they don’t have enough space.”
The Volkswagen ID 4 rival has also been conceived to grow Mini in the US market, which favours larger vehicles – something Mini hasn’t been able to cater for until now.
Visually, the car will differ from the current model with a squarer front end, large front and rear overhangs and a more rugged treatment. It wears a more angular interpretation of Mini’s new bulbous headlights, as seen on the Cooper and Aceman.
At 4429mm, it will be 132mm longer than the current Countryman. It’s also set to grow 56mm taller, to 1613mm, for more head room inside.
The new Countryman will expand on the current car’s powertrain line-up, with electric power replacing the soon-to-be-axed plug-in hybrid, alongside a petrol offering.
Mini will offer a standard and a more potent ‘S’ version of both the petrol and electric Countryman, with hotter John Cooper Works (JCW) versions to follow later.
No specifics have been confirmed about the petrol Countryman, but it will most likely mirror the current range, with a front-driven three-cylinder option and four-cylinder, front-wheel drive S model. Only the electric Countryman SE will offer four-wheel drive.