Is the Mini Countryman S ALL4 a gasoline dinosaur?

While Mini has made a drastic shift towards electric vehicles, its family SUV retains a sporty hybrid S version that is not even plug-in capable.

It’s hard to make sense of the environmental considerations of automakers. While we are constantly being told about the switch to electric, the unveiling of the new Mini Countryman S ALL4 feels somewhat anachronistic. A relic of the past that confuses consumers who are increasingly lost.

Although the vehicle appears primarily targeted at the United States, it might face failure in France where its technical specifications are likely to condemn it from the start. The Countryman S is indeed a 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder producing 218 horsepower and 360 Nm of torque. All of this is sent to all four wheels and assisted by a small 48-volt electric system of 14 kW (19 hp) that operates for a few seconds.

Thus, the WLTP fuel consumption is 7.4 liters per 100 km, with CO2 emissions of 169 g/km. According to the 2024 tax penalty table, the fine will amount to €7,959. Considering that the current best-equipped version, the John Cooper Works trim, costs €49,000 for 170 hp, we can expect the worst for this Countryman S ALL4. Imagining paying €70,000 for an SUV of this size and performance is mind-boggling.

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