Where once Mini boasted about the strength of its smallness, the 2017 Mini Cooper Countryman rolls out onto the show floor at the Los Angeles Auto Show on the coattails of its bigness – a major part of the automaker’s marketing push for the most family-friendly member of its line-up. The Countryman family also gains its first plug-in hybrid electri

The fish is clutching at the sides of its tank with its little fins, mouth contorted in angst, water sloshing violently around the bowl. Silly? Yep. Childish? Absolutely. Frivolous? Sure. Needless? Well, no. My daughter is screaming at me, “Daddy! Slow down! You’re making the fish upset!” I do, and the fish settles happily back in his b

Just for fun, let’s put Mini into the Marvel universe for a minute. Could this Hulk stand to get a little angrier, though? Perhaps. If the Mini Cooper three-door is the small and mighty Ant-Man, and the Clubman is lithe and nimble do-gooder Spider-Man, then the Mini John Cooper Works Countryman could fairly be compared to the Incredible

Vehicle Type Great mileage, instant recognition, amusing performance, and potent power. Small Hatchback / Convertible History/Description The third-generation Mini Cooper hit the road for model year 2014 with more size, features, and technology than any of its predecessors. The latest take on the fun-focussed product lineup saw ne

Photos by Stephanie Wallcraft and Michael Bettencourt In most ways, these two cars couldn’t possibly be more different. Crossovers and plugs haven’t always made for the most compatible combination. Higher ride heights and heavy all-wheel drive systems are exactly the sorts of features that electric vehicle designers typically avoid i

Let’s get something straight right off the top: When it comes to plug-in hybrid vehicles, the recently introduced 2018 Mini Cooper S E Countryman All4 is neither the most practical nor the most frugal choice available. You want all-out SUV practicality? Try the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which for about the same price is substantially roomier (it

The completely redesigned 2017 Mini Countryman is the brand’s biggest model ever. I’ve been an avowed purist when it came to Mini, not wanting the fun wee cars to get any bigger. By lengthening the Countryman SUV by 205.7 mm (8.1") over the previous generation and making it 35.5 mm wider (1.3") the designers threatened to sacrifice the very driving

Mini is a special brand. Although it is a part of the BMW stable of brands, it’s not a full mainstream brand as Toyota is to Lexus, or Volkswagen to Audi. It was revived from the ashes of a beloved microcar series on a wave of retro nostalgia, but while others have moved on or faded, the Mini brand has thrived and grown, both figuratively and liter

BMW has a pair of new plug-in hybrids arriving at dealers. If you want to electrify your Mini experience, the Mini Cooper S E Countryman All4 has arrived and it will start at $43,490. Want something bigger and more luxurious? The BMW 530e might be more to your tastes. The plug-in Mini comes in one version, the Cooper S E Countryman All4. That me

Mini has just revealed their newest Countryman, and the Mini just keeps getting bigger. Mini's first plug-in hybrid model will also be joining the lineup as the CUV moves to a bigger platform and new engines. The 2017 Countryman is Mini's subcompact crossover, and the all-new four-door is going to be much less subcompact. The new Mini will be 20

Mini has released pricing for the all-new John Cooper Works Countryman All4, and while the biggest Mini gets more size, more features, and more power, the price stays the same. The John Cooper Works model starts at $38,500. That's $8,550 more than the Cooper S Countryman , so what do you get for the extra dollars? For starters, there's a 2.0L f

The 2021 Mini Countryman has been refreshed for the coming model year with tweaked looks, new trims, and upgraded technology. Starting with the design, the British brand’s Union Jack tail lights have finally been added to its largest vehicle and only SUV, which also gets standard LED headlights and fog lights. New finishes can be found both

When you hit up an event like Mini Takes The States – a two-week road trip where 1,500 Mini fans per day ply America's highways on a trajectory that takes them from Atlanta, Georgia, all the way to Palm Springs, California – you'd think after you'd had Cooper number 50 roll on by you on the staging ground of the event's final leg, you'd start to fe

There is an invasion coming to Montreal on October 14th and 15th. But don't be alarmed, it's a Mini Invasion. No, not a small invasion, an invasion of small cars. It's the fourth running for the Canadian version of the Mini owner meetup, car show, and rally. Mini is celebrating 15 years in Canada, so they're throwing a party. The 2017 Mini Invas

It almost never fails. People see the keyfob on a table somewhere at a group gathering, and the response is brisk: “Who’s driving the dad car?” And I always know who they’re talking about: It’s me, because I’m driving the Buick and that’s kind of what Buicks have become. Here’s the thing, though. Take the 2019 Buick Encore compact crossover you