The new Mini Countryman D still believes in diesel

Industrial inertia or deep commercial conviction? In any case, the SUV from Mini, the Countryman, is now available in Diesel.

Are you lost? So are we. One day presented as electric, then hybrid, then gasoline… and today diesel. The new Mini Countryman, in addition to having a rather “special” look, seeks to please everyone. But in trying to appeal to all, there’s a bigger risk of pleasing no one.

So, certainly, on paper, it might seem that there’s something for everyone, but in an era where messaging must be short and effective, we won’t know on the street whether this Mini is electric or not. It’s a bit like the story of the wolf disguised as a lamb. Or is it a way for BMW to ensure a minimum of sales, as the automotive market does not seem mature enough to switch to 100% electric. Fiat is indeed set to launch, in a few weeks, a gasoline hybrid version of its 500E…

Diesel and hybrid

Mini highlights the extreme frugality of its new diesel hybrid engine, which unfortunately promises to be quite expensive to purchase. What about the relevance, again? With a mild-hybrid architecture equipped with a 14 kW (19 horses) electric motor, it achieves a combined power of 163 horses with a consumption of 4.8 liters per 100 km/h and 120 g of CO2 emitted per kilometer. In France, this value is accompanied by a ecological penalty of 100 euros in 2024.

The acceleration is decent, taking 8.5 seconds to reach 100 km/h. Otherwise, there is really not much change aesthetically, both inside and out.

On the price side, the Countryman D in Essential trim starts in France at 43,000 euros (excluding penalties), then rises to 45,420 euros (Classic), 49,430 euros (Favoured), and finally 51,440 euros (JWC). For 40,000 euros (after the bonus deduction), the same Mini Countryman Essential is available as electric.

Isn’t it time to live with the times?

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