MINI Countryman Silver

You’re not short of choice when it comes to how fast you want your Countryman to go or how you want to fuel it. Petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid options cover all bases while the John Cooper Works version has over 300 horsepower and is a proper hot hatch chaser. All the engines have been updated with the latest emissions control technology to meet stringent new standards, along with other detail improvements. JCW aside there are two petrol options – a 136 horsepower three-cylinder and a 178 horsepower four-cylinder – and a single diesel. The basic petrol is nippy enough but if you’re regularly carrying a lot of passengers or doing longer journeys the more powerful models may be worth considering. A manual gearbox is standard on front-wheel drive models, which you can upgrade to a seven-speed automatic for additional cost. More powerful versions with the ‘ALL4’ all-wheel drive system come with an automatic gearbox as standard, as do the JCW and hybrid versions. We drove the updated version of the hybrid, which combines a petrol engine powering the front wheels and an electric motor driving the rear. They can work independently or together, switching between the various modes so seamlessly you likely won’t notice much of the time. The electric-only mode is impressively brisk around town, meaning you don’t have to nanny the accelerator for fear of waking the petrol engine like you do on some rivals. It also preserves its range effectively through regeneration when slowing down. On the open road and using both power sources the hybrid is faster than its 220 horsepower would suggest and much more fun to drive than most crossovers or SUVs, which is in keeping with Mini’s cheeky image.