2018 MINI Countryman Hybrid Review / Comparison - In 4K

MINI's new S E Countryman Plug-In Hybrid isn't the "MINI Prius" that some folks had been hoping for. Instead, MINI decided to go a different direction and give us the fastest MINI in America that happens to have a plug. This PHEV system allows you to drive solo in the carpool lane in some states, get a tax credit and shift some of your consumption from gasoline to electricity, just don't expect a Chevy-Volt-like driving experience.
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[@bird718]

to me, mini has no direct competition and caters to its own unique market.

[@piquetuk]

Having just ordered one I can tell you that you can choose 4WD by selecting the mid e drive, sport mode & manual, turn the traction control off & this gives you 4WD for as long as the battery has charge.

[@unnamedny]

RIP Trunk Comfort Index =(

[@kevinmcinturf8976]

Great thorough review!

[@JoeDoeOutdoors]

Hei I really enjoy your page ☺ Keep it up!

[@ichallengemydog]

great review!

[@CalvinHikes]

Might be time to change that name from "Mini" to "Medium" or even "Big Boned."

[@peteryeung111]

Calvin Sanders X-mini?

[@allosaurusfragilis7782]

We used to have a car called the maxi , here in uk. I can understand why BMW might not want to revive it however, as they were somewhat ghastly. Google austin maxi and see what you think. My dad had one and i actually quite enjoyed driving it , to be fair.

[@pijnenburgkok]

Great review

[@noname-JS]

So good Alex

[@keith6743]

great video a lot of info..

[@michaelpaolini]

Thank you!

[@WillMoon]

Oh boy, an i8 style drivetrain... because it was totally reliable in that vehicle lol, what could possibly go wrong?

[@thatsomefyi]

For some reason I got so surprised at how the E is also a plug shape. If Alex didn't explain I wouldn't know.

[@trailzrock2]

Can't decide between the 2018 mini countryman PHEV and the 2017 Audi A3 e-tron. Which one Alex? Which one? I'm currently driving a 2013 Chevy Volt and love it. Would buy the newer version of it, but I'm planning on a rooftop tent and the Chevy volt is a no go. Not enough roof to spread the roof rack cross bars apart

[@patricksoon85]

Is there a rough release date for the XC40 PHEV?

[@M_Foss]

What happens to the all wheel drive when the electric battery is depleted? Do you get front wheel drive until you charge the battery?

[@10basetom]

This car reminds me how revolutionary the Volt was with its 53-mile electric range.

[@andyb8005]

One question that I haven’t seen answered is what happens on a long highway trip when the battery is depleted. Does the car run as a “normal” hybrid with regen braking, electrical motor running for passing etc. or does the electrical drive simply shut down in which case you would be driving a 4000 lb car with only 134 horsepower.

[@brocanova]

How would you rate the touch and feel of this seat "leatherette" upholstery?

[@alliejr]

I think they built this model _just_ for European city exhaust regulations (and, yes, maybe also for CA carpool lane buyers) where the driver benefits from an EV-only mode for in-city transit. At 4000lbs., it is clear they just slapped a battery and hybrid drivetrain into a car that was already overweight and with little real engineering.

[@rightlanehog3151]

Right on the money.

[@Mgoblagulkablong]

They are building all plug-ins for tax reasons only (lower fleet Co2 number = less tax for manufacturer)

[@georgewashington5365]

lmao (at you not the car)

[@zitzot]

I would think the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron would be a more direct comparison to this vehicle than the Kia Nero PHEV. Both are premium level PHEV hatchbacks oriented towards performance. I don't think Alex has compared the A3 e-tron to many other vehicles since his A3 review originally came out three years ago.

[@andrewpierson4650]

I would also compare this with the Mitsubishi Outlander Phev.

[@botbs]

Both C&D and Alex on Autos got 5.9sec for 0-60mph; however, most website says 6.7sec. How come such a big difference? Which number is true?

[@sprague49]

There's nothing "country" about such low ground clearance which crosses the S E Countryman off my list. I'm counting the hours until the all new Subaru Forester debuts at the New York Auto Show press day tomorrow. Will you be there, Alex? I hope you can get your hands on the SF soon as well as the new Crosstrek.

[@yeahtube69]

Totally agree with you.. no reason to have all wheel drive on a vehicle with the ground clearance of a dragster. I really like the idea of the vehicle but in the mid west where winters are totally unpredictable as far as snow fall .. your ' All wheel Drive ' will mean nothing if your practically pushing the snow like a plow. I give it ' sold next day ' after a winter snowfall in Iowa.

[@BTC909]

Does this come with a Toyota or Honda and a sincere apology about the future problems?

[@TheAccordingtoyou]

I was going to watch this, but Far Cry 5 is out and I can't be bothered 🙄.

[@rottinjonny]

Even after watching this video, I'm still pretty skeptical about the handling of a subcompact that weighs literally 1,000 pounds more than a Honda Civic, which is now bigger than the Accord used to be.

[@stevewise1656]

This “Mini” is ridiculously heavy! It will be interesting to see how long that 2.0 Turbo lasts. No lumbar support? That’s a big deal. Cabin storage is a joke. Alex, I generally respect your views, however it seemed you were going out of your way to find a lot of good in this very average car. Had this been any other car I believe your review would have been much more critical. Lastly, Mini as a brand 1) has horrendous reliability 2) Mini’s crash tests haven’t been stellar.

[@swanblake]

Steve Wise well said

[@erichong7534]

Was thinking the same thing

[@lapamful]

I totally agree. But remember Mini is originally British where the roads are so small, Ford Raptors are illegal! lol But as I said in a seperate comment, this Mini is everything Mini isn't suppoed to be. It's heavy, larger, handles badly (compared to a normal mini), and Mini's where originally meant to be tiny city cars for European roads.

[@OsojiNosferatu69]

You should review the Kona Ultimate! It’s the fastest, and also most engaging subcompact crossover that isn’t labeled as luxury to drive. Plus, it’s cute.

[@tuanhuyngo]

Heads up: I don’t see the countryman S E on the list of approved vehicles for HOV access.

[@nix4644]

12 miles electric only!? Why bother.

[@Neil_A]

I'm from the uk I get mine next month

[@desmaynard]

Neil just got ours in Bahamas! Enjoying yours?

[@rumynchik]

Alex, you said under 6" of ground clearance, you misspoke. Also, Volvo XC40 is 8.1" not 8.3'

[@shirakawanaoya]

This hybrid system is expensive and useless. Incredible that the Mitsu PHEV seems more usable.

[@baldheadlogic]

This seems pointless since the EV range is so long.

[@MatrixDiscovery]

LOL...this is a mini mini van.

[@GaryBoyd02]

Yuck can't get into this car.

[@wesrazz5874]

DEATHTRAP!

[@Max-xl9qv]

That premium-tagged thing looks no better than a KIA.

[@paulcwyuen]

The original Mini is a classic, modern Minis are nothing but a hype.

[@edysinsimon8646]

Crap! I miss the 2 door version of this car! i could actually get inside that one but this thing? Forget it!

[@gigi8288]

the paceman? I'm thinking of selling mine for this one!

[@swanblake]

Hate everything about this thing. Heavy and huge. Exactly what a Mini shouldn't be. It also marks the first Mini trim not available with a manual transmission. Another first sadly

[@lapamful]

Absolutely awful vehicle. BMW have totally lost it with this brand. This car is everything Mini isn't supposed to be!

[@umerzafar3434]

Ugly looking car