2022 Mini Countryman Plug-in Hybrid Wagon

The Mini Countryman PHEV is a standalone trim that is positioned at the top of the Countryman lineup and hence gets all the bells and whistles that Mini offers with this product as standard. Although many of the features still need to be opt optionally, it still covers all the basics well with the heated front seats, satellite radio, LED headlights, and parking sensors with a rear-view camera being standard.

The Countryman PHEV gets all-wheel drive as standard and is powered by the most powerful three-cylinder engine offered by the Countryman. A premium audio system, leatherette upholstery, anthracite headliner, and larger & sportier wheels are all available as standard with the options including various exterior styling elements apart from the various options packages. 

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As there are no trims to choose from, there is not much here for us to recommend to you. That being said, the wide range of customization options means that one can spec and style the car as per their personal preference and needs. 

2022 Mini Countryman PHEV Wagon Release Date

There are no official dates being announced from the manufacturer with the availability of the 2022 Countryman PHEV yet but we expect the car to make its way to dealerships by the last quarter of the year with deliveries beginning shortly after. 

The top-of-the-line Mini Countryman plug-in wagon is powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine that is paired up with a 9.6 kWh battery pack placed underneath the floorboard since its second generation inception back in 2017. Together it generates 221 hp and 284 lb-ft of torque which is sent to all four wheels as standard through a six-speed automatic transmission. 

The power is pretty sufficient for this compact wagon as is seen in its acceleration performance. It takes just 6.5 seconds for the 0-60 mph run while the quarter-mile is covered in under 15 seconds. There are no towing ratings available for the Mini Countryman PHEV, but that seems to be the case with most plug-in hybrid cars. Also, not many are expected to use their hybrid compact wagons to tow heavy loads.

Handling of the Countryman isn’t as quick or agile as the Coopers and Clubmans of the Mini world and the ride quality is pretty stiff as well, for most people’s liking. While that provides great highway manners, it does toss around the occupants on broken surfaces. The brake pedal feels vague too as it has a long-dead spot at the top of its travel, which not only takes time to get used to but also makes it cumbersome to drive in city traffic. 

The BMW i3 is the most expensive alternative to the Mini and though it comes with a tiny engine and a much smaller battery pack, the performance is on par with the Mini. The Toyota RAV4 Prime on the other hand is astonishingly the quickest of the segment with its class-leading power figures. The Kia Niro hybrid is the slowest of the lot but then is also the most affordable one here.

Driving the Mini with electric-only mode will give just 17 miles of range and replenishing the larger 9.6 kWh battery with the standard 120-Volt household outlet will take around 7 hours. In terms of EPA ratings, the 2022 Countryman PHEV is rated for 27 mpg combined and up to 30 mpg on the freeway as opposed to the 24 mpg combined for the gasoline-only AWD Countryman. Together with the 9.5-gallon fuel tank, the 2022 Countryman can offer under 300 miles of combined driving range. 

The Mini Countryman is one of the least efficient vehicles of the segment as even the high-performance Toyota RAV4 Prime does a much better job in this regard. The BMW i3 offers the best electric-only range as it is majorly an electric vehicle that uses its gasoline engine once the battery is drained. Kia’s Niro hybrid has the highest MPGe figures and even with the smaller battery pack, offers a longer electric-only range than the Mini. 

The cabin of the Countryman is typical to every other Mini of modern days with the center-mounted infotainment system in a large circular housing with unique toggles and switches around it. The digital instrument cluster is also a Mini highlight which looks pretty sophisticated and modern in this retro car. The center console is a direct fit from BMW with the gear selector and infotainment control dial being identical to every other BMW car.

The materials used are premium and mostly soft to touch, while the carbon fiber inlays add a bit of sportiness to the cabin. But things like a center armrest being optional is what makes the Mini a not-so-popular choice even with the premium tag. The seats are pretty comfortable and the SensaTec leatherette upholstery no doubt feels plush considering its BMW roots.

In terms of space, it does not feel compact in any way as there is plenty of legroom for both the front and rear seat occupants. The headroom at the front is also pretty good but the taller passengers in the rear seat will bump their heads against the headliners. Luggage capacity is limited at around 13 cu-ft but the underfloor storage space does add to the practicality, although opting for the spare tire eats up all of that space. 

The BMW can seat only four occupants with the rear seat reserved only for young kids but has a marginally better luggage space than the Mini. The Kia Niro PHEV hybrid feels the most spacious at the front while the Toyota RAV4 Prime has the best rear seat and luggage space. Folding the rear seats in these two crossovers opens up a lot more cargo space than the Countryman, making them much more practical. Some of the interior features in the 2022 Mini Countryman PHEV Wagon are:

• 6-Way Adjustable Heated Front Sport Seats
• 40-20-40 Folding Split-Bench Fold Forward Rear Seat
• SensaTec Leatherette Upholstery
• Tilt/Telescoping Sport Leather Steering Wheel
• Leatherette Door Trim Insert
• Digital instrument cluster
• Three 12V DC Power Outlets

How intuitive is the 2022 Mini Countryman Wagon PHEV’s infotainment unit?

