2024 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 Untamed Edition Review

You may have heard. An all-new Mini Countryman is just around the corner, with a larger emphasis on all-electric models.

Featuring more squared off proportions, the new small SUV looks quite appealing. So where does that leave the current Countryman? Will it be forgotten about, left to fizzle out as the generation winds down?

The short answer is nope. Mini still sees some life in the current Countryman and introduced a special model this year called the Untamed Edition. At first glance, we quite like the design of the new limited-edition model but wanted to get a closer look. After spending a week with 2024 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 Untamed Edition, here's what we found.

Regardless of which country it’s purchased in, the Untamed Edition comes with exclusive Momentum Grey Metallic or Nanuq White exterior paint that extends to areas like the air intake surround, side sills, and MINI logo background. Contrasting the paint is a black roof, black roof rails, black headlight surrounds, and black mirror caps. But wait, there’s more black accents found on various trim pieces, like around the lights.

The two most distinct exterior highlights are the stripes and wheels. On either side of the vehicle are four diagonal stripes colored in what Mini refers to as Frozen Bluestone. There are exclusive two-tone wheels at all four corners with the Untamed Edition logo on the center cap.

Inside, the exclusive details continue as the leather lounge sport seats are finished in Highland Green with blue stitching. Not everyone who saw the vehicle was a fan of the seat colors, but we like the unusual combination. Vehicle’s today lack personality and originality, so it’s nice to see a manufacturer take a bit of gamble with green seats.

The seats, as well as the steering wheel, have the Untamed Edition logo inscribed on them. The logo appears in various other places inside too, like the floor mats.

Overall, we like the Untamed Edition’s appearance. On most other small crossover SUVs, it would be out of place and possibly tacky. But on a cheerful MINI, it is perfectly at home.

Measuring in at 169.7-inches (4,310 mm) in length, the Countryman is small for a SUV. It shorter than a Buick Encore GX, Mercedes-Benz GLA, or Volvo XC40. Yet, despite its relatively diminutive size, it’s still quite large for a member of the Mini family.

The brand has done its best to give it that unmistakable family resemblance. There’s the large, roundish headlights and chipper front fascia. The rear features the half Union Jack taillights and dual exhaust set up. It even has a two-tone roof.

Being part of the Cooper S family, the Untamed Edition is mid-level in the Countryman hierarchy. More potent than the base model, but not as maniacal as the John Cooper Works (JCW) version, the Cooper S does its best to drive like a Mini. It lacks the toss-ability of other, small vehicles from the manufacturer. With a 3,719 lbs (1,687 kg) curb weight and 6.5-inches of ground clearance, it’s hard to cheat physics.

It feels more like a small crossover SUV than a Mini. That stated, it’s still one of the sportiest vehicles in the small, premium SUV segment. We’d even go as far as to say it can, at times, be entertaining to drive.

The steering has good weight behind it, especially in sport mode. It might not be the usual razor-sharp MINI steering, but it’s far more communicative than is usually found in a small utility vehicle. The brakes are very responsive and bite hard when asked to. The 225/50R18 tires do their best to provide ample grip and direct the Countryman along the driver’s intended path.

Plus, remember, if one wants more performance in their Mini SUV, there’s always the JCW model.

Under the hood of the Cooper S Countryman is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 189 hp and 207 lb-ft. of torque. ALL4 models receive an eight-speed automatic transmission instead of the dual-clutch seven-speed found in front wheel drive Countryman’s.

Mini claims the vehicle will go from 0-60 mph in 7.2 seconds which is swift for the segment, but not overly quick. The numbers don’t tell the entire story though, as the engine provides linear power across the board. It makes the most of the limited ponies, and although it never feels overly powerful, there’s still a good amount of punch in most driving situations.

Once again, if more performance is wanted, there is the JCW model that unleashes 301 hp. We wish the Cooper S would split the difference more evenly between the 134 hp entry level engine and the one found in the JCW. If the Cooper S had around 220 hp, it would be a great sweet spot. Especially since premium fuel is recommended.

As it stands, the engine is responsive and the transmission is quite quick to react, especially for a conventional automatic. To help induce a sportier feel, the 2.0-liter turbo can have more engine noise pumped into the cabin in sport mode.

With the Untamed Edition not really altering the Cooper S Countryman curb weight, it is still rated to achieve 23 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway. In Canada, the ratings sit at 10.4 L/100 km city and 9.1 L/100 km highway.

Beside the cool touches we mentioned earlier that come with the Untamed Edition, the interior of the Countryman has all the usual Mini features. There’s a big lit-up circle central to the dashboard that features a rectangular infotainment screen. The low-gloss digital driver information center screen is attached to the steering wheel, and of course there are toggle switches.

Being a top trim within the Cooper S lineup, the Untamed Edition comes with a hands-free tailgate, wireless phone charging, rain sensing wipers, a Harman Kardon audio system, heated steering wheel, and on-board navigation.

We like how the steering wheel mounted buttons can change radio stations through the head-up display. It allows drivers to keep their eyes on the road more often since they aren’t looking over at the center screen. Another small thing we’ve always liked is how the ambient lighting has its own dedicated switch on the roof to cycle through the colors.

Being the largest of the Mini lineup, it’s no surprise the Countryman is the most accommodating for passengers. Up front, passengers receive 39.9-inches (1,013 mm) of headroom and 40.4-inches (1,026 mm) of legroom. Besides the ample space, the green power operated bucket seats provide a good balance of comfort and support.

Rear seat passengers get 37.5-inches (952 mm) of headroom and 37.6-inches (956 mm) of legroom. This allows four reasonably sized adults to fit inside the vehicle without issue. Behind them is a nice, square cargo hold that holds a decent amount of gear for the SUV’s size - 17.6 cubic feet (450 Liters). Remove the rear passengers, fold the seats down, and cargo capacity increases to 47.4 cu ft (1,390 L).

Finally, to keep all occupants safe, the Cooper S Countryman comes with Mini’s active driving assistant with forward collision warning and lane departure warning. Other safety features included on our tester include active cruise control and the parking assistant function.

The 2024 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 starts at a price of $35,995 (all prices include destination charges) in the United States. That puts it on par with a Buick Encore GX Essence AWD and undercuts the Volvo XC40 as well as the Mercedes-Benz GLA.

As tested, the 2024 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 Untamed Edition comes in at $44,295. Most of that nearly $9,000 increase is due to the Ionic trim though. The Untamed Edition is a mere $1,500 increase.

In Canada, things are a bit different. The 2024 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 comes better equipped in entry-level form and costs $46,435. The Untamed Edition is a stand-alone trim and pushes the price point to $52,735 as tested.

The Mini Cooper S Countryman continues to be an enjoyable, practical little SUV with a ton of personality. The Untamed Edition increases the SUV’s charisma without being too over the top. Plus, it’s not all that expensive of an upgrade.

In the near luxury segment, buying something like this special edition Mini isn’t about rationality or overall bang-for-the-buck. It’s an emotional purchase of a premium vehicle that speaks to the owner. It’s important to give buyers something extra that keeps them happy with their purchase. The individuality and cheerfulness of the 2024 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 Untamed Edition does just that, for a specific set of buyers.

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