For the emission-conscious mummies.
British marque MINI have come good on their promise to launch their first-ever plug-in hybrid model, the Mini Countryman PHEV, on our shores in the second-quarter of this year. Arriving this week, the it’ll be the lowest-emissions version of the Mini currently available, offering the best blend of Mini’s iconic driving dynamics & style while still complying with the ever-tightening emissions regulations of today.
“The Mini Countryman Plug-In Hybrid is the first step in what will be an exciting journey into the world of Mini future mobility. With performance on-par with the famous Countryman Cooper S but even greater efficiency thanks to its plug-in hybrid drivetrain, the Countryman Plug-In Hybrid offers exceptional all-round performance, versatility, and economy.” – Brett Waudby, General Manager, Mini Australia
The Countryman PHEV, which bears very obvious lime-green ‘E’ badges on the rear and on either of the front fenders, is powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol mill mated to an electric motor. Together, they deliver a total peak power of 165kW and 385Nm of peak torque. This powertrain features two main drive modes, namely eDrive that maximises utilisation of battery power at speeds of up to 80km/h (afterwhich the 3-cylinder mill takes over), and Max eDrive that pushes the maximum EV speed threshold up to 125km/h.
With a 7.6kWh lithium-ion battery, the Countryman PHEV is able to travel as much as 40km on a full-charge, with regenerative braking able to recharge the batteries to as much as 90%. Should plugging-in be your thing you can charge it from 0-100% power via a wall-plug in 3-hours 15-minutes, while a Wallbox charger shaves an hour off that time.
Aside from the E badging, the Mini Countryman PHEV can further be distinguished by the 18-inch ‘Pin Spoke’ alloys, the body-coloured roof & mirror caps, the Satin Silver finish for the side-sills and roof rails, the dual-chrome grille with ’S’ designation, the chrome side scuttles and exhaust tip, the integrated roof spoiler, MINI projected logo, or LED headlights.
Step inside and you get (fake) leather sports seats, (real) leather-wrapped steering wheel, height-adjustable front seats, grey cabin trim & roofliner, dual-zone climate control (with rear vents for passengers), “interactive LED lighting” around the infotainment screen, a ‘not-an-iDrive’ infotainment system, three-way split-folding rear seats, ambient lighting, and two USB ports.
Returning to that ‘not-an-iDrive’ system, the thing runs wireless Apple CarPlay as standard (but not Android Auto), displays itself on an 8.8-inch screen, connects via Bluetooth, offers DAB digital radio & Mini Connected remote services, and plays tunes via a 6-speaker audio system.
Safety-wise you get things like active cruise control (up to 140km/h) that integrates a traffic-jam function, city-speed AEB with pedestrian detection, collision warning with brake pre-conditioning, all-round parking sensors, and a reversing camera with dynamic guide lines.
The Mini Countryman PHEV is now available with a 3-year/unlimited-mileage warranty, as well as an optional ‘advance payment’ service option that’ll cover 80,000kms or 5-years worth of servicing (whichever comes first). The battery on the other hand gets a separate warranty, that covers it for up to 6-years or 100,000km, whichever comes first.
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