The Countryman PHEV does not feature the smaller 6.5-inch screen and instead gets the 8.8-inch touchscreen head unit as standard. Apart from the touch input, it can also be controlled via voice commands and the center console-mounted dial. There have not been many changes made to the interface and with the cars getting a more modern appeal, the Mini’s interface seems a bit outdated in terms of graphics. 

There is only Apple CarPlay integration on offer since Android Auto is still missing even in the 2022 model year. There’s now a one-year satellite radio service offered as complimentary along with the navigation system which is sourced from BMW as well and is slick to use. The voice commands work very well too while the premium Harman/Kardon audio system is a delight to hear. Some of the infotainment features in the 2022 Mini Countryman PHEV Wagon include:

• The 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• 12-speaker 360W Harman/Kardon Premium audio system
• Bluetooth Wireless Phone Connectivity and Audio Streaming
• Satellite Radio w/12-month subscription
• Smart Device Integration w/Apple CarPlay
• Built-in Navigation
• Voice commands

The exterior styling of the 2022 Countryman PHEV is not much different from the regular Countryman and it continues with the most quirky design for this segment. Although it is the least quirky design with the Mini moniker, it looks pretty regular in terms of dimensions and overall design. There are still typical Mini elements to the car like the Union-Jack style tail lights and the customizable two-tone paint schemes with short yet wide body style. 

The compact nature makes you believe it would be a lighter vehicle but its curb weight says otherwise as many other modern rivals weigh considerably less and enjoy higher efficiency and improved performance because of that. The ride height is also pretty average for its segment but is enough to go over the bumps and broken patches of the road rather effectively. 

The BMW i3 is a much more compact car here while the Kia Niro is only marginally larger in dimensions than the Countryman unlike what it might feel from the onset. The Toyota is no doubt the largest crossover in this comparison and hence also weighs the most. It also has the highest ground clearance to offer while the Mini and Kia ride much lower to the ground with the BMW having the lowest stance. Some of the exterior features in the 2022 Mini Countryman PHEV Wagon include:

• Automatic LED Daytime Running Headlamps
• Cornering Lights
• Speed Sensitive Rain Detecting Variable Intermittent Wipers w/Heated Jets
• Power Heated Side Mirrors
• Roof Rack Rails Only
• Black Grille w/Chrome Surround and Chrome Door Handles
• Panoramic Moonroof
• 18-inch Pair Spoke Alloy Wheels

Though the Mini Countryman hasn't undergone under the hammer at the federal NHTSA testing agency, it does well in the safety tests conducted by the private IIHS where it gets a ‘Good’ rating in all aspects of the tests for the 2021 model year. It also features all the mandated safety features like the automated emergency braking system and forward-collision warning.

That being said, Mini does not offer many modern driver aids like a blind-spot alert and comes with only a limited number of safety and driver assistance features which are available as standard in many of the more affordable cars. Though features like adaptive cruise control and self-parking assist are now available as options. Some of the safety features in the 2022 Mini Countryman PHEV Wagon are:

• Electronic Stability Control (ESC) And Driveline Traction Control
• Forward-Collision Warning
• Automated Emergency Braking
• Lane departure warning
• Rear Park Distance Control Rear Parking Sensors
• Back-Up Camera
• Low Tire Pressure Warning

2022 Mini Countryman Wagon PHEV vs BMW i3 120 Ah

Though the BMW i3 is a much more compact car than the Countryman, it is far pricier as it gets a massive battery pack that can offer a pretty usable electric-only driving range. It offers a premium and modern cabin as well but the space at the rear is practically useless. Therefore, the Countryman PHEV is a much more practical offering that costs less, is spacious, has a comprehensive maintenance program, and also offers a lot of customization possibilities. 

2022 Mini Countryman Wagon PHEV vs Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid 

The Kia Niro is the most affordable hybrid crossover of the segment and is, although only marginally larger than the Countryman, offers a much more spacious cabin for both the passengers and their luggage. Though the battery capacity is smaller than the Mini, the Kia offers a longer EV driving range and is also far more efficient. Though the Niro is no competition to the premium appeal of the Mini, it is a much more practical choice of the two.

2022 Mini Countryman Wagon PHEV vs Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in Hybrid

The Toyota RAV4 Prime is priced very close to the Countryman but is larger in dimensions, making it much more spacious and comfortable for all its occupants. It isn’t the most premium crossover but the performance is nothing short of a sports car with blistering quick acceleration timings. It has much more latest technology on offer and comes with a larger battery pack to offer a much longer EV driving range to complement the very efficient powertrain. 

The 2022 Mini Countryman PHEV looks like a step in the right direction with Mini making claims of being an all-electric manufacturer by 2025. But the fact that the Countryman PHEV seems to be lacking a bit both in terms of range and performance, there is a long way to go. It also isn’t the fun-to-drive Mini that we know off and isn’t too practical in nature as well. Therefore, the Countryman tends to lose out its essence in the PHEV guise, and hence despite being the best selling Mini in the country, the PHEV isn’t too high on the sales chart.